#California dreamin

[teambyler]

s4's choice of "California Dreamin" and what it says about El, Mike, and Byler

Season 4 opens with "California Dreamin," specifically a 1986 Beach Boys cover of the classic 60s Mamas and the Papas song. It plays over El's letter telling Mike how "great" things are in California, when we all know it's not true.

The song sounds at first bright and sunny, but it's actually a pretty dark song, musically and lyrically. The singer is in a cold winter ("All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey") They go into a church and "pretend to pray" to find shelter from the cold. Which is very fitting for El, who is pretending to be someone she's not and painting a false picture for Mike:

Stopped into a church I passed along the way Well, I got down on my knees And I pretend to pray

El is finding only temporary warmth in a church, which also is appropriate because it is traditional: she is trying to convince herself that she has an ideal happy life with many friends and a traditional relationship with a loving boyfriend.

The song is just as much about Mike as it is about El: he is also "California Dreamin" because he's looking forward to being in California to be with El (and Will!).

The Beach Boys' cover doesn't have all the original lyrics. The original song has another lyric that is interesting for El and Byler. (The Beach Boys' cover was probably chosen because it came out in 1986.)

Here it is:

All the leaves are brown And the sky is gray I've been for a walk On a winter's day If I didn't tell her I could leave today California dreamin' On such a winter's day

The singer wants to be in warm and sunny California, but is held back because they promised something to a girl.

Does this idea of being held back from happiness due to a sense of obligation to a girl sound familiar, Byler Nation?

And the song plays while Mike is reading El's letter:

In both El's case and Mike's case, the song talks about "California Dreamin" but it's actually quite unsettling and dark. They are NOT in a warm and sunny place. They're finding reprieve sneaking into a church and "pretending to pray." Mike would go somewhere warmer, where he doesn't have to hide in a church to be warm. If he didn't make a promise to a girl, he "could leave today."

Haven't seen this elsewhere so I wanted to share...

P.S. Follow and read my blog! I have so much to say!

#byler #byler theory #byler evidence #california dreamin #st4 #stranger things

[ginger-by-the-sea]

#California dreamin #serene #minimal design

[bazilisks]

wolfwood animatic!!!! this was just so i could practice toonsquid animation before i finished this other animation meme i'm working on

i think wolfwood's history deserves to be a little more touched on too!! i love thinking about the twins but also wolfwood destroys me just as much

#trigun #trigun maximum #trigun stampede #nicholas d wolfwood #vash the stampede #california dreamin #trigun animatic #Youtube #my art

[miiroren]

what if will can control the mind flayer particles like vecna can i think that’d be pretty neat 🫢

not gonna lie i thought these were the lyrics in california dreamin’ for a VERY long time and it was definitely very fitting for this

#i literally posted this on instagram 2 days ago and completely forgot to on here #so #here is finally is #stranger things #st #will byers #noah schnapp #mind flayer #mind flayer stranger things #art #digital art #drawing #digital drawing #procreate #tw: blood #vecna #vecna stranger things #california dreaming #california dreamin

[theaquacottage]

I Bought My First Jeep!

View On WordPress

#California Dreamin #Jeep Life

[marshmellowsmore]

The Mamas & the Papas

#michelle phillips #1960s #1970s #the mamas and the papas #california dreamin

[cherry-girl444]

·:¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨:·

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grayyy

ive been for a walk on a winters day

id be safe and warm, if i was in L.A

California dreamin on such a winters day

stopped into a church

i passed along the wayyy

well i got down on my knees

and i pretend to pray

you know the preacher like the cold

he knows im gonna stay

california dreamin on such a winters day⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

#california dreamin #the mamas and the papas #southern gothic #girlblogging

[heartbreak-sandwich]

man, titles are hard, even if there's no fic attached to it yet lmao how about uh, California Dreamin'?

send me a made-up fic title and i'll tell you what i would write to go with it❤️‍🔥

Okay. I have been thinking so hard on this, and the one in my head right now is a slow burn fluffy fic where Chrissy takes a family vacation to California and meets Argyle who delivers her pizza, and he is totally smitten and speechless. Then they become pen pals, and eventually Chrissy goes to UCLA as a cheerleader, and Argyle drives out to meet her for a party, and she falls for him because he's incredibly sweet and absolutely worships her. ✨ Idk, I think they would be such a cute combo. 🥰

#thank u for the ask! #ily joz 💕 #chrissy cunningham x argyle #ask game #fic titles are always hard lol #california dreamin

[xoglitterbomb]

California dreamin 🌴🌊🐚💭🏖️

#California #California dreamin #cali babyy

[i-want-my-iwtv]

California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas

I’m moving to California on Feb. 5! That’s part of why I’ve been offline, it’s taken some coordination 😅 This song is definitely music Lestat motorcycles to.

I miss my interactions with ppl on here. But I don’t think it will ever be what it once was. I’m moving on in some ways, and I’m sorry to let ppl down. It’s a new chapter...

One thing I’ll say is that we all have our own ideas about our fave fictional characters and stories, and I would hope that if I left anyone with any message at all after all these years on tunglr, it’s that you can enjoy your preferred version, without permission from anyone, without validation from anyone, without disclaimers, and it’s great if ppl agree with you, but it’s not necessary. You do you, VC fandom 💗

#california dreamin #music #music lestat motorcycles to #vc fanmix

[zerrissener]

wie viel von mir kann ich geben ohne mich selbst zu verlieren?

- cassandra steen

#marvin game #cassandra steen #california dreamin #immer ready #song zitate #tumblr zitate #zitateundsprüche

[celestialmazer]

The Mamas & The Papas - California Dreamin'

#the mamas and the papas #California dreamin #california dreaming #typography #graphic design

[otuhafkafa]

☀️

#nepzey'songlist #seç beğen dinle fjdk #california dreamin

[mthguy]

The Mamas & The Papas perform "California Dreamin'" on The Ed Sullivan Show. (1966)

Sing-a-Long!

#youtube #the mamas and the papas #california dreamin #ed sullivan show

[sunflowersand-bees]

me: oh i love the song california dreamin’ because it’s so relatable to me, and i can just jam to it.

you guys: i love the song california dreamin’ because it foreshadows the ending of the season and- *insert other music theories here*

#byler #california dreamin #music #riv rambles

[plakatierenverboten]

Phil Driscoll: California Dreamin’ (The Ed Sullivan Show, 1971)

#phil driscoll #california dreamin #the mamas and the papas #ed sullivan #1970s #jazz