Twelve Thirty

"Twelve Thirty"
Single by The Mamas & the Papas
from the album The Papas & The Mamas
Released 1967
Format 7" single
Genre Pop rock, folk rock, psychedelic pop
Length 3:24
Label Dunhill
Writer(s) John Phillips
Producer Lou Adler
The Mamas & the Papas singles chronology
"Dancing Bear"
(1967)		 "Twelve Thirty"
(1967)		 "Safe In My Garden"
(1968)

"Twelve Thirty" a.k.a. "Twelve-thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)", the song's main refrain, is a song by The Mamas & the Papas, which was the lead single from the album The Papas & The Mamas. The song peaked at number 20 in the US, but failed to chart in the UK.

The song was written by John Phillips shortly after the band had relocated to Southern California in 1965. It is often cited as the band's last great single.[1]

Jim Ward of Rolling Stone, said "Twelve Thirty" was "the last recording of the self-proclaimed 'Golden Era'", he added, "It's probably the best realized song the group has recorded."[2]

The song was inspired by Laurel Canyon, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.[3]

"Twelve-thirty" was covered by Autoliner on their debut album, Life on Mars (1999).

Track listing

7" Vinyl
  1. "Twelve Thirty" (Phillips) — 3:24
  2. "Straight Shooter" (Phillips) — 2:57

References

  1. ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "Twelve-Thirty: Song Review". Allmusic.
  2. ^ Ward, Jim. "Review: The Papas & the Mamas". Rolling Stone. 6 Jul 1968
  3. ^ Eliscu, Jenny. "Hot Scene: The Return to Laurel Canyon". Rolling Stone. 11 Dec 2008
The Mamas & the Papas
Studio albums
Compilations
Farewell to the First Golden Era (1967)  • Golden Era, Vol. 2 (1968)  • Hits of Gold (1969)  • 16 Greatest Hits (1969)  • 20 Golden Hits (1973)  • Greatest Hits (1998)
Singles
"Go Where You Wanna Go" (1965)  • "California Dreamin'" (1965)  • "Monday, Monday" (1966)  • "I Saw Her Again" (1966)  • "Words of Love" (1966)  • "Dancing in the Street" (1966)  • "Look Through My Window" (1966)  • "Dedicated to the One I Love" (1967)  • "Creeque Alley" (1967)  • "My Girl" (1967)  • "Glad to Be Unhappy" (1967)  • "Dancing Bear" (1967)  • "Twelve Thirty" (1967)  • "Safe In My Garden" (1968)  • "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (1968)  • "For the Love of Ivy" (1968)  • "Do You Wanna Dance" (1968)  • "Step Out" (1972)