Please list songs with a connection to California

Cafe Society
1

I’m trying to compile a list of tunes from all eras with some connection to California. They don’t have to be explicitly about California (Like the Red Hot Chili pepper’s “Californication”) nor do they have to be from a certain era or genre of music.
The ones I’ve compiled so far:

Hotel California - the Eagles
Going Back to Cali - LL Cool J
Free Fallin’ - Tom Petty (In the song it says "…it’s a long day, livin’ in Reseda/Move west down Ventura Boulevard…)
California Dreamin’ - The Mamas and the Papas
California Girls - the Beach Boys (and most other songs by them)
Sausalito Summer Nights - Diesel

Any suggestions?

2

It never rains in Southern California - Albert Hammond?

3

Screenwriter’s Blues - Soul Coughing
Please come to Boston (LA is one of the cities) - Dave Loggins
Going to California - Led Zeppelin

4

Going to California - Led Zeppelin
California - Phantom Planet
California Stars - Billy Bragg & Wilco

And specifically Los Angeles -

Gotta Get Out of LA - Jude

All I Wanna Do - Sheryl Crow (“This ain’t no disco, this is LA”)

Come A Long Way - Michelle Shocked (“I’ve come a long way and I never even left LA”)

5

L.A. Woman - The Doors

6

So Cal Loco - Sprung Monkey

7

A great, great song. Written by Woody Guthrie, music by Billy Bragg & Wilco to be precise though.

8

The Last Resort - by the Eagles goes through California where they watch the hazy sun sinking in the sea. Are the The Eagles or are they the Eagles?

Celluloid Heroes - by The Kinks deals with Hollywood. Now there’s a ton of songs!

9

I Left My Heart In San Francisco - Tony Bennett

10

San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) - not sure who did it though. Scott Mackenzie?

Ventura Highway - America

Don’t forget Jan and Dean. Like the Beach Boys, many of their songs seem to be about surfing and such in California. And “Deadman’s Curve” was, I believe, an actual jog in Sunset Boulevard.

11

LA Lakers (Chilli Peppers) That song almost makes basketball sound like fun to me.
Hollywood Nights (NFI)
Queen of California (NFI)

12

California - Liz Phair

13

California- Rufus Wainwright
Not a very original title is it?

14

Californication, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

15

California Nights-Leslie Gore

16

California Über Alles - Dead Kennedys

17

Santa Monica by Everclear

Be Like that by three doors down

18

California is a garden of eden
A paradise to live in or see
But believe it or not, you won’t find it so hot
If you don’t have the do-re-me

The above is from: “Do-Re-Me”, by Woody Guthrie writtren in depression era.
“Sorrow”, by Peter, Paul, and Mary

“Country Boy Will Survive”, by Hank Williams jr.
“Southern California”, by George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

“Baby Please Don’t Go”, by John Lee Hooker
“The Right Time”, by Ray Charles

“Stuck in Lodi Again” by CCR and others.
“All The Gold in California” by Oak Ridge Boys.
That’s two each from Folk, Country, Blues, and Rock ‘N’ Roll. I feel morally obligated to leave a few thousand song titles for other dopers…
:slight_smile:

19

I Love L.A. – Randy Newman

Back to California – Carole King

San Francisco Nights – Eric Burdon & Animals

If You’re Going to San Fransisco – Scott McKenzie

And now for some more obscure ones:

California Bloodlines – John Stewart

Old Maid (Southern California Gets Me Down) – on the GoodBye Pop National Lampoon record

Santa Monica Pier – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Santa Monica Pier – Christine Lavin

20

Sink with Califoria - Youth Brigade
California über alles - Dead Kennedys
California über alles - Disposable Heros Of Hiphoprisy (well its a cover version, does that count ?)
The Bay - Bronx Bridge - Kutmasta Kurt
The Lowlands Athem - Defari
Straight outta Compton - NWA

  • Fuck Compton* - Tim Dog
  • To live and die in LA* - 2 Pac
    California Suite - King Kooba
    Take California - Propellerheads