In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Cloudy every morning
Sun don't never shine
Cloudy every morning
Sun don't ever shine
Since I lost my baby
I been losing my mind
I thought this was a warm place
I must be in the wrong place
Thought this was a warm place
I must be in the wrong place
And I don't know where I'm going
Since my lover left me
Never no smile on my face
I am he is you are he is you are me and we are all together
Buddy, this ain't L.A.
I've traveled such a long way
Buddy, this ain't L.A.
I've traveled such a long way
And I still don't know where I'm going
But without my baby here
I better not stay
I better not stay
Sun don't never shine
Cloudy every morning
Sun don't ever shine
Since I lost my baby
I been losing my mind
I thought this was a warm place
I must be in the wrong place
Thought this was a warm place
I must be in the wrong place
And I don't know where I'm going
Since my lover left me
Never no smile on my face
I am he is you are he is you are me and we are all together
Buddy, this ain't L.A.
I've traveled such a long way
Buddy, this ain't L.A.
I've traveled such a long way
And I still don't know where I'm going
But without my baby here
I better not stay
I better not stay
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
South California Purples Lyrics as written by Robert William Lamm
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
wow no comments. any one notice that the line "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together" is from the the beatles song I am the Walrus.
Great electric blues tune, It has really heavy guitar and base lines and the horns make for outstanding punctuation. I pulled out this album in 1971 after a breakup and played this one over and over. It's sound and message meshed so well with with my feelings it was as if I was climbing right into the song, curling up and being rocked reassuringly. <br /> <br /> Long story short, we eventually got back together and married. To this day, she doesn't understand why I love this song so.
Chicago's take on a blues chord progressions. The word "Purples" is a spoof of so many songs having the word "Blues" in the title. If the song were titled "South California Blues", nobody would question it, but since it's titled "South California Purples", it tends to perplex some people.