Page 208 | Good Times

County Supervisors Approve Housing Plan

Breaking News

-

November 16, 2023

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved its 2023 Housing Element, a plan that will serve as a roadmap to meet projected housing needs in the unincorporated areas of the county through 2031.

Required by jurisdictions throughout California every eight years, the housing element shows state regulators how and where the county can place housing units. It includes zoning and other changes in sites throughout the county.

The housing element is not a building plan. Instead, it lays out areas of the county where housing units can be developed.

This includes rental and factory-built housing, mobile homes, and emergency shelters, in addition to farmworker housing.

The approval of the housing element comes in the midst of rising housing costs, which is forcing many low-income people to flee the county in search of less expensive homes and rentals.

“We’re in a housing crisis, and this is one of the steps that we can take to go about solving that and doing our part for the housing element,” said Stephanie Hansen, Assistant Director of the county’s Planning Department.

The plan is due to the California Department of Housing and community Development review and final certification by Dec. 31.

The County last updated its housing element in 2015.

Th plan shows how the county will accommodate its state-required Regional Needs Housing Allocation (RHNA) of 4,634 units of varying income levels. More than half are designated for those with low and very low incomes.

A failure to plan for RHNA numbers could mean a loss of state funding.

“Housing and housing costs impact local government’s ability to provide quality services, our business community’s ability to attract and retain a highly-qualified workforce, and most importantly the ability of our residents to provide a stable and secure environment for their families,” County Administrative Officer Carlos Palacios said. “Few things are more important than stable housing, and this plan provides an opportunity to improve housing access for all residents living in unincorporated areas of the county.”

Included in the plan is the rezoning of 75 sites throughout the county. This includes the former Par 3 golf course at 2600 Mar Vista Drive, a 14-acre parcel that one day could hold as many as 430 housing units.

The adopted plan comes after a “robust community engagement process,” Principal Planner Mark Connolly said.

This included two focus groups—one of citizens and one of businesses and groups involved in housing—both of which agreed that they wanted more multiple-family housing units at higher densities and heights, as well as workforce housing for teachers.

The groups also asked for an expedited permitting process, housing for people with disabilities and more housing along transportation corridors.

For information, visit bit.ly/47ydjOh

Nurses At Watsonville Hospital Picket

Todd Guild

-

November 15, 2023

0

Dozens of nurses gathered outside Watsonville Community Hospital on Monday afternoon for a publicity picket, saying they want a contract that will allow them to attract and retain nurses, thus improving patient safety and care.

“We want to advocate for a just and safe contract that will promote safe staffing, that will allow us to advocate for our patients and also be competitive with other local hospitals,” says registered nurse Roseann Faris.

The nurses, represented by California Nurses Association, have been in contract negotiations since July, asking for a salary increase and little to no increase in health benefits, among other things.

They are also asking that the hospital bring back part-time positions, which were eliminated in July as a cost-saving measure.

The hospital, in its second year of local ownership, is still recovering financially after years of corporate mismanagement. According to newly hired CEO Stephen Gray, the institution is losing money on a monthly basis, with a total of $6.8 million in losses so far this calendar year.

To give the nurses a salary increase, and to bring back part-time positions, there would have to be reductions elsewhere, Gray says.

This includes possible increases to nurses’ health benefits costs, for which they pay less than 3%, with the state average hovering at 20%, he says.

Worse, increases to general healthcare will mean a $2.5 million increase in the hospital’s costs next year, Gray said.

“We’re doing better than before; the team has done an amazing job of improving the financial picture,” Gray says. “But it’s still definitely running at a loss. We just need to figure out a solution that works for the nurses and for the hospital’s financial stability.”

In addition, Gray says that the hospital is looking to reduce overtime and double-time costs.

But Faris says overtime pay is one of the “safeguards” built into nurses’ contracts that assures fair compensation, prevents mandatory overtime shifts and serves as an incentive to administrators to adequately staff the hospital.

“They’re talking about stuff they feel that they can get rid of to save money, however what we’re saying is that they’re staffing in a way that’s not safe for the nurses and the patients,” she says.

