"California Dreamin'" by The Swordsmen
A forgotten rendition of Barry McGuire and The Mamas & the Papas' oft-covered song.
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Eddie Anderson and Raymond Thompson met in the early-1960s while singing for The Cleveland Male Vocal Choir. They later formed The Swordsman and were eventually discovered by the legendary Nina Simone. The funk/soul duo released two LPs on RCA Victor before dispanding just a few years after the release of their self-titled debut in 1969.
Their final release was the 1971 effort What's It All About World. The album featured some heavy hitters, including the prolific and multi-talented Bert DeCoteaux and Horace Ott providing arrangements. Both of these men were immense talents with incredible resumes. Click on their names to see the extent of their impressive credits on Discogs.
Though not a classic album, What's It All About World demonstrated that The Swordsmen had real talent and potential. Their sweet, soulful cover of The Beatles’ “Something” warrants repeated listens.
Another cover from the album and perhaps the best song of the entire effort is their rendition of “California Dreamin,’” first recorded by Barry McGuire and later made an enduring classic by The Mamas & the Papas who released their version first. The Mamas & the Papas take of the song is also the most frequently covered. The cover song database Second Hand Songs currently lists a whopping 331 versions.
The Swordsmen’s remake is excellent. They build up the melancholy, reflective tone of the original by extending the intro with guitar strums and brief acapella vocals. The interplay between their voices and harmonizing works beautifully with some top-notch arrangement and production. The recording benefits from a well-placed organ, which shines vibrantly throughout. There are also subtle, clever elements like the use of actual bells when Anderson and Thompson sing about stopping at a church and praying. The organ and the vocalists let it all out at the end for a stirring climax. It’s not to be missed.
The Swordsmen currently get just over 30 total streams per month on Spotify and their work deserves much more than that. I hope you’ll take a moment to listen to them.
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