John and Mitchie were gettin' kinda itchie
just to leave the folk music behind
So Went Denny workin' for a penny
tryin' to get a fish on the line
In a coffee house Sebastian sat
and after every number they passed the hat
McGuinn and McGuire just are gettin' higher
in LA you know where that's at
And no one's getting 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 sat (at the Night Owl)
And after every number they passed the hat
McGuinn and McGuire still are gettin' higher
in LA you know where that's at
And no one's getting fat except Mama Cass

When Cass was a Sophomore, planned to go to Swarthmore,
But she changed her mind one day
Standing on the turnpike, thumb out to hitchhike,
Take her to New York right away
When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps
Call John and Zal, and that was the Mugwumps
McGuinn and McGuire couldn't get no higher
but that's what they were aiming at
And no one's getting fat except Mama Cass

Mugwumps, hi-jumps, low slumps, big bumps,
don't you work as hard as you play
Drink-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 are catchin' fire
in LA you know where that's at
And everybody's gettin' fat except Mama Cass

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 card
Tents, low rents, and keepin' out the heat's hard
Duffy's good vibrations, and our imaginations,
can't go on indefinitely
And California Dreaming is becoming a reality