San Francisco is the quintessential zeitgeist song for the Summer of Love movement in the 1960’s. It is so palpable upon listen you can almost smell the ‘flowers in their hair’. The song emerged in 1967, written by John Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas, and performed by Scott McKenzie. Phillips penned the lyrics as an invitation to the Monterey Pop Festival festival, trying to capture the essence of the burgeoning counterculture movement. It embodies the spirit of peace, love, and communal harmony that characterized the Summer of Love. The simplicity of the arrangement, with its gentle guitar strumming and orchestral flourishes, allowed the poignant message to resonate clearly.
The song’s live debut at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967 was a pivotal moment. This festival was one of the first major rock festivals and featured iconic performances from artists like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Who. McKenzie’s performance of San Francisco became an anthem for the event, encapsulating the festival’s ethos of peace and music.
Upon its release, San Francisco quickly soared to the top of the charts, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one in the UK and several other countries.
[Verse 1]
If you’re going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you’re going to San Francisco
You’re gonna meet some gentle people there
[Verse 2]
For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair
[Bridge]
All across the nation such a strange vibration
People in motion
There’s a whole generation with a new explanation
People in motion, people in motion
[Verse 3]
For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
[Outro]
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
References:
1. San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Great pick, I’ve always loved “San Francisco.” It also takes me back to my teenage years in Germany when I was taking guitar lessons. While the primary purpose was to learn classical guitar, my great teacher also taught me folk and pop songs from the beginning to keep me motivated.
You don’t need the skill set of a Jose Feliciano (one of my acoustic guitar heroes) to master “San Francisco.” In fact, it’s relatively easy to play, and it was a song I learned early on.
I am truly appreciative that you relayed your poignant reflections about this song here. You lucked in with that guitar teacher!
Yep, Peter Notzem was great. Unfortunately, I completely lost contact.
Perhaps he could be found on FB or Instagram? Just a thought.
One of my favourites.
Hey there. Yes, it’s such a moving and timeless classic.
This song was special for me, as I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Scott McKenzie had a beautiful voice.
That’s what you call a ‘living and breathing’ connection with a song. Thanks for sharing that Jeff.