California

Joni Mitchell

Sitting in a park in Paris, France
Reading the news and it sure looks bad
They won't give peace a chance
That was just a dream some of us had
Still a lot of lands to see
But I wouldn't stay here
It's too old and cold and settled in its ways here

Oh, but California
California, I'm coming home
I'm going to see the folks I dig
I'll even kiss a sunset pig
California, I'm coming home

I met a redneck on a Grecian isle
Who did the goat dance very well
He gave me back my smile
But he kept my camera to sell
Oh the rogue, the red, red rogue
He cooked good omelets and stews
And I might have stayed on with him there
But my heart cried out for you, California
Oh California, I'm coming home
Oh make me feel good rock'n roll band
I'm your biggest fan
California, I'm coming home

Oh, it gets so lonely
When you're walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
Just gives you the blues
Just gives you the blues

So I bought me a ticket
I caught a plane to Spain
Went to a party down a red dirt road
There were lots of pretty people there
Reading Rolling Stone, reading Vogue
They said, "how long can you hang around?"
I said a week, maybe two
Just until my skin turns brown
Then I'm going home to California
California, I'm coming home
Oh, will you take me as I am
Strung out on another man
California, I'm coming home

Oh, it gets so lonely
When you're walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
More about the war
And the bloody changes
Oh will you take me as I am?
Will you take me as I am?
Will you?
Will you take me as I am?
Take me as I am


Lyrics submitted by wingedsorceress

California Lyrics as written by Joni Mitchell

Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

California song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

30 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General Comment
    This song doesn't necessarily have to be about California... "I'm going to go see the folks I dig "--It's more about coming home to a place you love and where people love you after travelling on "streets full of strangers". I love those high notes and the sweet melody of this song.
    teriyaki86on January 25, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    wow, i just listened to this song for the first time after reading this, and it brought tears to my eyes. lol i am so emotional
    munchneron March 05, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I love the reference to this song in Led Zeppelin's "Going to California."
    Electrophileon December 29, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I was on a Navy ship off the coast of Vietman in 1972. When we finally got orders to return to the U.S., we would play this song over the P.A. speakers when we finished up with supplying another ship.
    duhaaston July 15, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Love this song! I think it can be interpreted as missing California and wanting to come home... but also. I think its about her love life-She met a Red Neck in Grecian isle... its a beautiful island of paradise, he did the goat dance (which is a dance they do i forget what island to predict the weather, something like that). He makes her Omelette's, but she misses her "California" another man. Explains -"Will you take me as I am Strung out on another man", -drug reference :) shes exhausted her last relationship & is coming home to "California" Wants him to take her as she is. "Still a lot of lands to see But I wouldn't want to stay here It's old and cold and settled in it's ways here" Hes old, she has her eyes set on another & doesn't want to get to know what else the land has to show. I like the Sunshine Pig interpretation where she kisses the pig, because I have always seen Joni as a sly songstress who is witty & i think shes being kinda humours when she says she will kiss a pig. Who do I think California represents, HMM David Crosby, was one of my guesses, she lived with him in California. They had a strong friendship he made sure the record label didn't make her go rock folk & gave her independence to do an acoustic folk record. He was in a lil rock group called Crosby Stills Nash... He was her biggest fan "Oh make me feel good, rock and roll band I'm your biggest fan" The next idea, was Nash If you listen to his songs about Joni it sounds like they had a relationship... He was also in the same band as Crosby. Jus the ideas I got from listening.
    Cosa_Nostraon July 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    well this song is sort of obvious. i hate to be one of those people that just says how good a song is, but i realized that this song is so amazing because it could still apply today.
    indiechick3987on December 19, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    One of my favorite songs. Never been to California, so that probably helps. It makes California sound like the best place to be, and it probably isnt.
    dragzon December 21, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    this song automatically makes me think of summer- makes sense- but i mean- it's just so good and it applies to everyone and anyone i find. just love it. i'm surprised more people haven't commented on this song or even joni in general
    mle_loveon February 01, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    recently bought the cd blue and cant stop liseneing to this song. its about returning to a place where you feel excepted and at home and god i love this song
    a345jklon September 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I agree with Electrophile, but I think this song is a lot better than Zeppelin's Going to California - feel free to disagree! Did Joni Mitchell actually come from California? Cos I almost think that she's making fun of the things that are typical to California, e.g. The way they talk - "Gonna see the folks I dig" The Musical background - "...feel good Rock and Roll band" - Beach Boys? The added instrument in the section that begins - "Oh it gets so lonely" - some kinda keyboard? Just some thoughts :) But in all, a beautiful song, the first time I heard it I wanted to live in California too!
    mercury_girl86on January 02, 2006   Link

