VERSE 1: J^B7ohn and Mitchie were gettin' kind of itchy Just to leave the folk music behind ^E7Zal and Denny workin' for a penny T^B7ryin' to get a fish on the line In a c^F#7offee house Sebastian sat And a^E7fter every number they'd pass the hat McGu^B7inn and McGuire just a-gettin' higher In L.A., you know where that's ^E7at And no one's gettin' ^D7fat except Mama C^B7ass VERSE 2: 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 VERSE 3: 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 VERSE 4: Mugwumps, high jumps, slow 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 INSTRUMENTAL.... VERSE 5: Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted And Mitchie 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 Tent'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