Third Time’s The Charm

Aiyana Moya

-

November 15, 2023

1

Craft beer might be trending down nationally, but here in Santa Cruz, businesses continue to bet on beer enthusiasts.

Leslie Buchanan, co-owner of the new taproom Balefire Brewing Co., is willing to take her chances. She is standing behind the bar as she estimates about 200 people showed up on what some consider an unlucky day.

“We risked the odds and opened on Friday the 13th,” Leslie says with a laugh. “It was a great day for us.”

Leslie is one of the brewers and co-owns the operation with her husband Matt Buchanan, brewer Nate Murphy and beertender Stephanie Murphy.

Balefire is the newest brewery to pop up in the Santa Cruz area, taking over the space that housed the former Greater Purpose Brewing Co. and before that, the East Cliff Brewing Co.

Opening a brewery in 2023 might seem like a leap of faith, with craft beer sales seeing decline in recent years. According to the Brewer’s Association, which has been tracking craft beer sales for years, 2022 saw a 0% growth in sales, while the first half of 2023 saw a 2% drop in sales.

This marks the largest decline in years, with the exception of the pandemic. The popularity of hard seltzers and pre-packed beer has taken a bite out of beer sales in general, and mid-sized craft breweries are taking a hit.

Leslie recalls attending the Brewers Association annual conference last year and says the keynote speaker painted a dire picture.

“We knew coming in, and having worked in the industry previously, that we’re outside the heyday,” Leslie says.

Local Craft Brewing Persists

Luck might continue to be on their side.

A silver lining in the recent Brewer’s Association report is the resilience of small, hospitality-driven breweries that produce less than 1,000 barrels per year. The report indicates a “strong positive” outlook.

The number of craft breweries nationwide increased from 9,119 in June 2022 to 9,336 as of June 2023, with the total brewery number up from 9,242 to 9,456, according to the report. It also highlighted that openings of new breweries are outpacing closures.

In Santa Cruz County, small craft breweries have popped at a steady pace. From Watsonville-area spots like Elkhorn Slough Brewing and Corralitos Brewing Co., to Westside Santa Cruz mainstay Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, the list has grown.

According to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the county is home to 25 establishments with a small beer manufacturing license. Most of the licenses were issued in the last 10 years, with the oldest manufacturer on file being Seabright Brewery (now Seabright Social), which has operated since 1998.

Balefire is entering a saturated market, but its owners hope that their approach to brewing will resonate with local beer lovers.

“We want to get back to basics. We want to just brew good, clean, simple beers,” Leslie says. ‘I don’t see us getting into sours or super fruit-infused things.

Currently, Balefire has seven beers on tap, including an Irish red ale (Moped); a chocolate stout (River Styxx) and a staple west coast IPA (Opa). Oh, and they also have a hard seltzer. But the Buchanans say that they are interested in brewing more English-style ales, much like what East Cliff Brewing Co. was doing. Their approach has gained them some fans.

“I have followed them around for eight years,” says Dan Crenshaw, sitting at the bar on a Thursday evening. “They make the best beer in Santa Cruz.”

Being the new brew in town, Balefire has to find its footing. However, Matt sees the craft beer scene as a community, not a competition, and says that other local brewers have been supportive.

“I think we just want to make a local community place around beer [where] people want to come and hang out and that’s about it,” Matt says. “We don’t want to stand out or be above anybody else. We just want an even playing field.”

“It allowed us to learn a lot,” says Matt Buchanan about opening day. “We’re figuring out the system.”

Santa Cruz Gives Launches

Aiyana Moya

-

November 15, 2023

0

In a city with some of the highest rental prices in the country, paired with inflation costs and the pandemic’s consequences on mental health, low-to-free health services play a critical role in our county’s residents’ lives.

From womens’ services to public health to dental hygiene, organizations are stepping in to fill gaps in health services for those who might otherwise forgo taking care of themselves, whether for costs or access.

That’s where these organizations are stepping in, as they work to provide residents with the services that might otherwise be unavailable.

The Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center

The Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center recently celebrated its 90th anniversary of serving women in the community—a remarkable accomplishment, but Development Director Sarah Hirshland is already looking towards the next 90 years.

“My goal is where can we be, and how many more people can we hopefully help in the next 90,” Hirshland says.

Over nearly a century, the center has expanded its services dramatically. It started as a Young Women’s Christian Association center, with women and children’s clubs and focusing on advocacy work around womens’ issues. Since then, it has transformed into a multi-purpose center that addresses needs for women and families. In 2015, the organization changed its name to Walnut Avenue Family and Women’s Center.

“We really want to make sure that the community knows that we serve all folks,” Hirshland says. “We are working with the diversity center to help people who are non-binary or trans know hey, we’re here for everybody.”

The organization fields calls from women who are survivors of domestic abuse, provides an income-based daycare center that gives early education for 29 families, and most recently offers a rehabilitation program for perpetrators of violence—among other things.

“We’re here to offer our participants autonomy and support and healing, but it’s really about being trauma informed and to end cycles of trauma completely,” Hirshland says.

The center currently provides services for up to 200 people a month, but she says the area that is in the highest demand is for its domestic violence services. The center has a call center, where 60-70% are calling in need of immediate shelter to leave a dangerous situation.

“We want to help support families at the time that they’re fleeing—and that doesn’t end at a hotel stay, right—it’s like, now we can hopefully move this participant into housing,” Hirshland says. “We want to be the segue to getting more support and helping these families further succeed.

That is the organization’s project for Santa Cruz Gives. The center has a program that provides accommodations for people in immediate need, through partnership with various hotels, but the goal is to turn these accommodations into more permanent housing solutions. Through its housing program, Walnut Ave is working with local landlords to help further assist our participants and find permanent housing.

“We have the funds to help, but we really need more,” Hirshland says. “It’s an expensive place to house, it’s an expensive place to stay in. There’s just too many people who need these kinds of services right now.”

Additional Health And Wellness Organizations

Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley

For its Santa Cruz Gives campaign, the Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley is building a new community garden at Muzzio Park in Watsonville, which is a neighborhood that is adjacent to the Pajaro River levee with high rates of poverty and food insecurity. The Muzzio Park Community Garden will provide communal space for 29 low-income households to grow their own produce to enhance well-being and increase access to fresh and nutritious food.

Hospice of Santa Cruz County

Annually, the Hospice of Santa Cruz County provides care to 1200 patients, 450 grief support clients, 200 participants in Advance Directive and Death Cafe workshops, 57 children at Camp Erin.

The organization plans on using campaign funds to support outreach and awareness programs to break down barriers to care, youth grief support, Camp Erin for children aged 7-17 who have experienced the loss of a loved one, and adult grief support groups.

Dientes Community Dental Care

As the county’s largest dental care provider, Dientes is a critical part of the safety net, serving 16,000 people annually. Santa Cruz Gives will help Dientes provide equitable access to oral health care. Its program helps address cost as a barrier to care by offering affordable sliding scale fees and free care to those who need it most. The campaign funds will support uninsured, low-resourced families with vital dental care that could allow someone to chew without pain, laugh uninhibited, or smile confidently. Oral health is a fundamental part of overall well-being.

Dominican Hospital Foundation

Dominican Hospital is a not-for-profit acute care hospital started by the Adrian Dominican that has a 222-bed hospital annually treats more than 40,000 emergency department visitors and

admits 11,000 patients. Funding from the Santa Cruz Gives campaign would go towards its Mobile Wellness Clinic, a 38-foot mobile medical van that helps address community needs by providing patients with episodic health and preventive services at no cost. Its services focus on the underserved and uninsured population.

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte served more than 10,500 patients at its Watsonville and Westside Santa Cruz health centers in 2023. With December marking 18 months since the Dobbs decision took away the federal constitutional right to safe and legal abortion, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte has worked to deliver care to people seeking abortion traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles out of their state, endure longer wait times, and risk their health and safety.

In all 34 of our health centers, patients can also access gender-affirming care. It will use the funds from Santa Cruz Gives to expand services and train abortion providers so that it can continue to provide care to all people no matter what.

