Hold Your Head Up vs. California Dreamin'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBnSWJHawQQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0UcQDUR-fU

I keep wondering if there's a band who's covered both of these.

I was first gonna vote for argent cause the last time I heard that song on the radio I def rocked out, but listening again it sounds kinda flat. california dreamin' is all time great, but also sorta annoying.

california dreamin

argent easy

California Dreamin by mile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llsr-4IbvqU

Argent song is so simple that it borders on stupid, which I like. But – this always made it seem (in my mind) an unlikely fit to be sandwiched between Rush and Van Halen on classic rock radio, but there it is.
Hold your head up – HIGH!

omg the description for that Youtube: "Should Be Everyone's Theme Song.Don't Let No One Make You Feel Bad About Yourself.You Are As Good As Anyone.Thanks Rod Argent And His Band For Telling Us This.Great Message.I Love It.Thanks Again"

California by a country mile. Although saw The Zombies recently and they did HYHU and it was pretty fun. Rod did a 5-10 minute organ solo in the middle. We indulged him.

the beach boys cover of california dreamin is possibly the worst thing they ever did. hilarious video tho.

SO WE STARTED SCREAMIN
ON SUCH A WINTERS DAY

worst thing they ever did is a pretty competitive contest

california dreamin is so spooky and gorgeous, music communicates such a strong sense of the fall/winter, of branches going bare, breath just becoming visible. love the sound of the massed, echo-laden vocals, like a choir coming at you from far away.

the keyboards on HYHU are pretty sick imo and i'm always a sucker for that midtempo heavy-as-hell early 70s guitar sound. still can't decide, though.

god I hate the Mamas and the Papas

the beach boys cover of california dreamin is possibly the worst thing they ever did. hilarious video tho.

um we had a VERY scientific series of polls to answer just this very question

i know!!
xp
(wasn't there a series of polls to decide that?)

lol

(altho the tracks polled didn't include outtakes and rarities so Cali Dreamin wasn't included... still, how could it possibly be worse than at least a dozen other officially released BBs tunes)

xp

california dreamin was released and a minor hit - got mtv play, annoyed dead kennedys, followup to 'getcha back', set the stage for 'kokomo', captured the dreams and hopes of a generation, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-ThPN8ZY4I

ah our polls only went up to 1980. cuz after that...

ANOTHER "WKW sountrack song vs. a Zombies/Zombies-related song" poll?

COINCIDENCE?

Anyway, I'm opting for California Dreamin', mainly for the better (less noodly) solo.

mike love's solo career also wasn't included

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhQdFx2EJvQ

"California Dreamin'" by quite some margin. Rod Argent made some brilliant music while in Zombies, but this one is hardly essential stuff, whereas "California Dreamin'" is and will always be a classic.

I did not know there was a Beach Boys cover of California Dreamin'. It's like the current incarnation of Pearl Jam covering Smells Like Teen Spirit.

"California Dreamin'" by a country mile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxpMkMmGkTE

poll "Release Me" vs. "I Know There's Something Going On" next.

california dreamin is so spooky and gorgeous, music communicates such a strong sense of the fall/winter, of branches going bare, breath just becoming visible. love the sound of the massed, echo-laden vocals, like a choir coming at you from far away.

― normal_fantasy-unicorns (contenderizer), Wednesday, January 12, 2011 12:20 AM (10 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

the keyboards on HYHU are pretty sick imo and i'm always a sucker for that midtempo heavy-as-hell early 70s guitar sound. still can't decide, though.

― omar little, Wednesday, January 12, 2011 12:24 AM (10 hours ago) Bookmark

all of this is OTM. like the ultimate 60s VS 70s radiopop grudge match

in other words: i can't decide either

I dearly love this Soulwax remix of Hold Your Head Up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVDEY8Y357Y

California Dreaming is the better song, Hold Your Head up is the better recording. As someone who doesn't really like four-part harmony, I'd take the Carpenters version of California Dreaming any day.

^^^

I agree. Chalk and cheese, really. I like both songs but 'Hold Your Head Up' is much easier on the ears.

"California Dreaming" is genius but all those versions are blasphemy. Those beautiful vocal harmonies are what make the song.

not sure I've ever heard Hold Your Head Up though that guitar progression rings some kind of bell. Songs where the verses are better than the chorus are a big pet peeve...

California Dreamin is obviously a stone classic but has the worst wide-pan stereo. Is there a mono mix on CD?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWqxYQwladE

M Coleman OTM but I voted Argent. It gets in my head more often.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxSXExRpRQo&feature=related

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Eddie Hazel: California Dreaming

YouTube

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Maybe it's explained above, but I don't get the connection. These two songs seem worlds apart to me. Am I missing something obvious?

You know the preacher liked the cold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgiD-6izF3Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed1aq3Mgs-c