I'm sure I have several misheard lyrics but the only one that comes to mind at the moment is from the Mamas and the Papas Creeque Alley, mostly because I just heard it yesterday. Anyway, I always heard the 5th stanza like this:
Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted,
And then she wants to go to the scene.
Cass can't make it; she says we'll have to fake it---
We knew she'd come eventually.
Now, before doing any research I understood this song as being about the adventures and mis-adventures relating to the life of various folk singers caught up in show business and referencing its now commonly known drug use. So I interpreted the line as being part of somebody getting caught in a crime and then somebody else involved needing to go to where the crime occurred, apparently effectively admitting their guilt as evidenced by the stressed manner in which the line is delivered. This was followed by a period of not necessarily unlawful flight, but ducking the law nevertheless.
The actual line is:
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.
Apparently the real story is pretty mundane, being that one of the groups wives wanted to get away from NY and chose the Virgin Islands to do it. At least that's the interpretation I found. I don't necessarily buy all the interpretations given, especially those dealing with the McGuinn and McGuire getting higher business but that's another thread.
Full lyrics:
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 Swathmore
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 æ…¡poonful;
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.
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;
Tents 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...
Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted,
And then she wants to go to the scene.
Cass can't make it; she says we'll have to fake it---
We knew she'd come eventually.
Now, before doing any research I understood this song as being about the adventures and mis-adventures relating to the life of various folk singers caught up in show business and referencing its now commonly known drug use. So I interpreted the line as being part of somebody getting caught in a crime and then somebody else involved needing to go to where the crime occurred, apparently effectively admitting their guilt as evidenced by the stressed manner in which the line is delivered. This was followed by a period of not necessarily unlawful flight, but ducking the law nevertheless.
The actual line is:
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.
Apparently the real story is pretty mundane, being that one of the groups wives wanted to get away from NY and chose the Virgin Islands to do it. At least that's the interpretation I found. I don't necessarily buy all the interpretations given, especially those dealing with the McGuinn and McGuire getting higher business but that's another thread.
Full lyrics:
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 Swathmore
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 æ…¡poonful;
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.
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;
Tents 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...
