John and Mitchy were gettin' kind of itchy
Just to leave the folk music behind
Zol and Denny workin' for a penny
Tryin' to get a fish on the line
In a coffee house Sebastian sat
And after every number they'd pass the hat
McGuinn and McGuire just a-gettin' higher
In L.A., you know where that's at
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass

Zolly said "Denny, you know there aren't many"
"Who can sing a song the way that you do, let's go south"
Denny said "Zolly, golly, don't you think that I wish"
"I could play guitar like you"
Zol, Denny and Sebastian sat (at the Night Owl)
And after every number they'd pass the hat
McGuinn and McGuire still a-gettin higher
In L.A., you know where that's at
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass

When Cass was a sophomore, planned to go to Swarthmore
But she changed her mind one day
Standin' on the turnpike, thumb out to hitchhike
"Take me to New York right away"
When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps
Called John and Zol and that was the Mugwumps
McGuinn and McGuire couldn't get no higher
But that's what they were aimin' at
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass

Mugwumps, high jumps, low slumps, big bumps
Don't you work as hard as you play
Make up, break up, everything is shake up
Guess it had to be that way
Sebastian and Zol formed the Spoonful
Michelle, John, and Denny gettin' very tuneful
McGuinn and McGuire just a-catchin' fire
In L.A., you know where that's at
And everybody's gettin' fat except Mama Cass
Di-di-di-dit dit dit di-di-di-dit, who-o-oa

Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted
And Mitchy wants to go to the sea
Cass can't make it, she says we'll have to fake it
We knew she'd come eventually
Greasin' on American Express cards
It's low rent, but keeping out the heat's hard
Duffy's good vibrations and our imaginations
Can't go on indefinitely
And California dreamin' is becomin' a reality



Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit

Track duration: 03:13


Creeque Alley song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:It seems that the creequealley.com link is no longer functional. Luckily, the analysis of the song by Richard Thorpe is preserved here :
    everything2.com/…|
    Flag Mad Woman Moonon January 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song and how it tells the story about all the stars of the folk 60's scene. I think it's cool that they all knew each other before they were ever famous.
    Flag bonnielynnon July 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:If only more bands did a song like this - quote their roots - fab stuff
    Flag nagromnaion December 27, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:creequealley.com breaks this song down line by line. It's essentially a reference to the history of the band and some of their former bands/bandmates (John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky of Lovin' Spoonful for example).
    Flag isotope23on April 04, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Actually elysiarenee, this song is the entire story of the band that sang it. The Mama's and the Papas were one of the most incredible folk rock groups of the 1960's. The band members were Mama Cass, Mama Michelle, Papa John, and Papa Denny. They sang with incredible harmony, and loved what they did.
    You are right about Mama Cass dying of a heart attack. Her daughter had a small role in the movie "American Graffitti". John Phillips (Papa John) died just last year. His daughter has a starring role in the Disney Channel show "So Weird".
    Flag TaddyTeddyon March 14, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:alas i am young and do not understand most of the referneces in this song and cannot explain them to you. from what i understand it's about the folk music culture in the 60s. mama cass is the fabulous mamas and the papas member who sings such songs as dream a little dream of me. she died of a heart attack in the early 70s. :(
    Flag elysiareneeon June 07, 2002   Link

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