Joni Mitchell - California

From " Blue "

[michaelfrommountains]

My only brother died this morning. He turned 70 ten days ago. Informed he had pancreatic cancer on April 8th, he died just 20 days after being diagnosed. I'm hurting. I love him so much. We're from Virginia and we both made our way to California. Me in '72. He in '80. He loved Joni Mitchell. And I wanted to play and listen to this song for him. Goodbye Johnny. I love you. I hope I see you again.

[thunderousapplause]

I made it to California, Joni. I did it. Got off the farm where I dreamed of being out here every day of my harsh childhood. Never goin back, baby.

[SuperC]

California is a postcard song from her escape trip to Europe. She ended up living in Matala, Crete, with a bunch of cave-dwelling hippies and her dulcimer. It’s a wonderfully chatty lyric about her experiences there, good and bad. She’d left Laurel Canyon and Lookout Mountain, but was longing to return to the heartland of the counterculture and pop-making. Yet California was also a place of semi-conscious denial: the opening verse touches on the early realisation, in the 1970s, that peace and love seemed over. The song feels pregnant with those times.
Her return to LA had her falling for James Taylor. Although the relationship left her in despair, he joins her exquisitely on guitar for this difficult yet uplifting song of homesickness and her need to escape back to the garden.

[crispybee]

This song makes me bawl. Born & raised in Cali, became a traveler at 19. Everytime I hear her singing about coming back home I get the chills, reminds me of all the times I drove away from my road family in whatever state to come visit my parents, the old friends.. love it

[petersouza]

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 wanna stay here
It's too old and cold and settled in its ways here
Oh, but California
California, I'm coming home
I'm gonna 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 thereBut 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 got on 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?
Mmm, mmm
Take me as I am, mmm

[billfrazier]

This music is timeless. It will be heard beyond the next millennium. Beautiful people will always find her beautiful music hauntingly familiar. She will live forever through her art.

[youdbettertube]

"They won't give peace a chance / That was just a dream some of us had"

What a devastating line. Gets me every time, and it's just snuck in there, almost under her breath. She's resigned to her disillusionment, and at the height of the Vietnam War, I couldn't blame her.

[christinebrandt]

Listening to Joni is like sitting in a flower filled field and listening to the most beautiful birds

[fowlerham]

I wish that I could afford to move to California, my Son lives there. I am so proud of him. He helps troubled kids. I hope that my dream comes true to live in California before my 62nd birthday. 💕🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[doxielover]

By far, one of the greatest singer/songwriters and album of ALL time.

[thesfanatic]

Born, raised, and still living in California. My favorite song.

[ropet]

As a Calfornia girl who is living on the east coast for college, this song has become stuck my head constantly and gives me a much needed boost. Joni is wonderful . . .

[christopherpuddephatt]

I was born in 68 and I swear I can still remember hearing this lady's voice in my cot. I associate Joni Mitchell with pure happiness and she has to be the one artist that epitomises the 60's vibe.

[spotlessmindx]

Holy hell how can someone's voice be so perfect

[janetwest]

Makes me so nostalgic for my high school days in San Francisco, 1972.

[ottmatt]

"Joni is an angel, she can do whatever she wants..."    james taylor, 1969

[sherrischock]

im 58 and have been listening to Joni faithfully since I was 14; one of my daughters even listen to her now.

[johnd]

blue the complete masterpiece still getting better with each passing moment

[rickyparker]

Joni Mitchell's voice is like a paint brush on a canvas creating all the colors life has to offer.

[TFrills]

As a proud Californian, this is her best song by far; the lyrics and music are perfect.