60s Singer/Icon ;Scott McKenzie Dies @ 73

[Borderstone]

Scott McKenzie, singer of ‘San Francisco’, dies.

SaturdayAugust 18th-2012,
Scott McKenzie, best known for beautifully singing the John Phillips-penned song “San Franciciso (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)”, died. He was 73 years old.

Real name Philip Wallach Blondheim, McKenzie was born January 10, 1939 and was originally in a group with Phillips called The Abstracts which became The Smoothies. Instead of later joining Phillips in The Mamas & The Papas, McKenzie decided to pursue a solo career. McKenzie’s quickly rising musical star, however, just as quickly burnt out. Not for lack of talent, though, but because he wasn’t able to handle the fame and turned to prescription drugs, leading to a nervous breakdown.

When listening to McKenzie’s “San Francisco,” one can decide to visualize as a symbol of youth, naïveté, flower power, all that nonsense. Having recently read the book “Acid Dreams” written by Martin A. Lee and Bruce Shlain, as well as forgotten Diggers founder Emmett Grogan’s book “Ringolevio: A Life Played for Keeps,” I tend to think of “San Francisco” as something else.

It seems to me that the McKenzie’s song is something like Jorge Luis Borges’ singular point in “The Aleph.” The song contains the potential of San Francisco in the ’60s before the CIA, media attention and conservative hysteria, as well as mainstream recuperation of the countercultural ethos, tore the whole thing apart.

In that light, McKenzie’s “San Francisco” at once rides the light and darkness of that time. The infinite potential running up against the destructive power of America’s culture of greed and power.

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/1873...rancisco-dies/

[Borderstone]

On my own personal note about Scott.

Since I was old enough to listen to & understand songs on the radio & especially discovering oldies radio,"San Francisco(Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)" was certainly an airplay staple.
I have a copy of his album from that year and my brother has a 45rpm (reprint) that includes his only two hit songs. San Francisco is one of his favorites.

Our local video station (Channel 38.3)plays many videos from different decades and "San Francisco" is one of them. A really cool B & W clip of Scott in his best 60s clothes,in (I assume) San Francisco,lip synching somehow to the song.


Some may not know it but Scott was not of typical age for the Summer of Love generation. He was born January 10th,1939,making him 28 in 1967,when he had that #4 hit and it's follow up "Like An Old Time Movie" (#24 in Nov. '67.)

In fact,Scott passes away 45 years to the summer that he had that hit,whcih was produced by John Phillips of The Mama;s & The Papa's. Scott would have been 74 in 2013.

RIP Scottand thanks for one of the most memorable songs to come out of not just 1967 but the (post 1963) 60s as well. I wasn't born until 1968 but I know the importance of what your song meant to that generation.