"Twelve Thirty" a.k.a. "Twelve-Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)", is a song by

The Mamas & the Papas The Mamas & the Papas were a folk rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, California, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group consisted of Am ...

. After the release of the group's third album—'' Deliver''—and their appearance as the closing act of the

Monterey International Pop Festival The Monterey International Pop Festival was a three-day music festival held June 16 to 18, 1967, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. The festival is remembered for the first major American appearances by the Jimi Hendrix ...

, the group was scheduled to appear in England. The visit was catastrophic for the group, resulting in

Cass Elliot Ellen Naomi Cohen (September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974), known professionally as Mama Cass and later on as Cass Elliot, was an American singer and voice actress. She was a member of the singing group the Mamas & the Papas. After the group brok ...

leaving the group temporarily. The group had completed four tracks for their fourth album—initially titled ''Springboard''—but when the group fracture occurred, progress on the new album stopped completely.

Dunhill Records Dunhill Records was started in 1964 by Lou Adler, Jay Lasker, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts as Dunhill Productions to release the music of Johnny Rivers on Imperial Records. It became a record label the following year and was distributed b ...

, hoping to keep the group in the public eye while personal matters were sorted out, released a greatest hits compilation, entitled ''Farewell to the First Golden Era'', a smash hit at #5 on the charts, and certified gold. "Twelve Thirty," one of the completed songs from the fourth album, was included on the album in order to entice record buyers with new material, and simultaneously released as a single. "Twelve Thirty" would also appear on the now-retitled fourth album, ''

The Papas & The Mamas ''The Papas & The Mamas'' is the fourth studio album by the American folk rock, vocal group the Mamas and the Papas, released in 1968. The most recognizable recording “Twelve Thirty (young girls are coming to the canyon)” was written by band ...

'', when finally released in the spring of 1968. The song peaked at number 20 as a single in the US, but failed to chart in the UK. The group would perform the song on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

'' on 24 September 1967, in one of their last televised appearances as a group.

Song origin

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. In a 1968 interview, Phillips cited this arrangement as an example of "well-arranged two-part harmony moving in opposite directions". Jim Ward of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', 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." ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said that "a general aura of happiness...should give the public a feast on the new Mamas and Papas offering." The song was inspired by

Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles, California. The main thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon Boulevard connects the neighb ...

, a neighborhood of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. In the song, the writer says he used to live in "dark and dirty" New York City, where a broken clock on a church steeple was stuck at 12:30. John and Michelle had a difficult marital relationship then, and he compares this period to being in "the Canyon". A popular interpretation is that girl "groupies" would party into the night at the homes of show business types in the canyon and wander home the next morning, passing the house and engaging the songwriter in conversation as they went. The song was reportedly originally sung by Scott Mckenzie. The song fades out during a repeat of the final chorus. There is also an analysis of metaphor to epiphany or lifting of depression.

Uses in popular culture

The song is featured in

Drew Goddard Andrew Brion Hogan Goddard (born February 26, 1975) is an American filmmaker. He began his career writing episodes for the television shows ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ''Angel'', ''Alias'', and ''Lost''. After moving into screenwriting in fi ...

's 2018 film ''

Bad Times at the El Royale ''Bad Times at the El Royale'' is a 2018 American neo-noir thriller film written, directed, and produced by Drew Goddard. It stars an ensemble cast consisting of Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullm ...

''. The song is also featured during a pivotal scene in

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, Black comedy, dark humor, Nonlinear narrative, non-lin ...

's 2019 film ''

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ''Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is a ...

''.

Chris Hemsworth Christopher Hemsworth (born 11 August 1983) is an Australian actor. He rose to prominence playing Kim Hyde in the Australian television series ''Home and Away'' (2004–2007) before beginning a film career in Hollywood. In the Marvel Cinemati ...

's character in ''Bad Times at the El Royale'' is inspired by

Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934November 19, 2017) was an American criminal and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California, in the late 1960s. Some of the members committed a series of nine murders at four loca ...

, while Tarantino's film portrays members of the Manson Family, as well as

Michelle Phillips Michelle may refer to: People *Michelle (name), a given name and surname, the feminine form of Michael * Michelle Courtens, Dutch singer, performing as "Michelle" * Michelle (German singer) * Michelle (Scottish singer) (born 1980), Scottish wi ...

and

Mama Cass Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent * Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places *Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlement ...

. In his film the song plays prophetically as Manson girls drive up Cielo Drive in

Benedict Canyon Benedict Canyon is an area in the Los Angeles Westside, Westside of the city of Los Angeles, California. To the north of the Benedict Canyon neighborhood is the neighborhood of Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, to the west is the neighbor ...

Track listing

;7" Vinyl #"Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)" (John Phillips) — 3:24 #"Straight Shooter" (John Phillips) — 2:57

Other recordings

* Gábor Szabó and the California Dreamers recorded a version on their 1967 album ''

Wind, Sky and Diamonds ''Wind, Sky and Diamonds'' is an album by Hungarian jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó featuring performances recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! label.

'' (1967). *

Scott McKenzie Scott McKenzie (born Philip Wallach Blondheim III; January 10, 1939 – August 18, 2012) was an American singer and songwriter who recorded the 1967 hit single and generational anthem " San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)" ...

released a version of the song on his 1967 debut album, ''The Voice of Scott McKenzie''.Scott McKenzie, ''The Voice of Scott McKenzie''
Retrieved May 16, 2015 *Yugoslav rock band

Bele Vrane ''Bele Vrane'' (trans. ''The White Crows'') were a Yugoslav rock band formed in Ljubljana in 1966. Soon after the formation the band gained the attention of the media with their the Mamas & the Papas-influenced sound. Bele Vrane had success on ...

released a cover of the song, alongside a cover of The Mamas & the papas song "Hey Girl", on their 1968 EP ''Presenčenja'' (''Surprises''). *Autoliner released a version of the song on their September 28, 1999 album ''Life On Mars''.

References

{{Authority control 1967 songs 1967 singles Songs written by John Phillips (musician) The Mamas and the Papas songs Scott McKenzie songs Song recordings produced by Lou Adler Dunhill Records singles