# Songs about California **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 22, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440 "2013-04-22T23:03:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/41 "2013-04-23T00:47:54Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > **This Land Is My Land** and **Do-Re-Mi** by Woody Guthrie. > And it seems to me that most of the songs by Tom Petty I’ve heard make a reference to California. I figure because it’s important to him that people know he’s from California. :dubious: Tom Petty is from Florida. Zep’s _Going to California_. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/42 "2013-04-23T01:05:45Z")
There’s a wiki page with a huge list: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_songs\_about\_California](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California) ---
**Author:** ![Hottius\_Maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hottius\_Maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hottius_Maximus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/43 "2013-04-23T01:15:12Z")
Lots of good stuff here; allow me to throw in “California” by Nantucket “All The Gold In California” by Larry Gatlin “The Beverly Hillbillies Theme” by Flatt and Scruggs ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/44 "2013-04-23T01:22:51Z")
\*San Francisco (be sure to wear some flowers in your hair)\*Scott Mckenzie \*California Dreamin \* The Mamas and Papas _Going to California_ Led Zeppelin _California Girls_ Beach Boys and David Lee Roth _Free Falling_ Tom Petty _Surfin USA_ Beach Boys ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/45 "2013-04-23T01:37:00Z")
[del]_California Girls_, The Beach Boys[/del] Ninja’d _Folsom Prison Blues_, Johnny Cash [Surfer Joe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJLAyrTN5Fc), The Surfaris [Monterey](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w15zxDrIIP4), Eric Burdon & The Animals ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/46 "2013-04-23T01:40:10Z")
“[Straight Outta Compton](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MrQtOoQRpc)” by NWA (NSFW) ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/47 "2013-04-23T01:43:02Z")
Jimmy Buffett “Come Monday”: _Headin’ up to San Francisco for the Labor Day weekend show,_ … _I spent four lonely days in a brown LA haze_ ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/48 "2013-04-23T02:03:52Z")
Wilco - “California Stars” ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/49 "2013-04-23T02:04:33Z")
[California Nights](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii9rjJorHrk) The Sweet ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/50 "2013-04-23T02:10:34Z")
_Stukas Over Disneyland_, The Dickies. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/51 "2013-04-23T02:25:46Z")
“Pride of Cucamonga” - _The Grateful Dead_ Also “Mexicali Blues” by Bob Weir of _The Grateful Dead_ has the line “Well I’m three days out from Bakersfield.” I am sure a lot of other _Dead_ songs mention places in California too, but I can’t think of them at the moment. “Laurel Canyon Home” - John Mayall. “Kids in America” by Kim Wilde has the line “Goin’ out to east California” (prof positive, IMHO, that she had never visited California, or, probably, looked at it on a map). ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/52 "2013-04-23T02:31:28Z")
Van Morrison’s “Almost Independence Day” is about watching fireworks over San Francisco Bay. His “Snow in San Anselmo” is about a rare snowfall in that Marin County town, and also mentions nearby San Rafael. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/53 "2013-04-23T02:32:51Z")
[L.A.'s my Lady](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l-GxpjYN98) - Sinatra; Warning - avalanche of cameos from early/mid-80s scene icons including DLR and MJ (later sampled by Ras Kass) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/54 "2013-04-23T02:37:15Z")
_Highway 101_, Social Distortion [Stanyon Street](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prYY_ilLuqA), Glen Yarbrough ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/55 "2013-04-23T03:03:01Z")
_Twelve-Thirty (Young Girls are Coming to the Canyon)_ Mamas and Papas _Sunset Grill_ and _The Last Resort_ Eagles _For What it’s Worth_ Buffalo Springfield ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/56 "2013-04-23T03:11:17Z")
Singer/songwriter Terry Scott Taylor has written quite a few songs about various California locations, including [Hey John Wayne](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhdPtdFqxm4) (addressed to the John Wayne statue at John Wayne Airport in Orange County) [Capistrano Beach](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g05xFaFBphw) [Papa Danced on Olvera Street](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Lv1p1JUWg) [Rodeo Drive](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZvSeSfgRuA) [Bakersfield](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OT1hdRGu00) [Salton Sea](http://www.danielamos.com/swirly/themidget/saltonsea.html) [Only One Bum in Corona Del Mar](http://www.thelostdogs.com/music/lostcabin/onlyonebumincoronadelmar.html) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/57 "2013-04-23T03:11:28Z")
“Ladies of the Canyon” - Joni Mitchell (that’d be Laurel Canyon) “Estimated Prophet” - Grateful Dead (mentions California several times) “Have You Seen the Saucers?” - Jefferson Airplane (mentions “California’s rainbow sky”) “Love Rusts” - Starship (Grace Slick sings “But what about me boy, back in California?”) “I Remember California” - REM “California” - Rufus Wainwright “Ride Captain Ride” - the Blues Image (“Seventy Three Men Sailed Up / In the San Francisco Bay…”) ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/58 "2013-04-23T03:34:52Z")
I always liked [California Jam](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJRkIdddsow) by Klaatu ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/59 "2013-04-23T03:47:47Z")
I’m surprised no one has mentioned [L.A. County](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCOEne9eocU) by Lyle Lovett- or did I miss it? ---
**Author:** ![Pops\_Negro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/779978/32.png) [@Pops\_Negro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pops_Negro)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/60 "2013-04-23T03:47:58Z")
Hmm . . . well, to get more obscure: Neil Young’s “Revolution Blues” is about the Tate/LoBianca killings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440.md?page=4)