| California Nights | |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Lesley Gore |
| Album: | California Nights |
| B-Side: | I'm Going Out (The Same Way I Came In) |
| Released: | January 1967 |
| Recorded: | November 1966 |
| Genre: | Pop |
| Label: | Mercury Records 72649 |
| Producer: | Bob Crewe |
| Prev Title: | Treat Me Like a Lady |
| Prev Year: | 1966 |
| Next Title: | Summer and Sandy |
| Next Year: | 1967 |
"California Nights" is a song written by Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Liebling and recorded by Lesley Gore. The song appeared on her 1967 album, California Nights.[1]
The song was produced by Bob Crewe and arranged by Hutch Davie.[2] The track features guitars and drum set in a 1960s pop fashion. The chorus includes multiples long tones over abnormal chords and the verses are noticeably accompanied by a soft electric piano. The lyrics speak of reminiscing about romantic evenings on the beach with a lover.
Billboard described the song as a "production rhythm ballad with groovy dance beat and strong vocal work has thehit ingredients to put Miss Gore back up the Hot 100."[3]
The single peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1967 but stayed on the chart for a then-lengthy 14 weeks,[4] ranking 61 in the year-end Top 100.[5]
An edit of the song (removing the second verse and refrain) was lip-synced by Gore on the January 19, 1967 episode of the TV series Batman, "That Darn Catwoman". She played Pussycat, the Catwoman's protégé, who also wanted to be a singer.
| Chart (1967) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 16 | |
| US Cashbox Top 100 | 11 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 61 |