Go West, Young Man: Songs About California
I'm looking for as many songs as I can find about California. I started out with those songs that featured the state's name in the title, and here's what I got:
"California Stars," Billy Bragg and Wilco
"California," Josh Ritter
"Going to California," Led Zeppelin
"California Dreamin'," The Mamas and the Papas
"California Girls," The Beach Boys
"California," Rufus Wainwright
"Back to California," The Wallflowers
"All the Gold in California," Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers
"California," Phantom Planet
"California Love," Tupac and Dre
"California," Mason Jennings
"Come to California," Matthew Sweet
"Just Like California," Old 97's
Then I narrowed the list to Los Angeles:
"Los Angeles," Denison Witmer
"Los Angeles Is Burning," Bad Religion
"Los Angeles," Counting Crows
I'm looking for more, but am also willing to take songs that mention the state in the verses and not the title. (Like, for example, Ryan Adams' "La Cienega Just Smiled.")
Let me hear it.
Comments: 19
California - Tom Petty (She's the One Sndtrk)*
California Blue - Roy Orbison
California One - Decemberists
California Soul - 5th Dimension
Hotel California - Eagles
Forever California - The Meadows
In California - Neko Case
California Justice - Five For Fighting
*Excellent Hwy 395/ Eastern Sierra Driving song
PCH One by Pernice Brothers
California Sun by Jem
Going back to Cali by LL Cool J
Not California by HEM
"West Coast" by Coconut Records
(Doesn't explicitly mention California, but it's implied since Jason Schwartzman is certainly a California boy at heart.)
Going back to Cali? I don't think so.
Oh this is perfect for me; I just made a California playlist to try to decide where to go to college.
And also, how can you not have the Joni Mitchell song? For SHAME, sir.
To those, I'd have to add:
California - Rogue Wave
California Girl - Joe Purdy
California - Semisonic
Unfortunately, most of my California songs are for NoCal, but let's get some love for the bay area:
Fake Tales of San Francisco - Arctic Monkeys
All The Lost Souls Welcome You To San Francisco - American Music Club
Come Back From San Francisco - Magnetic Fields (arguably a song about NYC, but still)
Piazza, New York Catcher - Belle and Sebastian ("San Francisco's calling...")
California's Burning - Augustana (lot of Cali-themed songs on All the Stars & Boulevards album)
Hey California - Catie Curtis
California One - The Decemberists
California Brown and Blue - Denison Witmer
California Sun - Gin Blossoms
Goodnight LA - Counting Crows (half their catalog name drops something about Cali, personally I prefer Mrs Potter's Lullaby since it's partially about moving from San Francisco to LA)
California, Pt 2 - Mason Jennings (different than what you listed in your post)
California Dreamer - Wolf Parade
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Goodnight Hollywood Blvd - Ryan Adams
PCH One - Pernice Brothers (my personal fave from the Cali playlist I made for last year's drive up the coast)
Take California - The Propellorheads (the techno outfit that did the song that plays during the lobby scene in The Matrix)
"Los Angeles" (album and song) by X
"Walking in LA" by the Missing Persons
"California Uber Alles" by The Dead Kennedys
"Do you know the way to San Jose" by Burt Bacharach
"I Love LA" by Randy Newman
"California Girl" by the Candy Butchers
California- Mick Flannery
Hollywood- Angus & Julia Stone
San Francisco- Brett Dennan
"Los Angeles Is Burning" is such a spectacularly bitchin' track. Nice choice, Dan. Missing you in the Willy Week here in PDX.
'California Snow' and 'California Bloodlines' - Dave Alvin (and now that i'm looking my itunes I should add 'Kind of California,' 'Out in California' and 'Here in California'. Jesus. Mr Alvin should go live somewhere else for a while.
'Why You'd Want To Live Here' - Death Cab for Cutie (very nearly the best song about LA ever).
'No Peace, Los Angeles' Mike Doughty
'Pasadena Girl' Nellie McKay
'1999' Speechwriters Writers LLC (at least California is mentioned. I guess the song isn't really ABOUT California.
http://www.thesharkguys.com/2009/03/27/us-state-songs-part-i/
Fun list of US State Songs
California in general
South California Purples- Chicago
California Waiting -Kings of Leon
LA
Under The Bridge- Red Hot Chili Pepers
California in general
South California Purples- Chicago
California Waiting -Kings of Leon
LA
Under The Bridge- Red Hot Chili Peppers
America's "Ventura Highway" for when you're flying down the 101.
Some rly good ones are...
"Song for Kelly Huckaby" by Death Cab for Cutie
and
"Dani California" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Screenwriter's Blues by Soul Coughing
The Decemberists - "Los Angeles, I'm Yours"
I always think of you when that Denison Witmer song comes on my ipod.
May 12, 2009 12:50 PM