Street Talk

Street Talk

Jeanette Prather

-

November 15, 2023

0

**Erol Barut, 28, PhD student of Mathematics, UCSC**

“Kikagaku Moyo, a Japanese psychedelic band from Tokyo at the Rio Theatre. Their songs were really good and people were crazy, dancing, and the atmosphere was really good”

“When the Felice Brothers played Felton Music Hall in 2021—three weeks after Grateful Shred played and the Covid “grateful spread”happened—only 15 people were there. But it was an amazing show.”

“I went to a metal show at the I.O.O.F.—the Odd Fellows Lodge in Boulder Creek—when five bands played. It was really fun being with friends and staying out late.”

“I saw Arivu when he came to UCSC, to the Quarry Amphitheater. He’s a singer and rapper from India, and it was sweet. He was really charismatic and good with the crowd.”

“Cesária Évora at Palookaville. The music—and she’s funny, just the attitude. She did the whole thing, barefoot, smoking cigarettes, stopping in the middle of the show to have her puff.”

**Ashleigh Thrasher, 28, Music Promoter and Aarom Kelly-Claudio, 32, Carpentry business owner**

“The Parasites at The Catalyst. They have huge energy—it’s the most fun ever, everyone dances. And after the band, everyone is laughing and sweating and having a good time. It’s almost a spiritual thing.”

Letters

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

-

November 15, 2023

0

RADIO DAZE

Great cover story about the two wonderful women who revived quality local broadcasting lost to the greedy bastards who stole it from us.

It reminded me of Laura Hopper, founder of KPIG. I was in a group of UCSC grads who competed for that FM license in the 80s. At one point I approached Laura about combining forces on a commercial station with the flexibility and humanity of a non-commercial one. She congratulated me on my vision but said, “I’ve paid my dues in creative broadcasting, I just want to flip a switch and collect checks. I think this market could use elevator music.” (Deferring to the big money behind her, I suspected.) Few remember that KPIG began as KLCZ, “light classics.” But when that didn’t work, Laura fell back on what she knew best as a veteran of beloved KFAT in the 70s. Now we are world-renowned for pioneering the eclectic mix known as “Americana” music.

It’s not surprising that it took the talent and gumption of the women you featured to bring us community radio where no man dared to tread.

Steven Robins

Felton

WEB COMMENTS

These Local Guys Build Small Houses

Thank you Alekz and Jay! Such a brilliant addition to the means of sheltering those in need. I expect cities to find ways to obstruct, but I’ll hope to see support and facilitating assistance from our city reps. With Jay’s engineering skills, maybe the homes will get even better and affordable.

Joseph King

Criminalized Shelters?

It’s a decent tool to give people more options for shelter. It’s very concerning, however, that the city has put a 24/7 ban on detached trailers via their Oversized Vehicle Ordinance permit program, which presumably could mean a criminalization of this very kind of shelter.

Reggie Meisler

Building Small Shelters

Wow, thanks for saying so many nice things about me, my projects, and the things I’m trying to accomplish in this world!! Thank you very much to Brad and Josué for the amazing story and helping me get this information out to more people via the Good Times!

Alekz Londos

Ban Colloquial-speak
(From Foodie File)

“Located just a couple [sic] blocks …”. Just ask him if he wears a pair socks, drinks a six-pack beer …

I know it’s an increasingly popular (among some) colloquialism but I instinctively flag someone as stupid when they say it, let alone write it.

David Bolam

School Drive Success

On behalf of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and all of our local business partners I’m pleased to announce that our annual Drive for Schools fundraiser raised $754,709 for the 78 local schools participating. The amount raised in 2023 is the largest amount ever generated in a single year for local schools since the program was launched in 2005.

Sponsored by the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Drive for Schools has raised $9,471,311 for Santa Cruz County schools since the program started in 2005.

Best,

Kris Reyes

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Way Away Flaves

Foodie File

Andrew Steingrube

-

November 15, 2023

0

Hank Kim, chef and owner of the recently opened Far East + Kitchen in Scotts Valley, has spent his entire career in the restaurant industry. Originally born in Seoul, he moved here in 2003 with the sole goal of putting his heart and soul into a restaurant he could call his own.

