Scott McKenzie, famous for 'San Francisco (Wear Flowers in Your Hair),' dies

Examiner.com ^ | August 19, 2012 | Steve Marinucci

[EveningStar]

Scott McKenzie, whose big hit, “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” was one of the anthems of the Flower Power movement in the mid '60s, died Saturday in Los Angeles at age 73.

[EveningStar]

San Francisco - Scott McKenzie (music video)

Wikipedia

[Figment]

We all gotta go sometime. Hope that he was right with the Lord. RIP

[relictele]

Rest In Peace and thanks for the music.

I was very impressed with a latter-day live rendition he did of ‘San Francisco.’ Most oldies/nostalgia acts rely on annoying Las Vegas-type arrangements, change the instrumentation significantly, or slather it all in a mess of chorus, delay and other youth-aiding tricks.

Instead, McKenzie and his backing band did a version very faithful to the original and therefore still quite moving.

[EveningStar]

Studio recording

[Chunga]

He really sang the heck out of that song.

[Revolting cat!]

He was born Philip Wallach Blondheim

Does this mean that the name Philip Wallach Blondheim is now available for the taking?

[ansel12]

He had an influence on my life.

[Lancey Howard]

I love that Monterey recording (the first link you posted). I was watching that with my daughter last year and pointed out all the other stars of the time who are featured in the video just walking or sitting around. It really cracked me up to see that Byrd with the big Russian fur hat. Those hats were the Byrds’ gimmick at the time. Mama Cass looked like she was having fun, too.

[satan]

In the summer of 1967 I led an Army Company from Fort Bragg through San Francisco on our way to Vietnam. For reasons unremembered we were dressed in jungle fatigues and all were armed with mostly M-16 rifles. Unfortunately the Army forgot the time difference between California and North Carolina and the promised busses had not arrived. So there we were, over a hundred armed troops in SF Airport – not being well received. So we all sang “San Francisco (Wear Flowers in Your Hair).”
Then the authorities put us in a closed waiting room till the busses arrived.
I still like the song.

[ansel12]

I should have left home at age 13, but I kept putting it off, you know how that is, finally his song helped get me on the road, hitch-hiking to California.

I didn’t go into the Army until I finally needed a break from the hard (but exciting) living.

[SuziQ]

One of my very favorite songs of all time, from a year of terrific music!

[Autonomous User]

I’m Sorry I ruined your black panther party.

[JaguarXKE]

RIP. No other comment.

[Tainan]

In 1988, he co-wrote another hit song “Kokomo,” with John Phillips, Beach Boy Mike Love and the late Terry Melcher for the Beach Boys.
The song became a featured part of the Beach Boys' shows.

So...he's responsible for this ...also.

[Scoutmaster]

It really cracked me up to see that Byrd with the big Russian fur hat. Those hats were the Byrds’ gimmick at the time.

Respectfully, the guy in the video in the "big Russian fur hat" is John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas, husband of "Mama" Michelle Phillips.

That fur hat was Phillips' trademark hat if you watch any old clips of the Mamas and the Papas.

Phillips also wrote the song, which would explain why he's playing it on stage for McKenzie to sing.

[Lancey Howard]

Thanks for the correction. Yes, you are correct about that being Papa John. He was a primary organizer of the Monterey Pop Festival. I was a teenager in that era and my memory gets jumbled sometimes. Long time ago.. whew. (By the way, it was David Crosby of the Byrds who I remembered wearing a Russian fur hat. That's likely who I was thinking of.)

[4yearlurker]

I believe Papa John Phillips wrote “San Francisco.” Always great to hear it on the radio. My younger days are getting farther and farther away. *sigh*

[EveningStar]

I believe Papa John Phillips wrote “San Francisco.”

You're right.

[TurboZamboni]

how’s shrimpin?