Sam PF's Journal - CaliforniadreamingicationhereIcome

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February 29th, 2008
12:24 am

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CaliforniadreamingicationhereIcome
So, my brother, [info]anguscoull (no content in LJ) is emigrating from Scotland to California on Monday. He decided this a few months ago, but it's not as crazy as it sounds. Our mother is American, and we all have US citizenship (as well as British), we have relatives round SF (where he'll be living), also his dad's wife's family. So he'll have contacts, people to stay with initially while he finds work and a place to live, and he thinks SF should be a good place to develop his musical ambitions (though that has recently started going quite well here - he got a couple of gigs playing keyboard with a band whose lead singer was actually moderately famous in the 1970s.)

Anyhow, it has occured to me to put together a mix of California-themed tracks as a small going-away present. Any genre, songs mentioning California, and specifically emigration to California. For general California-themed songs, California here I come, California Dreaming and Californication (am I right in thinking that's a song as well as a TV show?) come to mind. On the emigration to California, I can think of Goodbye Muirsheen Durkin and (somewhat depressingly) Spancil Hill.

But can any of you guys think of any others? Any that mention California are good, bonus for the migration theme, and extra bonus points for any that relate to someone going there from Scotland. (Though I doubt there's so many of those. Most of the Scots went further north and didn't sing about it quite so much as the Irish.)

Well, we are a wandering family. My mum's in Bulgaria (having originally been from the US herself), I'm in Sweden, my sister's lived in Barcelona and Prague, but Angus is taking the prize for now!

Current Music: Goodbye Muirsheen Durkin
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From:[info]purplepiano
Date:February 28th, 2008 11:59 pm (UTC)
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There's a Led Zeppelin song "Going to California". Definitely the migration theme there. Protagonist seeks girls with flowers in hair, and such like. Would songs about going to San Francisco count as well - another hippy-related one springs to mind?
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From:[info]atreic
Date:February 29th, 2008 01:15 pm (UTC)
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*If you're going to San Fransisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...*

I loved that song when I was about 11. Sang it non-stop for weeks...

(Do people think this really is the guy who wrote the song? I never know what to believe on the Internet...)
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From:[info]smhwpf
Date:March 1st, 2008 11:42 am (UTC)
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Yay! Sounds perfect! Oh yes, SF-specific ones count too!
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From:[info]taimatsu
Date:February 29th, 2008 12:04 am (UTC)
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This one is about going to San Francisco?
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From:[info]taimatsu
Date:February 29th, 2008 12:04 am (UTC)
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(I have the Global Deejays remix on mp3; I don't know what the original sounds like.)
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From:[info]taimatsu
Date:February 29th, 2008 12:06 am (UTC)

Also

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The Leaving of Liverpool mentions going to California.
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From:[info]roz_mcclure
Date:February 29th, 2008 07:13 am (UTC)

Re: Also

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I was just about to mention this one! :) Also Stan Rogers' "California", although it's a bit sad (My friends all call you home/And if you take away another, I'll be that much more alone).
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From:[info]smhwpf
Date:March 1st, 2008 11:45 am (UTC)

Re: Also

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Ooh, a Stan Rogers one! Do you know which album? Oh, don't worry, I'll ask Google!

Sad ones are good. Sometimes one needs sad songs.
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From:[info]roz_mcclure
Date:March 1st, 2008 11:50 am (UTC)

Re: Also

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Either "Northwest Passage" or "From Fresh Water" (although I'm pretty sure it's the former).
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From:[info]taimatsu
Date:February 29th, 2008 12:08 am (UTC)

And indeed...

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From:[info]atreic
Date:February 29th, 2008 01:16 pm (UTC)

Re: And indeed...

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Wow, you really can get everything on the Internet. Kind of takes the fun out of it, but so useful!

I can't believe I forgot *I wish they all could be California girls...*
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From:[info]smhwpf
Date:March 1st, 2008 11:44 am (UTC)

Re: And indeed...

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Hah! Wikipedia knows all! (But more fun to ask LJ.) Thanks for all these! Gosh, had know idea there were so many! I'm going to have a lot of scouting around to do to find copies, but I have a subscription to a music download service so should be doable...
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From:[info]cafedemonde
Date:February 29th, 2008 04:53 am (UTC)
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Dani California by RHCP

Going Back to Cali by LL COOL J (ladies love cool James)

I'm Going Back to Cali by The Notorious B.I.G.

California Love by Tupac Shakur

So when will you be to my lovely state to visit your brother?
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From:[info]smhwpf
Date:March 1st, 2008 11:48 am (UTC)
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Thanks for those! My, there are so many.

Hmmm, probably before very long. I should definitely make a trip to the US, both coasts indeed, and that soon. This year might be tricky as there are rather a lot of calls on my time, but next... I should definitely make room for it if it doesn't happen this year.
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From:[info]livredor
Date:February 29th, 2008 07:15 am (UTC)
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Camera Obscura: San Francisco song
Catie Curtis: Hey California (this is a bit of and odd choice because it is actually about not being in California, but at least the title is relevant, and it's a very cute song)
Martha Berner: Down and out in San Francisco
Hotel California (obviously)
Sitting on the dock of the bay mentions headed for the Frisco bay
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From:[info]the_elyan
Date:February 29th, 2008 07:37 am (UTC)
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"California" by Joni Mitchell is worth a spin, even if it's m,ore about coming home to the Golden State than going away to there...

LOvely song, too - it's on "Blue".
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From:[info]smhwpf
Date:March 1st, 2008 11:50 am (UTC)
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Joni Mitchell is good. Shouldn'tbe surprised there are so many songs really, it's a big ol' state.
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From:[info]smhwpf
Date:March 1st, 2008 11:49 am (UTC)
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Thanks! Goodness, there are hundreds.

Good job I've got that download subscription you recommended!
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From:[info]ashfae
Date:February 29th, 2008 03:08 pm (UTC)
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Awww, other people got the Led Zeppelin and Beach Boys ones. California Gold by Dada is probably my favorite, though damned if I know what it's about. California Dreaming by the Mamas and Papas. Route 66 maybe?
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From:[info]acrazywench
Date:March 4th, 2008 01:21 pm (UTC)
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Albert Hammond's 'Free Electric Band' could work; it briefly mentions California but has as its theme choosing music over everything else:

"my father organised for me a college in the east
but I went to California the sunshine and the beach
my parents and my lecturers could never understand
why I gave it up for music and The Free Electric Band"
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