# Califonia dreamin' on such a... WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 8, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927 "2006-05-08T18:23:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/41 "2006-05-11T03:54:46Z")
Ah! Well, now I know! When asked where the Bilbo video was from, my answer was always, “I dunno…probably Hullaballoo or one of those shows.” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/42 "2006-05-11T04:09:33Z")
Well come on, we can’t forget these guys! Full color, too! ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/43 "2006-05-11T15:41:42Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” was made for the ABC summer replacement show \*[Malibu U.](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0061276/) (1967), which showcased music acts. The review of Malibu U is worth reading. I hope that person has a career writing a blog or something. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/44 "2006-05-11T16:50:00Z")
Unfortunately, that person is known as a notorious liar and a fake, writing reviews of movies and television shows that he has never seen. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/45 "2006-05-11T20:41:43Z")
OK, or a career writing fake movie/TV reviews. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/46 "2006-05-12T13:50:48Z")
The mod dancing _was_ bizarre, and the clothes hurt my eyes – but, _God_, what a great song. I was more perplexed by the Byrds video, frankly. The song (_The Times They Are A -Changing_) hasn’t held up as well (IMO) as _California Dreamin_, so there was nothing to detract from the completely peculiar choice of set. Personally, if I was in a band named for _birds_, I wouldn’t perform a song on a set made to look like a duck blind. Complete with duck hunters holding rifles. Just too effing strange! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/47 "2006-05-12T14:04:44Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > I saw that clip in my **rock history class** this semester. He tried to hide how he felt about it while he was doing it, but he was clearly having a WTF moment. Bolding mine. You young’uns sure have it tough. Imagine having to study boring crap like that to earn credits. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/48 "2006-05-12T15:37:53Z")
> [@Jess](#): > > Complete with duck hunters holding rifles. Just too effing strange! Shotguns, grasshopper. You hunt ducks with shotguns. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/49 "2006-05-12T16:01:39Z")
> [@Phase42](#): > > Shotguns, grasshopper. You hunt ducks with shotguns. At least one of which was open. Extra f’in’ strange. Girl standing in fake swamp with shotgun open for loading (but not moving)? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/50 "2006-05-12T16:04:09Z")
I’m happy to know that I wasn’t the only person baffled by that Byrds clip. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/51 "2006-05-12T16:35:44Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > At least one of which was open. Extra f’in’ strange. Girl standing in fake swamp with shotgun open for loading (but not moving)? How about the one that appeared to be pointed directly at Chris Hillman? Don’t these people understand gun safety? Always assume a gun is loaded! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/52 "2006-05-12T16:42:16Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Unfortunately, that person is known as a notorious liar and a fake, writing reviews of movies and television shows that he has never seen. [Nimoy did perform “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” in one episdoe, though](http://www.tv.com/malibu-u/leonard-nimoy---buffalo-springfield/episode/236156/summary.html). ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/53 "2006-05-12T16:46:16Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > Bolding mine. > > You young’uns sure have it tough. Imagine having to study boring crap like that to earn credits. You’d be surprised–a lot of people in that class really slog through, don’t study and whine constantly about how hard it is. It’s practically a free A and a fantastic good time too. The few students who are putting any effort into it are having a lot of fun, me included. What really baffles me are the people who show up to take notes on the lecture, and then pack up and leave if the teacher starts showing a video halfway through class–especially since we don’t have to take notes on the videos. WTF? Why wouldn’t you want to watch rock stars rock out? I don’t get some people. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/54 "2006-05-12T17:27:41Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > You’d be surprised–a lot of people in that class really slog through, don’t study and whine constantly about how hard it is. Did I hear a “whoosh”? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/55 "2006-05-12T17:49:13Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > [Nimoy did perform “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins” in one episdoe, though](http://www.tv.com/malibu-u/leonard-nimoy---buffalo-springfield/episode/236156/summary.html). Isn’t that exactly what I said in post #40, above? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/56 "2006-05-12T17:59:24Z")
For some reason, I can’t stop revisiting that video. Lip-synched (badly) or not, it’s very compelling, and the mod dancers have nothing to do with it. First of all, _California Dreamin’_ is such a perfect little song. I mean, it’s catchy, the lyrics are great, and the music is wonderful. The melody is hooky, and the harmonies are just so well-written and executed. Second, on video, even through bad lip-synching, all the of the members of the group are extremely charismatic and fun to watch. I’ve never delved very deeply into The Mamas and the Papas, but I may just have to now. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/57 "2006-05-12T18:00:46Z")
Oh, and despite the cheesiness of the show, I like that they didn’t puss out on the “pretend to pray” bit. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/58 "2006-05-12T18:13:20Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Did I hear a “whoosh”? Only if it was directly overhead. **fetus** understood that **don’t ask** was being sarcastic. That’s exactly why he said “you’d be surprised” that some students really do make heavy going of the class. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/59 "2006-05-12T18:14:42Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Isn’t that exactly what I said in post #40, above? Your criticisim of the “reviewer” could be seen an implication that they lied about Nimoy and his performance. I was just verifying the account. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927/60 "2006-05-12T19:41:46Z")
I was watching the video, wondering what the OP’s WTF moment was about. And then…well, there they were! And all was clear. Or not. Thanks for the laugh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/califonia-dreamin-on-such-a-wtf/355927.md?page=4)