I got a cottage with a sea view
I got a regular summer tan
I've been working up the courage to call you all year, oh
There is nothing I can say
There are no good words left anyway
Besides people look cool and the world still moves without you, oh

Welcome to my Californian home
You don't have to call me you can leave when you want
There's a picture by my bed
There's a light in your eyes
I don't know
Well I don't know
Why you still feel alone

And we were dying from the get go
I was dreaming but you never believed
I was trying to fit myself in the spaces between, oh
And you were kind and sometimes cruel
You said all the world's love couldn't satisfy you
And nothing could have hurt me as much as it's truth
Oh darling

Welcome to my Californian home
You don't have to call me you can leave when you want
There's a picture by my bed
There's a light in your eyes
I don't know
Tell me 'cause I want to find out
Do you still feel alone?

Love is elusive when you search for it
Don't I know
Happiness sometimes it just creeps in
Don't I know
I'm going crazy
I've been wondering
Do you still feel alone?

I need to find
Some kind of peace of mind
I need to find

I got a cottage with a sea view
I got a regular summer tan
I know that I deserve more
But I still want you

Welcome to my Californian home
You don't have to call me you can leave when you want
There's a picture by my bed
There's a light in your eyes
I don't know
Tell me 'cause I want to find out
Do you still feel?

Welcome to my California
(I need to find)
Even though I'm no good for you
(Some kind of peace of mind)
There's a part of me still waiting for you
(I need to find)
Welcome to my happy ending
(I need to find)
Even though it's fun pretending
(Some kind of peace of mind)
I know
I know you can't look back, you can never go back

Welcome to my Californian home
You can never go back
Welcome to my Californian home
I know
You can never go back
Welcome to my Californian home
I know
You can never go back
I know I need to find, do you still feel?

Welcome to my California
(I need to find)
Even though I'm no good for you
(Some kind of peace of mind)
Deep inside there's a piece of me, there's a piece of me
Still waiting for you to come home
Welcome to my Californian home
(I need to find)
I know you can never look back, you can never look back again
(Some kind of peace of mind)
But tell me 'cause I want to find out
Do you still feel alone?
Oh no
Do you still feel alone?
Oh no


Lyrics submitted by finallyfree

California Lyrics as written by Mallary Hope Morgane Hayes

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

California song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    omg i love this song! i;m not really too sure what it's about though but to me it seems like he has moved away to california and his girlfriend is visiting him and she just doesn't fit in and feels alone out there.

    finallyfreeon January 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I just had a thought that maybe its about how California is about as close to perfect you can get and he's tried to make this girl's life as perfect for her as he can but sometimes its still not enough?

    finallyfreeon January 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think you maybe right there finallyfree, i think its basically about long distant relationships.coping with being alone?? not sure

    scottecooperon January 17, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I don't think it's about long distant relationships (even when she surely it's only visiting him). I think it's about an old relationship that well, was dead from the start. I've got my personal interpretation of this song, being a Darren and Savage Garden's fan for quite a long time. I see it as a sequel to the SG's song "The Lover After Me", which was about moving out of the city (he moved to America in 1998) and accepting the fact of that separation from his then ex-wife, and how she moved on with her life but he was still stuck on her. In California, Darren talks about an old love he's glad to welcome, and an old wound that doesn't seem to ever heal. It looks like he's talking about the same person, but after some years (like 5, 6 maybe). It might be about someone else's (and not his former wife) though.

    In any case, Darren managed to make me weep again with this song. He's not promising anything to this person (like in Truly Madly Deeply), he sees clearly how this person is NOT for him and viceversa...but what can he do about it? He loves her anyway..."even though he's no good for her" and even though he surely "deserves more"...he still wants HER.

    How sad...how true...when you've always been aware of that...of how different you both are...but years go by and there is still an undeniable bond between the two of you. And you can't seem to move on. I've been in this situation that Darren describes for about six years now and it's so so hurting.

    Gabigson January 18, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    OMG I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!! and I LOVE DARREN!! he is such an extrovert, lol jus like me i wish he'd hurry up and release another album i cant get enuf of him

    ellisha89on January 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I completely agree with what Gabigs said. I think a lot of what Darren writes about in this song is very relateable. I know also that I've been in such a "relationship". I'm actually attempting to get over it right now. So not only is this song very beautiful, it's also very special and cathardic for me.

    Misseveruson March 04, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I'm attempting to get over it right now as well, Misseverus, I know how you feel like. To me it's like, when you think you're ready to move on, that person is always trying to hold you back, not realizing the pain that it brings to you. I wish you the best, and I hope we can both be strong about it.

    Gabigson March 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Aww, the best to you as well Gabigs. I hope you don't mind, I added you to my MSN contact list.

    Misseveruson March 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    such a sad song!! about not being good enough for someone, or thinking you aren't, and they have used you and left you.

    SMUSER17185761on June 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE Darren, I actually feel like his lyrics reach right down into my soul and touch me. I think this song is about his ex band mate from Savage Garden - they went their seperate ways and I believe it ended badly. I think he is saying that he was a big dreamer in the band and always wanted more fame, more recognition, but his old partner was happy with what they had hence him saying "all the world's never going to satisfy you" and that they are no good together and deserve better - but he still cares about him and misses him. He is welcoming him back into his life, and the "californian home" is a metephor for his perfect new life that he always wanted but that isn't so perfect after all.

    gemgemgemon September 03, 2011   Link

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