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

Album art
Anti-Hero
Taylor Swift
I believe this is another amazingly on point and nuanced commentary on the insanity that follows emotionally abusive relationships. The abuser has no anxieties, no emotional pain, or salience/memory for that matter, so the survivor appears to be the crazy one, obsessed with the abuse and that buzzword that seems to ignite arguments about diagnosing people without a degree, etc. funny how you say the words domestic violence, abuse, abuse survivor and boom the subject changes. Anyways, I especially relate to her midnights becoming afternoons, complex PTSD often leads to this phenomenon, whether due to purposeful sleep deprivation by the abuser, or just hyper vigilance associated with the PTSD, along with the fear of facing people, especially your loved ones, who Never actually understand, even if they try, because all they see is you, on fire, screaming about the arsonist that no one ever sees, and who has been spreading lies about your alleged mental instability, deceptive personality, etc. the whole time. While the last thing survivors need is more blame, our society supports a narrative that blames the objectively innocent party because the blatantly guilty party has spent their entire lives fabricating a persona and we’re just being human, and human psychology is quite counterintuitive especially in the context of trauma. Look at Amber Heard. Vilified and not believed, regardless of what any abuse survivor could recognize as a fellow survivor instantly. But Johnny depp is a malignant narcissist, a man, and wealthy as all get out. It’s sick.
Album art
Mad Hatter
Avenged Sevenfold
Matt Shadows their lead singer says the song was written as per request from the developers of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Watching the initial trailers for the game & looking at production sketches reminded him of the 'S-Town' podcast & its main protagonist, John B. McLemore. Matt also comments specifically on the lyrics: "I decided that the lyrics would shadow McLemore's life." In 2012, antiquarian horologist John B. McLemore sent an email to the staff of the show 'This American Life' asking them to investigate an alleged murder in his hometown of Woodstock, Alabama, a place McLemore claimed to despise. After a year of exchanging emails & several months of conversation with McLemore, producer Brian Reed traveled to Woodstock to investigate. Reed investigated the crime & eventually found that no such murder took place, though he struck up a friendship with the depressed but colorful character of McLemore. He recorded conversations with McLemore & other people in Woodstock. McLemore killed himself by drinking potassium cyanide on June 22, 2015 while the podcast was still in production. In the narrative of the podcast, this occurs at the end of the second episode; subsequent episodes deal with the fallout from McLemore's death while exploring more of McLemore's life & character.
Album art
Keep My Name Outta Your Mouth
Black Keys, The
This standout track comes off the artiste's latest reissue titled "Brothers Deluxe Remastered 10th Anniversary Edition". The track was produced by Mark Neill, Patrick Carney & Dan Auerbach. It was released via major streaming platforms on December 18, 2020.
Album art
Real Groove
Kylie Minogue
This standalone single marks the latest collaboration between the artists. It was produced by Nico Stadi & Teemu Brunila and released on December 31, 2020.
Album art
Breathe
80vii
This standout song was released to close out the year and was produced in its entirety by 80vii. The track was released via major streaming platforms on December 27, 2020.