Song title: California
California - 1971 solo demo
Well ya know how when you're young
There's such a distance between you and your family
You can't ever see things from the same point of view
Papa wants a lawyer and mama she wants an author
And all you want is for them to want you
Well, we had a lot of bad times, saw some real bad signs on the East coast
And I guess you could say it took California to bring us close
Saw a lot of hard livin' and some stone cold women on the East Coast
And my papa turned away when I needed him the most
Oh and California, she's an angel
Oh, so heavenly dressed
Woah and the Pacific she's a woman
The Lord he must have loved her best
And I got a California rainbow to come give them thunder clouds a rest
Oh and the mountain is my friend now, she put me to her test
Well you know every father has dreams and schemes for his own kid
And dreaming ain't been declared no capital crime
But I just hope when I grow up and have my own kids
I'll love them all I can and let'em make their own minds
And you know how a mother can hold a son through understanding
Well my father he once held me close by crying
And my mama's love it don't ever leave me standing
And my papa's love can only leave me smiling
Whoa, and my mama she's a angel
Oughtta see her on Sunday when she's dressed
Whoa, and my papa he's a good man, you know he gives me and mama his best
Whoa, she's a California rainbow, come to give my thunder clouds a rest
And my family is my friend now California put us through her test Notes:
a.k.a. "Family Song" or "California, you're a Woman". Slightly different from the London publishing version
California - 1972 London Publishing
Well you know how when you're young
There's such a distance between you and your family
Just can't see things from the same point of view
Papa wants a lawyer and mama she wants an author
And all you want is for them to want you
Well, I saw a lot of bad signs
And we had some real bad times back on the East Coast
And I guess you could say it took California to bring us close
There was a lot of hard livin' and some stone cold women on the East Coast
And I saw my papa turn away when I needed him the most
Oh and California she's an angel
Oh so heavenly dressed
Woah and the Pacific she's a woman
The Lord oh, must have loved her best
I got a California rainbow to come give them thunder clouds a rest
Oh and the mountain is my friend now, she put me to her test
Well you know every father has dreams and schemes for his own kid
And dreaming it ain't been declared no capital crime
But I just hope when I grow up to have my own kids
I'll love 'em all I can and let 'em make their own minds
Now you know how a mother can hold a son through understanding
And my father he once held me close by crying
Whoa, and my mama's love it don't ever leave me standing
And papa's love just leaves me smiling
Oh and my mama she's a rainbow
Gotta see her on Sunday when she's dressed
Whoa and my papa he's a good man, ooh he gives me and mama his best
Whoa my mama she's a rainbow, come to give them thunder clouds a rest
And my family is my friend now California put us through her test Notes:
a.k.a. "Family Song" or "California, you're a Woman". Previously recorded, in a slightly different version, as a solo demo.
This song has never been published on any official release.
Never played in regular set.
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database
Recorded for the Laurel Canyon / London Publishing demos
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database