In 1967, thousands of young people were preparing to descend on San Francisco when John Phillips wrote the song that would become an unofficial invitation to join them.
Recorded by Scott McKenzie, “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” arrived just as the city was becoming the center of the burgeoning counterculture. Its gentle melody and memorable message helped turn the song into an international hit and one of the recordings most closely associated with the Summer of Love.
Phillips, best known as a member of The Mamas & the Papas, wrote the song with a specific purpose in mind…