Creeque Alley

The Mamas & the Papas

About Creeque Alley

“Creeque Alley” is an autobiographical hit single written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas, and composed by John Phillips, in 1967, narrating the story of how the group was formed, and its early years. The third song on the album Deliver, it peaked at #5 on the U. S. Billboard pop singles chart the week of Memorial Day 1967. It made #9 on the UK charts, and #4 on the Australian and Canadian charts.


Year:
1991
3:46
2,307 
#2

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John and Mitchy were gettin' kind of itchy
Just to leave the folk music behind
Zal 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

Zally said Denny, you know there aren't many
Who can sing a song the way that you do, let's go south
Denny said Zally, golly, don't you think that I wish
I could play guitar like you
Zal, 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 Zal 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 Zal 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, whoa

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

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The Mamas & the Papas

The Mamas & the Papas (credited as The Mama's and the Papa's on the debut album cover and sometimes shortened to Mamas & Papas) were an American/Canadian vocal group (Denny Doherty was from Canada) who came to prominence in the 1960s. The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing six albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles. They have sold nearly 40 million records worldwide. more »

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Written by: JOHN EDMUND ANDREW PHILLIPS, MICHELLE GILLIAM

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Song Meaning
"Creeque Alley" is a narrative of the formation of The Mamas and the Papas. It highlights their journey, struggles, and survival in the music industry.
Song Title
The title of the song, "Creeque Alley," is a reference to an actual location - a place in the Virgin Islands where the group had once stayed.
Released Date
The song was released on April 3, 1967, by Dunhill Records.
Songwriters
The songwriters of "Creeque Alley" are John Phillips and Michelle Phillips, who were both members of the group.
Song Length
The original version of "Creeque Alley" lasted for 3 minutes and 55 seconds.
Album
The song is part of The Mamas and The Papas' third studio album, "Deliver."
Billboard Rank
"Creeque Alley" peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.
Biographical Lyrics
The lyrics of the song are biographical, narrating the story of how the band members met, their early days as struggling artists, and their eventual success.
References to Other Artists
The song "Creeque Alley" mentions several contemporary artists of The Mamas & the Papas like Roger McGuinn, Barry McGuire, and The Lovin' Spoonful.
Cover Versions
The song was covered by several artists including Pete Seeger in his 2010 album "Tomorrow's Children."
Cultural Impact
The song holds a cultural significance as it provides an insight into the folk music scene of the mid-to-late 1960s.
Music Video
A unique music video for the "Creeque Alley" song featuring a collage of historical photos of The Mamas & the Papas was created long after the song's initial release.

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    Creeque Alley

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1967

    Billboard #5


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