Country songs about California (San Diego, Sacramento: home, high school, living in)

[WesternPilgrim]

I grew up listening to country music on a farm in the Sacramento Valley, and seem to remember that quite a few country songs have been written about California, or at least referencing California. Being of advanced age and declining memory, only a few come immediately to mind.

My favorite is probably "Kern River", by fellow Jeffersonian Merle Haggard. Embedding is disabled, but it's worth clicking the link.

http://youtu.be/bpKEHTJMTEo

Merle, of course, helped create the famous Bakersfield sound in country music, but he's been living in Shasta County for years. He also gave us "A Friend in California".


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A01kS-Jj2A8

Today I heard "Mendocino County Line" on the radio, by Willie Nelson and LeAnn Womack.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fgypO_Go34

Another great country song that references California is not all that flattering, and is really about Oklahoma, but it could have been written about the Central Valley: "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" by David Frizzell and Shelly West. I've spent many hours on a Massey-Ferguson tractor with this song playing in my head.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWVdKv4-CEg

I realize there are lots of songs in the pop and rock music categories about California, but the fact that country music has such a strong association with interior California might surprise a few people.

[Fontucky]

Streets of Bakersfield, Dwight Yoakum and The Big B

Mendocino, Sir Douglas Quintet

[Bulldogdad]

OP we've had a few discussions of this topic in the past usually in reference to Bakersfield as Nashville West. Like Fontucky mention above Buck, Merle and Dwight are probably the best known California Country artists. And probably the most Famous song about life in California is Folsom Prison Blues by the Man in Black.



Here is another of my favorites one of my favs of California country songs from the 70's


the gatlin brothers-all the gold in california - YouTube

[.highnlite]

a minor re write

My favorite is probably "Kern River", by fellow Ecotopian Merle Haggard

Tulare Dust, Tom Russell

Cowboy Pride, by Tom Russell, not too many other songs set in Cuyama,

Tom has a lot of songs set in California.

[DMenscha]

Not quite country, but.............

Ridgetop; Jesse Colin Young

Neal's Fandango; The Doobie Brothers

Both of these songs helped me get out of Silicon Valley 40 years ago or so.

[jaijai]

folk - close enough.


Kate Wolf : Here In California - YouTube

[nullgeo]

Frank Zappa's seminal ode to California agriculture:
"Call Any Vegetable"


The Mothers of Invention - Call Any Vegetable - YouTube

As many know, while Frank was Born in Baltimore, MD, he moved as a youth to California and became one of the state's most *ahem* revered musicians ... his California musical roots trace back to his high school years in San Diego and Antelope Valley where, in each case, he started bands.

But, I suppose there will be some who will say that Frank wasn't country enough .....
I ask you to consider the lyrics below ...
... if this ain't country I don't know country:

"Call Any Vegetable"
(This is a song about vegetables, they keep ya regular
They're real good for yo)

Call any vegetable
Call it by name
Call one today
When you get off the train
Call any vegetable
And the chances are good
Aw,
The vegetable will respond to you
(Some people don't go for prunes...
I don't know,
I've always found that if they...)
Call any vegetable
Pick up your phone
Think of a vegetable
Lonely at home
Call any vegetable
And the chances are good
That a vegetable will respond to you
Rutabaga, Rutabaga, Rutabaga, Rutabaga, Rutabay-y-y-y...
(A prune isn't really a vegetable...
CABBAGE is a vegetable...)
No one will know
If you don't want to let them know
No one will know
'Less it's you that might tell them so
Call and they'll come to you
Covered with dew
Vegetables dream,
Of responding to you
Standing there shiny and proud by your side
Holding your hand while the neighbors decide
Why is a vegetable something to hide?


only thing missing is a pickup truck and a dog

[1200RT]

not specifically about CA, but Toby Keith's Should've Been A Cowboy has one of my all time favorite lines in a country song.

Go west young man, haven't you been told, California's full of whisky, women and gold

[majoun]

The Flying Burrito Brothers - Sin City - YouTube

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by jaijai

folk - close enough.


Kate Wolf : Here In California - YouTube

Really like this one, jaijai. Thanks.