California playlist
June 29, 2018 12:18 PM   Subscribe

My partner and I are driving up the Pacific Coast Highway in a few days, and I'd love to assemble a playlist of appropriately themed songs, especially those that reference California itself in some way (beach, surfing, ocean, roadtripping, mountains, woods, etc. are all good, too). More upbeat music is preferred, but please hit me with any of your ideas. Thanks!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell to Media & Arts (49 answers total) 26 users marked this as a favorite
 
Great roadtrip song: The Ataris' cover of The Boys of Summer.
posted by hydra77 at 12:22 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]




100 Songs about California

ONe of my favs is John Mayall's California
posted by TDIpod at 12:35 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Ventura Highway - America
posted by sydnius at 12:37 PM on June 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


I recommend the Wikipedia entry for songs about California.

Before The OC ruined it, I liked Phantom Planet's "California" and I also like "California Love" by 2Pac. "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas is another classic.
posted by AppleTurnover at 12:41 PM on June 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


California Stars by Billy Bragg and Wilco
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:45 PM on June 29, 2018 [8 favorites]


Ventura Highway by America is super chill for a roadtrip.

Also California Dreamin by the Mamas & the Papas.
posted by dotgirl at 12:57 PM on June 29, 2018 [3 favorites]


My favorite California record might be a little too Nort northern, but Brent's TV's Lumberjack Days is a soundtrack to Humboldt County. Especially "Elite Manila". And their song "Trinidad" from the iconic Can Of Pork compilation.
posted by kendrak at 12:59 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


I am partial to People Under the Stairs and both California and The L.A. Song are good grooves for a road trip playlist.
posted by missmobtown at 1:14 PM on June 29, 2018


I might be weird in this, but I think of Classical Gas as a very California song, especially for driving the coastal highways.
posted by Candleman at 1:22 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Propellerheads – "Take California"

And from California Herps, of all places, here's a list of Songs That Mention California
posted by Lexica at 1:25 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Both LL Cool J and Notorious BIG have songs called Going Back to Cali.
posted by General Malaise at 1:27 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Tom Petty's Free Fallin' is a semi-ode to/set in the San Fernando Valley and mentions several locations.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:28 PM on June 29, 2018 [4 favorites]


Rufus Wainwright California
posted by St. Peepsburg at 1:32 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Stars has a track called "California, I Love That Name" on their latest album.
posted by invokeuse at 1:36 PM on June 29, 2018


Sittin‘ on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding.
posted by The Toad at 1:46 PM on June 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


For me, Stan Ridgway is the ultimate poet of the California road trip, though his stuff is more LA- and desert-focused than you may be looking for.

Check out Back Towards Diamond Bar and The Big Heat.

Also check out Laurie Anderson's Night in Baghdad.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 1:58 PM on June 29, 2018


If you're interested in an entire album, check out Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue. (I can't fix the link to keep it from going to halfway through the album, sorry)

Richard Butler, California
Cheap Trick, California Man
Led Zeppelin, Going to California
The Ramones, California Sun
Bobby Womack, California Dreamin' (the cover surpasses the original, IMO) and I Left My Heart in San Francisco
X, Los Angeles
Raveonettes, Ode to L.A.
Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack, Mendocino County Line
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have a couple of amusing L.A. and San Francisco references tucked into Dig Lazarus, Dig!!!
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 2:04 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


The Mountain Goats have some great California songs too: For my money, nothing's ever captured the essence of Orange County like Home Again, Garden Grove (though upbeat, it is not). For a more cheerful slice of California life from the Mountain Goats, check out Jenny.

Also: Serious seconds on X's "Los Angeles" and Nick Cave's "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!"
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 2:15 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Oh, here's the longer version of Nick Cave's Dig Lazarus, Dig!!! -- I just realized the version I linked seems to omit the L.A. verse.
posted by the return of the thin white sock at 2:46 PM on June 29, 2018


Cayucos by Cayucas.

"Cayucos, past Morro Bay
Shelly, Shelly, Shelly
Nu-uh, no way
Come on big fat wave, come crashin through!
Back behind the rocks
Paddle from the dunes

Ooooh!"
posted by vunder at 2:55 PM on June 29, 2018


Foxy Girls In Oakland by Rodger Collins
posted by vunder at 3:14 PM on June 29, 2018


Put on the song "Waves" by Miguel.
posted by wats at 3:20 PM on June 29, 2018


California by Cotton Mather
posted by Carouselle at 3:40 PM on June 29, 2018


The Only Place by Best Coast
posted by willnot at 3:59 PM on June 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


