# Please list songs with a connection to California
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [April 20, 2002, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652 "2002-04-20T08:17:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/1 "2002-04-20T08:17:31Z")
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?
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### Author:  [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/2 "2002-04-20T08:28:32Z")
_It never rains in Southern California_ - Albert Hammond?
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### Author:  [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/3 "2002-04-20T10:10:47Z")
Screenwriter’s Blues - Soul Coughing
Please come to Boston (LA is one of the cities) - Dave Loggins
Going to California - Led Zeppelin
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### Author:  [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/4 "2002-04-20T10:11:36Z")
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”)
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### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/5 "2002-04-20T10:14:22Z")
L.A. Woman - The Doors
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### Author:  [@meyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meyer)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/6 "2002-04-20T10:15:44Z")
So Cal Loco - Sprung Monkey
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### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/7 "2002-04-20T10:17:45Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Skijumper \*
> \*\*California Stars - Billy Bragg & Wilco \*\*
A great, great song. Written by Woody Guthrie, music by Billy Bragg & Wilco to be precise though.
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### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/8 "2002-04-20T10:22:24Z")
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!
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### Author:  [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/9 "2002-04-20T10:52:49Z")
I Left My Heart In San Francisco - Tony Bennett
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/10 "2002-04-20T11:05:43Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Mersavets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mersavets)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/11 "2002-04-20T11:12:33Z")
_LA Lakers_ (Chilli Peppers) That song almost makes basketball sound like fun to me.
_Hollywood Nights_ (NFI)
_Queen of California_ (NFI)
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### Author:  [@Mogwei22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogwei22)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/12 "2002-04-20T13:36:27Z")
_California_ - Liz Phair
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### Author:  [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/13 "2002-04-20T13:41:39Z")
California- Rufus Wainwright
Not a very original title is it?
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### Author:  [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/14 "2002-04-20T14:04:29Z")
_Californication_, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
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### Author:  [@madcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madcat)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/15 "2002-04-20T14:11:40Z")
California Nights-Leslie Gore
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### Author:  [@Kantalooppi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kantalooppi)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/16 "2002-04-20T14:28:35Z")
California Über Alles - Dead Kennedys
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### Author:  [@shagadelicmysteryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shagadelicmysteryman)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/17 "2002-04-20T14:32:55Z")
Santa Monica by Everclear
Be Like that by three doors down
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### Author:  [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/18 "2002-04-20T14:32:56Z")
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…
🙂
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/19 "2002-04-20T14:55:13Z")
**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
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### Author:  [@Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverend)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2002, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-list-songs-with-a-connection-to-california/104652/20 "2002-04-20T14:57:39Z")
_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
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