The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
I'd be safe and warm (I'd be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher like the cold (preacher like the cold)
He knows I'm gonna stay (knows I'm gonna stay)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
If I didn't tell her (if I didn't tell her)
I could leave today (I could leave today)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
I'd be safe and warm (I'd be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A. (if I was in L.A.)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
Stopped into a church
I passed along the way
Well, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher like the cold (preacher like the cold)
He knows I'm gonna stay (knows I'm gonna stay)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
If I didn't tell her (if I didn't tell her)
I could leave today (I could leave today)
California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day
Lyrics submitted by magicnudiesuit
California Dreamin' Lyrics as written by Michelle Gilliam Phillips John Edmund Andrew Phillips
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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this is just prettty...
it's probably about when john phillips was at the naval academy.
it's probably about when john phillips was at the naval academy.
It actually is a pretty literal interpretation of the time he spent in Lake George NY. You can find the house he stayed in at the top of the village. The church was near Bolton Landing. He stayed up there to kind of do his own rehab thing (which obviously didn't work very well) My mother helped with the house cleaning when he wasn't there.
I think the meaning behind the song is quite literal, but to me it has almost a sad 60's irony to it (to do with what happened with cults etc).<br /> <br /> All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray (spiritual emptiness)<br /> I've been for a walk on a winter's day (start spiritual quest)<br /> I'd be safe and warm if I was in L.A. (currently not his main priority)<br /> <br /> The second verse is about how the subject enters the cult:<br /> <br /> Stopped in to a church I passed along the way (enters cult compound)<br /> Well I got down on my knees and I pretend to pray, (adopts false spirituatily)<br /> You know the preacher liked the cold (cult leaders selfish motivation)<br /> He knows I'm gonna stay (cult leaders strong brainwashing power)<br /> <br /> The last verse sums it up,<br /> <br /> All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray (had a feeling of spiritual emptiness) <br /> I've been for a walk on a winter's day (started spiritual quest)<br /> If I didn't tell her I could leave today (the subject is now fully trapped having fallen in love with one of the cult followers).<br /> <br /> I think "California dreamin' on such a winter's day" tells us where we will be if we cant build our own spirituality. <br /> <br /> If the song really is just a pretty, melancholy song like the writers claim it to be, perhaps it is meant as a warning from god to man kind at the birth of post modern thinking, to tell us, that to be comportable in a modern world we must create and build on our own spirituality.<br /> <br /> This could also be seem as a dire warning about comming evil (the likes of charles manson etc).<br /> <br /> Or am I way off?