Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)

About The Song

“San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” was written by John Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas and recorded by Scott McKenzie. It was released on May 13, 1967, by Columbia Records as a single to promote the Monterey International Pop Festival, held June 16-18, 1967. The song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in the UK and several other countries.

The song was recorded in Hollywood, produced by Lou Adler with arrangements by John Phillips. The track features McKenzie’s gentle vocals, accompanied by a folk-pop arrangement with guitar by McKenzie, bass by Joe Osborn, and percussion by Hal Blaine, capturing the 1960s counterculture spirit. The track runs 2:58.

The lyrics invite people to San Francisco, emphasizing peace and love, with lines like “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” Written as a cultural call to action, it became an anthem for the Summer of Love, encouraging young people to join the hippie movement at the festival.

The recording included session musicians from The Wrecking Crew, with additional vocals by Michelle Phillips. Released weeks before the festival, it gained traction through radio play, becoming a defining track of the era despite not being performed live at Monterey.

Upon release, “San Francisco” charted for 13 weeks in the U.S., contributing to its cultural impact. It later appeared on McKenzie’s 1967 album The Voice of Scott McKenzie and various compilations, including The Very Best of Scott McKenzie.

Scott McKenzie, born Philip Blondheim on January 10, 1939, in Jacksonville, Florida, promoted the song through media appearances. A former member of The Journeymen with Phillips, he recorded this as a solo artist, leveraging his connection to the folk-rock scene.

Video

Lyric

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 thereFor 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 hairAll across the nation
Such a strange vibration
People in motionThere’s a whole generation
With a new explanation
People in motion
People in motion

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

If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there