After owning a spot in Carmel, Kim decided to sell and opened Far East + Kitchen in June 2023, saying he liked the individual building, kitchen and location. He says the space’s design is simple and traditional Asian décor, punctuated with natural colors and redolent wood accents.

The menu mixes sushi and Korean cuisine.. Korean options include Bulgogi (thin-sliced marinated beef with vegetables), spicy pork marinated with Korean chili paste, and the Jajangmyeon – fresh house made noodles combined with meat, seafood, veggies and black bean paste. Another Korean favorite is the kimchi stew with pork and tofu.

Succulent sushi selections are the Crunchy Dragon Roll with almost everything except the kitchen sink – tempura shrimp, crab meat, avocado, cucumber, unagi sauce, spicy tuna and spicy mayo. They also offer traditional sashimi paired with miso soup, mixed salad and rice. For dessert there’s Marianne’s ice cream and mochi.

Hours are everyday 11:30am-2:30pm for lunch, and 4:30-9pm for dinner.

How have the first months of business been?

HANK KIM: We have been doing okay and people seem to really like our food. Business has been picking up and the locals have really been embracing our food. They really love the diverse menu selections, and tell me they have been wanting Korean food here in Scotts Valley, so they are really happy to have us.

Describe Korean cuisine and why people are gravitating toward it?

HK: Because the food is healthy and that really matters to a lot of people right now. The ingredients are really good, delicious and unique. We have a lot of housemade options which are not only very healthy, but also hard to find at other restaurants, and that are popular right now. And the food can be spicy, but it’s a really nice level of spice.

5600 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, 831-600-8746; fareastkitchen.menu11.com

The Editor’s Desk

Letters to the Editor

Brad Kava

-

November 15, 2023

0

Santa Cruz California editor of good times news media print and web — Brad Kava | Good Times Editor

There’s plenty of reason to be down this holiday season. The world is on fire; religions of peace are fighting gruesome wars, authoritarians are more prominent worldwide than they have been in a century; the climate isn’t just changing, it’s destroying so many things we thought would last; and few seem to have the patience or discipline to care.

But we’ve got some big time positive news in this Santa Cruz Gives issue.

Santa Cruzans are setting records for helping those in need.

In the words of the countywide charity’s organizer, Jeanne Howard, “Thanks to you, our generous community, Santa Cruz Gives has become the largest countywide fundraising campaign in support of local nonprofit organizations, whose work benefits us all.”

The group now hosts 65 charities in need of local funds. Started by Good Times in 2015, Santa Cruz Gives promotes hope throughout the community and has devoted much time, effort and money into producing it.

“Every year we’ve grown over the year before,” says Howard. “We’ve raised more than $4 million since the 2015 founding with $2.3 of it in the last two campaigns.”

It’s a diverse slate of organizations and you are sure to find many that speak to you,” she says. “Every one of these projects sounds so compelling, it’s hard to find where to put your funds. But please do find it.”

The great thing is whoever you give to, you will be able to see the effects of these 65 nonprofits right here in your ‘hood.

I’m proud to be part of an organization that gives so much time and effort to helping the community. And I’m so proud of Santa Cruzans for giving despite the hardships we all face every day.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

SKIMBLAST This is a shot of men’s pro winner, Lucas Fink, from Brazil, on July 15. PHOTO:Matthew C. Folsom

Good Idea

Free Jazz Improv Class

In this Dec 12 class, San Francisco-born trombonist Natalie Cressman will explore the process of improvisation, leading participants through concepts over well-known standards, with the aim to deepen their understanding of the song and build a strong foundation of form, time, and how the melody interacts with harmony.

Kuumbwa Jazz Center & Streaming 6pm www.kuumbwajazz.org

Good Work

Farm Discovery gets $100K from PG&E

This grant, one of five issued by the utility, will help Farm Discovery advocate for regenerative farming that supports biodiversity, conserves water, improves water quality, sequesters carbon and is socially-just. “Grant funding will be instrumental in enhancing the biodiversity of our organic fields through regenerative farming practices, on-farm education with local schools, and cultivation of native plants with volunteers,” said Farm Discovery’s executive director, Jessica Ridgeway.

