On which album of the band The Mamas and the Papas does the single ‘California Dreamin’ appear?

California Dreamin’, one of the most iconic songs of the 1960s, was recorded by American folk-rock band The Mamas and the Papas. It appears on their first studio album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, released in February 1966. The song became a veritable anthem of the era, and remains to this day one of the most recognizable songs of the flower power and American counterculture period.

The Mamas and the Papas was a four-piece band made up of John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot. The band combined rich vocal harmonies with a unique folk-rock sound, capturing the spirit of the times while offering music that was accessible to a wide audience. Their debut album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, marked their entry into the music world with immediate success, propelled in part by the hit single California Dreamin’.

The song was written by John Phillips and his wife, Michelle Phillips, in 1963, when they were living in New York and dreaming of a warmer climate in sunny California. The inspiration came to them on a cold winter’s day, reinforcing the contrast between the harsh climate of the East and the dream of sunny California. It is precisely this sense of nostalgia and longing for comfort that California Dreamin’ brilliantly expresses in its lyrics.

The single was first recorded in 1965, with P. F. Sloan on guitar and Bud Shank playing a flute solo, contributing to its distinctive sonic identity. It didn’t take long for the song to reach the top of the charts. It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1966 and established itself as an enduring commercial success.

The album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears was much more than a showcase for the hit California Dreamin’. It marked a veritable revolution in pop music at the time, thanks to the quality of its vocal harmonies and the richness of its compositions. Other highlights include Monday, Monday, which became the band’s first and only U.S. number one and even won a Grammy Award.

This album is often cited as the epitome of the burgeoning folk-rock movement, blending traditional folk influences with elements of modern rock. The production, by Lou Adler, sublimates the harmonious voices of the four band members, while adding subtle instrumental arrangements that give the album a sound unique for its time.

The album’s recurring theme revolves around the desire for freedom and the California Dream, capturing the aspirations of a youth seeking to break away from the conventions of post-war society. California Dreamin’ is the perfect example, but this sentiment is also present in other tracks on the album.

California Dreamin’ quickly became a cultural anthem, symbolizing the call of California and the idealism of the 1960s. Its success didn’t stop there, as it has since been covered by numerous artists and used in various films, commercials and TV shows, helping to keep it in the collective memory.

The album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, with its blend of folk, rock and pop, made the Mamas and the Papas one of the most influential bands of their time. Although their career was relatively short, the band left a lasting impact on the music scene, not least thanks to songs like California Dreamin’, which continue to resonate with new generations.

California Dreamin’, from the album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears, remains a monument to 60s pop and folk-rock, symbolizing the escapism, freedom-seeking and idealism of that revolutionary era.

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