“California, Here I Come” – Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer, 1921
Today I am heading the the state that was my home for the first three years after college, California, where I will present at the National Council for History Education’s annual conference in San Diego. The theme of the conference is “Crossroads of People and Places Over Time” and my presentation is entitled, “Bearing Witness: The American Liberation of Buchenwald Concentration Camp and Its Remarkable Legacy.”
The featured quote in this post is the title of the song that has become the well-known, if still unofficial, state song of California. “California, Here I Come” was composed by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer in 1921 for the Broadway musical “Bombo” and it was performed by leading singing star Al Jolson. The song has remained a popular standard for almost ninety years and its title and tune are doubtlessly repeated by thousands who arrive in the state every day.
There are more songs about California than about any other place in the United States. Certainly, the aspirational and dreamlike qualities of the state lend themselves to artistic interpretation, including in many great songs of modern popular music. Below is a list of some of my favorites:
“Surfin’ USA” by the Beach Boys-though not exclusively about California, most of the surfing spots mentioned in this 1965 classic by the still-imitated California band are in the Golden state.
“I Love L.A.” by Randy Newman-actually written by Newman to satirize similar civic pride songs (“Look at those mountains look at those trees. Look at that bum over there, man, he’s down on his knees…”), this song has been embraced by Angelinos since its release in 1983. Plus, no Showtime Lakers run leading to an opponent’s timeout was complete without this song blaring from the sound system of the Forum.
“California Dreamin'” by the Mamas and the Papas-ranked #89 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, the website Californiality notes of the 1965 song, “[it] portrays a soul that feels dead yet yearns to live again; a dull gray existence dying for vibrant color; a cold life begging to be revealed by warm sunshine; a forfeited dream screaming for success; melancholy and depression lusting for freedom from despair.”
“Going to California by Led Zeppelin”-an underrated 1971 classic by one of the best rock bands of all time.
“Going Back to Cali” by LL Cool J-catchy, quintessential slice of late 80’s smooth hip-hop. And at the time, there was no better video.
(photos: l-Driving west on Manchester Avenue in Playa Del Rey; r-the Pacific Ocean from Playa Del Rey)