Quote of the week

“Adulthood is saying ‘But after this week things will slow down a bit.’ Ad infinitum”

–anonymous

Rolling Stoned

Dining Reviews

Jeanette Prather

-

November 15, 2023

0

It would be intriguing enough that Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong are introducing a high-grade collectible vodka in partnership with UBlendIt of Scotts Valley.

But it gets better from there. The Judge’s Water—named for the courtroom scene in cult hit Up In Smoke where Chong’s character Anthony Stoner discovers the magistrate’s water is actually vodka—comes with a kit to convert the bottle into a water pipe.

Like Stoner tells Pedro de Pacas (Marin) in the 1978 movie, “You better fasten your seatbelt, man.”

On top of that, a portion of proceeds will support those imprisoned unfairly for cannabis-related crimes.

UBlendIt first got traction around greater Santa Cruz by partnering with local hubs like Hula’s, The Catalyst Club and Number 1 Broadway for house-brand spirits, so the collaboration carries some poetic symmetry, and marks the first of many celeb projects to come.

CEO John Spagnola enjoys bringing award-winning spirits to the table (UBlendIt vodka took double gold at the latest San Francisco Spirits Festival), but takes more pride in the visioning process.

“It’s fun working with big names and developing strategies around new products,” he says. “You get to be really creative.”

Pre-orders are available now at reservebar.com.

REALLY DOUGH

Popular Westside farmers market artisan pizza whiz Jayne Dough has quietly opened La Marea Cafe & Pizzeria in the former Reef Dog in Capitola. She’ll do breakfast and lunch featuring items like frittatas, bagels and focaccia sandwiches, but the star will be her signature deep-dish, house-fermented, Detroit-style sourdough pizzas. instagram.com/lamareacafe/

LO’ HIGH

Beneath the redwoods of Ben Lomond, new(ish) Aroma Restaurant is rounding into shape after eight months open. In the former Tyrolean Inn, the pan-continental menu—think Peruvian ceviche, Spanish paella, chicken adobo, garlic Aleppo prawns and kalbi short ribs—pairs with the rare setting, magnetic hospitality and a talented and diverse kitchen. “A really beautiful place,” longtime local chef/Aroma partner Mario Ibarra says, “with a really nice concept.”

aromarestaurant831.com

ANIMAL APPETITE

If there’s a better place for literature and dinner than Bad Animal, I’ve yet to find it. Bad Animal is the downtown S.C. bookstore that welcomes in purveyors for extended residencies that often lead to more good things. Former resident Katherine Stern, for instance, is working on debuting The Midway in the former Oyunaa’s Mongolian Cuisine next to the Rio Theatre on Soquel Avenue. Meanwhile, Hanloh Thai holds it down at the bookstore Wednesday-Sunday (which also doubles as a natural wine bar), doing inspired Thai like grilled oyster mushroom salads, lemongrass-chili black cod and claypot pork belly confit.

badanimalbooks.com, hanloh.com

LAST CALL Food news nibbles, served fast: At Sunset Magazine International Spirits Competition, Venus Spirits took home Double Gold, Best of Class and Best Other Agave Spirit for its El Ladrón California “mezcal”…Big Sur Foragers Festival brings back the Fungus Face-Off on Jan. 20.

bigsurforagersfestival.org…

November is Native American Heritage Month. One awesome way to honor it is with a Nov. 18 forum at the Resource Center for Nonviolence with leaders from The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band sharing perspective on reclaiming historical narratives, with lunch provided by chef Joseph Schulz of India Joze and Friends of Juristac.

amahmutsunlandtrust.org

The Beatles and Pot, the Inspiration Behind Some Popular Songs

Cannabis

Jeanette Prather

-

November 15, 2023

0

The Beatles and Pot, the Inspiration Behind Some Popular Songs

The release last week of the Beatles’ last song, “Now and Then,” inspired the lifestyle platform The Fresh Toast, which covers pot culture, to review the Fab Four’s relationship with weed.

