About the song
Background on “Twelve Thirty” by The Mamas & The Papas:
- Songwriter: John Phillips, founding member of the Mamas & The Papas
- Release: Released as a single in August 1967 and included on their 1968 album “The Papas & The Mamas”
- Chart Performance: Peaked at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart
The song is considered one of the band’s last big hits before internal tensions led to their break-up.
Inspiration:
- Written shortly after the band relocated to Laurel Canyon, a Los Angeles neighborhood known for its music scene in the 1960s.
- The song’s title refers to a broken clock stuck at 12:30, a metaphor for a stagnant or depressing situation.
Themes in “Twelve Thirty”:
- Change and New Beginnings: The lyrics contrast a dark and stagnant past with a bright and hopeful future.
- New York vs. California: The song can be seen as a commentary on the contrast between the gritty East Coast and the sunny optimism of California.
- Laurel Canyon Scene: References to “young girls coming to the canyon” could represent the youthful energy and artistic spirit of the Laurel Canyon music scene.
- Overcoming Depression (Interpretation): Some listeners interpret the song as a metaphor for overcoming depression. The broken clock and “cloudy waters” symbolize a dark period, while the arrival of “young girls” signifies a hopeful new beginning.
While the lyrics are open to interpretation, the overall theme seems to be about leaving behind a negative situation and embracing a more positive and vibrant future.
Video
Lyrics
I used to live in New York CityEverything there was dark and dirtyOutside my window was a steepleWith a clock that always said twelve-thirty
Young girls are coming to the canyonAnd in the mornings I can see them walkingI can no longer keep my blinds drawnAnd I can’t keep myself from talking
At first so strange to feel so friendlyTo say good morning and really mean itTo feel these changes happening in meBut not to notice ’til I feel it
Young girls are coming to the canyonAnd in the mornings I can see them walkingI can no longer keep my blinds drawnAnd I can’t keep myself from talking
Cloudy waters cast no reflectionImages of beauty lie there stagnantVibrations bounce in no directionBut lie there shattered into fragments
Young girls are coming to the canyon (young girls are in the canyon)And in the mornings I can see them walking (in the mornings I can see them walking)I can no longer keep my blinds drawn (can no longer keep my blinds drawn)And I can’t keep myself from talking