In 1968, a blind Puerto Rican singer recorded California Dreamin’. 51 years later, Quentin Tarantino used it in a Hollywood film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt

Some songs manage to travel far beyond the era in which they were recorded. José Feliciano's version of California Dreamin’ is one such example. The Puerto Rican singer gave the classic a deeply personal and soulful treatment in 1968. More than five decades later, his rendition found a new audience when Quentin Tarantino used it in his 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.

The moment was particularly fitting because Tarantino's film is set in Los Angeles in 1969, the same period in which Feliciano's recording was making its mark. The song became part of the director's carefully constructed musical world.

Who is José Feliciano?

José Feliciano is a renowned Puerto Rican singer, guitarist and composer whose career has lasted more than six decades. Born blind due to congenital glaucoma, Feliciano faced significant challenges while growing up, but music became an important part of his life from an early age.


He developed into a highly skilled guitarist and eventually created a musical identity that blended Latin influences with jazz, blues, soul and pop. His distinctive voice and acoustic guitar style helped him stand apart from many of his contemporaries.

Feliciano also became an important figure in bringing Latin music to English-speaking audiences. He was among the early Latin artists to achieve significant success in the English-language music market, helping create a path for other Latin performers who followed.

Over the course of his career, he has released more than 50 albums in English and Spanish and earned nine Grammy Awards. His music has allowed him to build a global audience while continuing to move between different musical styles.

How California Dreamin’ became part of his journey

One of José Feliciano's notable recordings is his version of California Dreamin’, the song originally written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips and made famous by The Mamas & the Papas.

He approached the song differently, giving it a more intimate and emotional sound through his voice and acoustic guitar. His rendition became an important recording in his catalogue and demonstrated his ability to transform familiar songs while retaining their essence.

The song's connection with Los Angeles later made it particularly suitable for Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Released in 2019, the movie looks at Hollywood during the summer of 1969 through the lives of television actor Rick Dalton, played by DiCaprio, and his stunt double and friend Cliff Booth, played by Pitt.

The director paid considerable attention to the music used in the film. Rather than simply selecting songs that sounded retro, he built the soundtrack around the period in which the story takes place.

During an interview with Vulture, Quentin Tarantino said, "He had to hunt down a cassette player, which he did, and he wrote Quentin a letter with the cassette. Quentin fell in love with it immediately. One of the cool things is I got to meet this guy, the Mighty Hannibal, the blind soul singer who worked with John on the song. He’s now passed away, but that was a real cool experience."

The director largely restricted the music choices to recordings that existed by 1969. The soundtrack also incorporated radio broadcasts, DJ conversations and advertisements to make the audience feel as though they were listening to Los Angeles radio during that period.

Tarantino's 1969 soundtrack

Feliciano's California Dreamin’ was among the songs that helped establish the film's atmosphere. The soundtrack also brought together music from artists including Deep Purple, Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Diamond and Paul Revere & The Raiders.

Paul Revere & The Raiders had an especially interesting connection to the film because the band's music is associated with the Los Angeles setting and the period depicted in the story.

Another notable musical moment comes toward the film's climactic sequence, when Tarantino uses a heavily slowed-down version of Vanilla Fudge's You Keep Me Hangin' On. The treatment gives the familiar song a darker and more ominous quality, matching the increasingly violent events on screen.

The soundtrack ultimately became one of the important elements of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, helping Tarantino recreate not just the look but also the sound of late-1960s Los Angeles.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's box office success

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood went on to become a major commercial success. The film was directed by Tarantino and featured DiCaprio, Pitt and Margot Robbie in key roles.

Released in July 2019, the movie reportedly earned more than $377 million worldwide, with some estimates putting its global gross closer to $393 million, against a production budget reported at roughly $90 million to $96 million.

The film also earned strong critical reception and several major awards. Brad Pitt won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Cliff Booth, while the movie received multiple other Oscar nominations.

For Feliciano's California Dreamin’, the Tarantino film offered another remarkable chapter in a song's long journey. Recorded in 1968 by a blind Puerto Rican musician who had already spent years building his musical career, the rendition found itself woven into a Hollywood story set in the very era that gave birth to it.