3. St. Patrick’s Cathedral Appears in a Grammy Hall of Fame Song

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In 1963, Michelle Philips and her husband, John, went for a walk along Fifth Avenue. The couple, who were members of the folk group, the New Frontiersmen, were in New York City seeking fame and fortune. During that winter, they were staying at the Albert Hotel, near Washington Square Park, while fame eluded them. The night after their Fifth Avenue walk, John woke up in the middle of the night and began composing a song. Michelle provided the lyrics for beginning of the second verse using St. Patrick’s Cathedral as inspiration: ” Stopped in to church / I passed along the way / Well, I got down on my knees / And I began to pray.” The song, as well as the Michelle and John Philips, became famous when they joined the Mamas & the Papas, a few years later.