30 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
California Lyrics
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 give you the blues
Just give 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
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.
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
I love the reference to this song in Led Zeppelin's "Going to California."
I take this class where we bring in songs and discuss them and one kid brought in "Going to California" and I made the connection. It makes me happy that others do too. They reference Joni Mitchell in Going to California (we can assume) but in Joni Mitchell's Woodstock she makes a reference to possibly Led Zeppelin "Going on down to Yasgur's farm, gonna join a rock n roll band." Anyways, I just thought that it was interesting. I am just a little bit obsessed with Joni Mitchell so..
I take this class where we bring in songs and discuss them and one kid brought in "Going to California" and I made the connection. It makes me happy that others do too. They reference Joni Mitchell in Going to California (we can assume) but in Joni Mitchell's Woodstock she makes a reference to possibly Led Zeppelin "Going on down to Yasgur's farm, gonna join a rock n roll band." Anyways, I just thought that it was interesting. I am just a little bit obsessed with Joni Mitchell so..
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.
Love that story. This had been one of my all time favourite albums since the 70s
Love that story. This had been one of my all time favourite albums since the 70s
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.
hi i agree there. i think she's saying that the red neck on the grecian isle was good at making the monster (goat dance) with two backs, but her heart cried out for California. Plus I think that paris was the real test, in california (imo even if it wasn't real at least) they believed in peace. so it's both a metaphor for a man she loves, but also a real longing for california. not sure if the man she remains "strung out on" is Europe or she went to Europe to escape him?
hi i agree there. i think she's saying that the red neck on the grecian isle was good at making the monster (goat dance) with two backs, but her heart cried out for California. Plus I think that paris was the real test, in california (imo even if it wasn't real at least) they believed in peace. so it's both a metaphor for a man she loves, but also a real longing for california. not sure if the man she remains "strung out on" is Europe or she went to Europe to escape him?
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.
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.
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
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
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!