The Mamas & the Papas Creeque Alley Lyrics:
John [2] and Mitchie [2] were gettin' kind of itchy,
Just to leave the folk music behind.
Zal [4] and Denny [4] workin' for a penny,
Tryin' to get a fish on the line.
In a coffee house Sebastian [4] sat,
And after every number they'd pass the hat.
McGuinn [5] and McGuire [6] just a-gettin' higher in L.A.,
You know where that's at.
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass.

Zallie said, "Denny, you know there aren't many,
Who can sing a song the way that you do. (Let's go south.")
Denny said, "Zallie, golly, don't you think that I wish,
I could play guitar like you."
Zal, Denny, and Sebastian [4] sat (at the Night Owl [7] ),
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, [8]
But she changed her mind one day.
Standin' on the turnpike, thumb out to hitchhike,
Take her to New York right away.
When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps.
Called John and Zal and that was the Mugwumps [4] .
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 Zal formed the Spoonful [4] .
Michelle, John, and Denny, gettin' very tuneful.
McGuinn and McGuire just a-catchin' fire in L.A.,
You know where that's at.
An' everybody's gettin' fat except Mama Cass.

[Instrumental break featuring flute solo by Bud Shank.]

Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted,
And Mitchie wants to go to the sea [9] .
Cass can't make it, she says we'll have to fake it.
We knew she'd come eventually.
Greasin' on American Express card [9] .
Tents, low rent, but keeping out the heat's hard.
Duffy's [10] good vibrations and our imaginations,
[ Find more Lyrics on http://mp3lyrics.org/Oq9c ]
Can't go on indefinitely.
And California Dreamin' is becomin' a reality.


[CREEQUE ALLEY [1]
[Written by: John & Michelle Phillips
Performed by: The Mamas & The Papas [2]
Albums: Deliver-1967, Hits of Gold-1981, Creeque Alley-1991, AM Gold: The
Late '60s (Various Artists)-1992 [3] , Universal Masters Collection:
Classic-1999, The Mamas & The Papas: Magic Collection-2000, The Ultimate
Collection-2005, et al.]

[1] Creeque Alley is the name of an area in the Virgins Islands. (See [8]
below.]

[2] Band members: John & Michelle "Mitchie" Phillips, the married couple of
the Mamas & Papas, Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot.]

[3] Transcribed from the track on this album.]

[4] The Mugwumps were an early folk-rock group of sorts, who made some
recordings in the mid-'60s, but they are principally remembered for what
their members did AFTER they split up. Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty would
become one-half of the Mamas and the Papas; Zal Yanovsky would join the
Lovin' Spoonful (a group that John Sebastian was part of). The fourth member
of the Mugwumps, Jim Hendricks (not to be confused with Jimi Hendrix), just
sort of disappeared.]

[5] Refers to Roger McGuinn, the frontman of the Byrds, with his trademark
12-string Rickenbacker guitar, who pioneered folk-rock and influenced everyone
from the Beatles to Tom Petty and R.E.M. to name a few.]

[6] Refers to Barry McGuire who first recorded "California Dreamin'" in 1965
which was supposed to be the follow-up to his hit, "Eve of Destruction."
However, before McGuire's version was released, Denny Doherty sang it for
the record producers at Dunhill Records (McGuire's label) and the rest is
history.]

[7] The Night Owl was a folk-music club in New York. It featured an open mic
and after performing, struggling artists literally passed a hat around for
tips.]

[8] Refers to Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.]

[9] Before their first album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears-1966, was
recorded, the American Express company made a deal with the Mamas & Papas to
extend credit to them which would be reimbursed, with interest, from the
royalties of their first album. Seizing the opportunity, Michelle Phillips
thought it would be a great idea to go to the Virgin Islands for several
weeks and rehearse all the songs for the album. At first Cass declined,
wanting instead to attend college, but subsequently changed her mind.
According to popular legend, they camped out on the beaches in grass huts and
ate raw fish and were ultimately deported for general scruffiness. The result
of that sojourn, however, was an entire album of completely rehearsed,
polished and amazing songs that some critics claim would never again be
replicated.]

[10] Duffy's, located at 6500 Red Hook Plaza, Creeque Alley, Saint Thomas, VI,
is a music venue/club that the Mamas & Papas "hung out" at during their time
in the Virgin Islands.]
Lyrics: Creeque Alley, The Mamas & the Papas [end]