All The Leaves Are Brown And The Sky Is Grey

...Not the ideal weather conditions with a bank holiday weekend coming up in the UK, is it?

It inevitably got me thinking of California Dreamin' by The Mamas & The Papas, longing to swap your present environ for sunnier climes. Whilst the character in the song is homesick for Los Angeles, I'd happily settle for a week anywhere in the Canaries or Greek islands right now...

I found a video of The Mamas & The Papas performing California Dreamin' on The Ed Sullivan Show on 24th September 1967, and it's brilliant. Yes, it's mimed but the quartet take full advantage of that fact and have fun with the format, none more so than Michelle Phillips, who is eating a banana for most of it.

Zoo Time Is She And You Time

Side 1 of a mixtape cassette titled heartbeatincreasingheartbeat, recorded 25th September 1991. 

 

Back in Bristol after a year working and travelling in Australia, back at college for a second go at 'A' levels having dropped out after 6 months a few years previously, back living with my parents after a period of independence and freedom and back in local record shops, sniffing out new and old vinyl.

1) The Man With The Golden Arm (Full Length Version) (Cover of Elmer Bernstein): Barry Adamson (1988)

2) Strange Days: The Doors (1967)

3) Trip, Stumble & Fall: The Mamas & The Papas (1966)

4) De-Luxe: Lush (1990)

5) Theme II: Clan Of Xymox (1986)

6) Spoil The Child: Fad Gadget ft. Joni Sackett (1983)

7) This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us: Sparks (1974)

8) Thank You For Sending Me An Angel: Talking Heads (1978)

9) The Light Pours Out Of Me ('One Pound Ninety-Nine' Version) (Cover of Magazine): Peter Murphy (1985)

10) The Sleeper: John Cale (1985)

11) The Avenue: O.M.D. (1984)

12) The 'In' Crowd (Cover of Dobie Gray): Bryan Ferry (1974)

13) Wheels Of Fortune: Fad Gadget (1982)

Side One (47:19)

Find Side Two here