The Fifth Dimension began in Los Angeles in 1965 as the Versatiles. Lamonte McLemore, Ron Townson, and Billy Davis, Jr. all grew up in St. Louis, and moved to Los Angeles independently of one another. Marilyn McCoo and Florence LaRue, who were attending college in LA, completed the quintet. Johnny Rivers, who'd just set up his own label, Soul City, signed the group in 1966 on the condition that they update their name and image, and thus the 5th Dimension was born. Their first Soul City single, "I'll Be Lovin' You Forever," was a flop, but a cover of the Mamas & the Papas' "Go Where You Wanna Go," made it to #16 on the Pop chart in 1967.