As the site notes, it always was a pretty close relationship, starting the day in 1964 when Bob Dylan turned the lads on in a room at the Hotel Delmonico in New York City—a story that seems almost too perfect, but is by all accounts true—and continuing on through the decades.

But one thing The Fresh Toast missed was perhaps the weirdest song in the Beatles’ entire repertoire, which is loaded with weird songs: Paul McCartney’s 1966 “Got To Get You Into My Life.” Many people don’t realize this, but the song isn’t about a girl—or, you know, a woman. It’s a love song dedicated to… pot.

It’s no wonder that nearly everybody assumed Paul was singing about a love interest, given lines like “Ooooh, you were meant to be near me” and “Say we’ll be together every day.”

But no, it was definitely about weed, as Paul has confirmed several times. “It’s actually an ode to pot,” he told Rolling Stone, “like someone else might write an ode to chocolate or a good claret.”

Sure. People are always writing odes to chocolate. And did you know that Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze” is actually about a good claret? Not really.

Knowing the truth about the song puts its weirdness into stark relief. The first verse starts in a way that seems as if it could easily be a song about mind-altering substances. But by the end of that verse, the narrator is… in love.

“I was alone, I took a ride

I didn’t know what I would find there

Another road where maybe I

Could see another kind of mind there

Ooh, then I suddenly see you

Ooh, did I tell you I need you

Every single day of my life?”

The yikes continue in the second verse, where Paul applauds cannabis for not being a liar, and tells cannabis, “I just want to hold you.”

OK.

It makes total sense that the song, released just a year or so into what would be McCartney’s lifelong love affair with weed, was released on the 1966 album, Revolver. The preceding album, Rubber Soul, is often cited as marking the group’s transition away from its mop-top, Fab Four persona, though it still contained some Fab-ish elements. Revolver could be seen as the real beginning of the group’s creative flowering.

The idea that weed enhances creativity is hotly debated. As with so many of the effects of pot, it most likely varies wildly from person to person, from strain to strain and from session to session. But assessing whether pot made the Beatles more creative might be the wrong way to look at it. Often, people become more creative at about the same time they decide to open their minds to new experiences and perhaps try weed or LSD, which the Beatles were also experimenting with at this time. Would John Lennon have written “I Am The Walrus” if he’d never ingested such substances? Maybe not, but it’s certainly conceivable that he would have. Frank Zappa wrote “Freak Out” when he was perfectly straight, after all.

“Got to Get You Into My Life” is odd enough, but incredibly, there is another, somewhat similar song that might be even weirder, in that it addresses weed almost as a god. Ozzy Osbourne wrote “Sweet Leaf,” and his band Black Sabbath recorded it, in 1971. “You introduced me to my mind,” Ozzy tells a joint or a bong load or something. He continues:

“My life was empty, forever on a down

Until you took me, showed me around

My life is free now, my life is clear

I love you sweet leaf, though you can’t hear”

At least he knows the weed isn’t actually listening to him. Or anyway, he did at that point. These days, it’s easy to imagine him engaged in a deep conversation with his backyard ficus plant.

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

Pesticide Reality Tour

Framing the Band

High Art

Playing Live

The Editor’s Desk

Letters

Brew Chew

Baby Food

County Supervisors Approve Housing Plan

Nurses At Watsonville Hospital Picket

Third Time’s The Charm

Local Craft Brewing Persists

Santa Cruz Gives Launches

The Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center

Additional Health And Wellness Organizations

Street Talk

Letters

Way Away Flaves

The Editor’s Desk

Rolling Stoned

The Beatles and Pot, the Inspiration Behind Some Popular Songs

County Supervisors Approve Housing Plan

Nurses At Watsonville Hospital Picket

Third Time’s The Charm

Santa Cruz Gives Launches

Street Talk

Letters

Way Away Flaves

The Editor’s Desk

Rolling Stoned

The Beatles and Pot, the Inspiration Behind Some Popular Songs