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'Los Angeles, I’m Yours' is both a tale of love and hate and an ode to the City of Angels.
"The California kids will show you the sunshine," sings Weezer's front man Rivers Cuomo.
The first single from Miley Cyrus' 2017 album 'Younger Now' is a love song and it mentions how blue the sky is in Malibu.
Otis Redding sings about sittin' on the dock of the bay, watching the ships roll in and away in San Francisco.
Michael Stipe remembers "traffic jams, motor boys and girls with tans," in this 1988 song.
The jazz, blues, and soul singer released this song in 1969. The lyrics go: "So the people started to sing / And that's how the surf gave birth untold / To California soul."
'California Waiting' is about the band waiting for fame. "California waiting / Every little thing's gotta be just right."
Ocean wrote this song about his experience "Livin' in Ladera Heights, the black Beverly Hills / Domesticated paradise, palm trees and pools."
"Oh baby, fly away, yeah, to Malibu / Oceans of angels / Oceans of stars / Down by the sea is where you / Drown your scars," sings Courtney Love.
Bono and co. might be Irish, but they sure love Santa Barbara and California's "blood orange sunset."
The famous singer-songwriter is originally from Canada, but she sure likes to sing about 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."
Back in 1987, way before Biggie, LL Cool J was already "Going back to Cali, styling, profiling / Growling, and smiling, while in the sun."
If you've ever wondered where Paradise City is, "where the grass is green and the girls are pretty," then Los Angeles is the answer.
Released in 2012, 'Queen of California' makes us dream of heading West. "Goodbye cold, goodbye rain / Goodbye sorrow, goodbye shame / I'm headed out west with my headphones on."
"Made up my mind, make a new start / Goin' to California with an achin' in my heart / Someone told me there's a girl out there / With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair." Sounds like a good enough reason to move there, right?
Featured in the band's last album of the same name, 'L.A. Woman' is yet another great example of Jim Morrison's poetic lyrics. A line includes "Are you a lucky little lady in the city of light / Or just another lost angel, city of night."
Many artists have covered this song, originally released by R&B singer Joe Jones, but this version by the Ramones is probably the one most of us are familiar with. The song begins with iconic opening lyrics: "Well I'm going out west where I belong / Where the days are short and the nights are long."
This R&B classic is all about partying in South Central, LA. "It's Friday night and I feel all right / The party is here on the West side."
Probably one of the most recognizable songs about California, this Eagles classic had us dreaming of cool wind in our hair, the warm smell of colitas, and pink champagne on ice.
This 1985 tune is a beautiful tribute to the Golden State. "Land of beauty, space and light / Land of promise, land of might / You're my home now and it's true / California, here's to you."
Filled with nostalgia, reminiscing of warm summer days in LA, 'California Dreamin'' is one of the most popular songs about the Golden State.
Tupac had some cool rhymes about his home state. "Let me serenade the streets of L.A. / From Oakland to Sacktown / The Bay Area and back down / Cali is where they put they mack down / Give me love!"
The Beach Boys are the embodiment of California in the 1960s. Originally formed in Hawthorne, the band had a huge hit with 'California Girls.'
"Driving in the sun / Looking out for number one / California here we come / Right back where we started from." Who hasn't dreamed of doing this, right?
Sources: (Music Grotto) (Hello Music Theory) (Travel2Next)
See also: Guess the cities being sung about!
The band hailing from Los Angeles has been rocking since 1983. 'Californication' is perhaps their most famous song about the Golden State. But there's also 'Dani California,' and their iconic ballad 'Under the Bridge,' which makes reference to the City of Angels (LA).
Born in Santa Barbara, Katy Perry is a real California girl! And so is the iconic rapper, who hails from Long Beach. "You could travel the world / But nothing comes close / To the golden coast / Once you party with us / You'll be falling in love," sings Perry.
This song is a beautiful tribute to San Francisco. The lyrics go "I'm going home to my city by the Bay / I left my heart in San Francisco /High on a hill, it calls to me / To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars / The morning fog may chill the air, I don't care / My love waits there in San Francisco / Above the blue and windy sea / When I come home to you, San Francisco / Your golden sun will shine for me."
From the 1800s gold rush to the glamor of Hollywood, California has always been a place of freedom and opportunity. And for many years now, numerous music artists have sung about the Golden State, from its cities to its nature, and everything in between. There are both sad tales and beautiful odes to the iconic West Coast state, all of which we believe are worth a listen to.
In this gallery, we revisit some of the most iconic songs about California. Click on and add them to your playlist!
Sun-drenched songs about California
Singing about the Golden State
MUSIC Playlist
From the 1800s gold rush to the glamor of Hollywood, California has always been a place of freedom and opportunity. And for many years now, numerous music artists have sung about the Golden State, from its cities to its nature, and everything in between. There are both sad tales and beautiful odes to the iconic West Coast state, all of which we believe are worth a listen to.
In this gallery, we revisit some of the most iconic songs about California. Click on and add them to your playlist!