# 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:** 4
**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, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/61 "2013-04-23T04:02:28Z")
Just remembered another one- [Hollywood Hills](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iquVd12M4lQ) by the Beat Farmers (intro by the late great Country Dick Montana) ---
**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, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/62 "2013-04-23T04:06:34Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > _For What it’s Worth_ Buffalo Springfield Pretty sure there’s no reference to California in this song, unless I’m missing something really obscure. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/63 "2013-04-23T04:17:57Z")
_**[Estimated Prophet](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkcMxI0ty94)**_ the Grateful Dead ---
**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, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/64 "2013-04-23T04:29:00Z")
Somehow I forgot the late great Warren Zevon’s “Desperadoes Under the Eaves.” ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/65 "2013-04-23T08:40:27Z")
Redtail Hawk (The Golden Rolling Hills of California), Kate Wolf [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/udRFQOsrjpU/hqdefault.jpg "Kate Wolf - Redtail Hawk") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udRFQOsrjpU) ---
**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, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/66 "2013-04-23T08:50:17Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > _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 _Sunset Grill_ doesn’t have any references to California. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/67 "2013-04-23T12:00:02Z")
[Going Back To Cali](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/llcoolj/goingbacktocali.html) LL Cool J ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/68 "2013-04-23T12:50:12Z")
Wild Side - Motley Crue - “East LA at midnight, pa pa won’t be home tonight” Tattooed Millionaire - Bruce Dickinson - “LA Dude, LA Attitude, laid back selfish and getting fat” Sheriff Of Huddersfield - Iron Maiden “Life in the City, Living in LA is a long way from Huddersfield town” ---
**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, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/69 "2013-04-23T13:53:10Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > 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) Really, there is: **List of songs about California** ``` From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia *This is an [incomplete list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Lists#Incomplete_lists) of songs, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness.* ``` Revisions and [sourced](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources) additions are welcome. This is a **list of songs about California**. Many songs have been written about [California](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California), which is one of the states of the United States of America. Some songs describe its people, places, and events, while others touch on Californian perceptions, experiences, and state of mind. This list tries to compile those songs and the artists who wrote the song, although many entries include songs covered by artists who were not the writer for a song. [ul] [li][1 California](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#California)[/li][li][2 Los Angeles and Vicinity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#Los_Angeles_and_Vicinity)[/li][li][3 San Francisco and the Bay Area](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#San_Francisco_and_the_Bay_Area)[/li][li][4 Other Locations, Cities, and Streets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#Other_Locations.2C_Cities.2C_and_Streets)[/li][li][5 References](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#References)[/li][/ul] ---
**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, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/70 "2013-04-23T13:56:02Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > Really, there is: > > **List of songs about California** > > ``` > From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia > *This is an [incomplete list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Lists#Incomplete_lists) of songs, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness.* > > ``` > > Revisions and [sourced](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources) additions are welcome. > > This is a **list of songs about California**. Many songs have been written about [California](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California), which is one of the states of the United States of America. Some songs describe its people, places, and events, while others touch on Californian perceptions, experiences, and state of mind. This list tries to compile those songs and the artists who wrote the song, although many entries include songs covered by artists who were not the writer for a song. > > [ul] > [li][1 California](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#California)[/li][li][2 Los Angeles and Vicinity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#Los_Angeles_and_Vicinity)[/li][li][3 San Francisco and the Bay Area](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#San_Francisco_and_the_Bay_Area)[/li][li][4 Other Locations, Cities, and Streets](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#Other_Locations.2C_Cities.2C_and_Streets)[/li][li][5 References](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_California#References)[/li][/ul] Way to suck all the fun out of the room. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/71 "2013-04-23T14:12:51Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > :dubious: Tom Petty is from Florida. . Then I guess he wants everyone to know he lives in CA now. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/72 "2013-04-23T14:18:56Z")
L.A. Freeway, by Guy Clark, also performed by Jerry Jeff Walker. ---
**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, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/73 "2013-04-23T14:22:13Z")
I should have provided a link earlier. [_Stukas Over Disneyland_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2ULy8zxj_Y) ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/74 "2013-04-23T14:31:40Z")
There’s “California Lady” by the [Band that Played California Lady](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CZeipx-4u0). ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/75 "2013-04-23T14:49:52Z")
OOOOOH! I have two! Missing Persons - Walking in L.A. Donna Summer - Sunset People ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/76 "2013-04-23T15:52:44Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Pretty sure there’s no reference to California in this song, unless I’m missing something really obscure. The song is about the [clashes between police and hippies on the Sunset Strip](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Strip_curfew_riots), but there’s nothing in the lyrics that makes that explicit. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/77 "2013-04-23T15:59:02Z")
Most of the ones I thought of have already been mentioned… leaving me with: “Topanga Windows” by Spirit “Camarillo Brillo” by Frank Zappa ---
**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, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/78 "2013-04-23T16:16:46Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Way to suck all the fun out of the room. It’s a wiki, you can edit it if you find it’s missing one. That’s the new game. And something to brag about if you do. A bit more challenging than the current one of not reading the thread and repeating the same songs over and over. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/79 "2013-04-23T16:20:37Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > It’s a wiki, you can edit it if you find it’s missing one. That’s the new game. And something to brag about if you do. > > A bit more challenging than the current one of not reading the thread and repeating the same songs over and over. 😛 What makes you think people would read that list before posting their own on it? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440/80 "2013-04-23T16:35:30Z")
[Moving to L.A.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50fi3MW5Spo) by Art Brut. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-california/656440.md?page=5)