California - Hawk Nelson (calling this one out specifically as particularly fun, upbeat, and evocative, provided you don't mind cliches)
California, Here I Come - Al Jolson
California Girls - The Beach Boys
California Gurls - Katy Perry
L.A. Woman - The Doors
Killafornia - Transplants (definite content and language warning on that one--but if you do like, they have a couple other songs you might check out)
South Bay Cities - Great White
Hotel California - Eagles

A bit more dystopic/out of left field:
California Über Alles - Dead Kennedys
Hollywood (Is Burning Down) - Calibretto 13
posted by Carouselle at 4:01 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Everclear, Santa Monica

Common Rotation, True Hollywood Romance (and the older rockier version). Also Common Rotation, Venice.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:26 PM on June 29, 2018


White Sands -- Mount Moriah
California -- Phantom Planet
King of California -- Dave Alvin
posted by fancypants at 5:10 PM on June 29, 2018


I wrote this long post with links and then accidentally refreshed but, without links, real quick:

Upbeat
Mowgli, San Francisco (poppy & joyous)
Delta Spirit, California (wistful)
A.W., Golden Coast (also wistful but more hopeful)
Janis Joplin, Bobby McGee (Technically California Comes Up At Least Twice In This Song, So)
Christina Aguilera, Candyman (bouncy nonsense set in LA)

Not upbeat but about California
The Decemberists, California One / Youth and Beauty Brigade (weird slow lovely road song that turns into a faster jam about Portland halfway through, it's ten minutes long but hey listen it's specifically about the PCH!)
The Decemberists, Grace Cathedral Hill (wistful lost-love song, one of my faves!)
The Decemberists, Los Angeles, I'm Yours (discordant funny diss track about LA)
Laura Marling, Salinas (feminist waltz rock)
The Beach Boys, Pacific Coast Highway (VERY SLOW, but it's beautiful)
Weezer, Beverly Hills (laidback very 2000s diss track about LA)

Not about California but about roadtripping per your other requests, and upbeat
Teddybear, Yours to Keep (this is just a pure summer jam)
Carly Rae Jepsen, Let's Get Lost (let's-drive-slow-and-fall-in-love but at a good tempo)
posted by peppercorn at 5:15 PM on June 29, 2018


Eagles "Hotel California" (the whole album)
Randy Newman "I Love LA"
Beach Boys?
Jan and Dean?

Sorry, can't link, but you know where to find them!
posted by sundrop at 5:34 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper

It's not about California or a road trip, but ever since I saw Six Feet Under's protagonist Nate drive his motorcycle up the Pacific Coast Highway to this tune, I've associated it with just that!
posted by Desertshore at 6:49 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Heymous Molly - Life’s a Beach
posted by Wavelet at 7:13 PM on June 29, 2018


Indefinitely by the Old 97's mentions Highway 1 as well as "the redwoods and the oak trees and the double yellow lines."
posted by purpleclover at 7:17 PM on June 29, 2018




Best of the Beach Boys
posted by vignettist at 7:52 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


Older:
Babylon Sisters, Steely Dan (and there's the world of yacht rock to explore as well)

Desperadoes Under the Eaves, Warren Zevon

Newer:

Los Ageless, St. Vincent

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, Florence and the Machine

Lust for Life, Lana del Rey and The Weeknd

High by the Beach, Lana del Rey
posted by mogget at 8:36 PM on June 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


A couple more:

Screen Kiss, Thomas Dolby

To Live and Die in LA, Wang Chung (the whole album is good, that's just the first track)
posted by mogget at 8:39 PM on June 29, 2018


- Californication, Red Hot Chili Peppers
- The Zephyr Song, Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Road Trippin', Red Hot Chili Peppers
- 405, Death Cab for Cutie
- California, Joni Mitchell
- It Never Rains in Southern California, Albert Hammond
- On the Beach, Neil Young
- Sweet Life, Frank Ocean
- San Bernardino, Frank Zappa
posted by mmc at 10:50 PM on June 29, 2018


It's all about the mood....
The Cowsills: I Love the Flower Girl (The Rain, The Park, and Other Things)
The Monkees: Last Train to Clarksville
Scott McKenzie: San Francisco
Tommy James and the Shondells: Crystal Blue Persuasion
Simon & Garfunkle: America
Jimmy Buffett: Come Monday
Dave Loggins: Please Come to Boston
Don Henley: Boys of Summer
Anything Beach Boys...
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Sloop John B
I Get Around
posted by TrishaU at 3:20 AM on June 30, 2018


Very upbeat:
"California" by Grimes

Not so upbeat:

"In California" by Joanna Newsom
posted by Temeraria at 8:17 AM on June 30, 2018


Pavement Unfair
Dead Kennedys California Uber Alles is kind of weird to listen to now that Jerry Brown has been a pretty good governor all things considered
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:32 AM on June 30, 2018 [1 favorite]




Not super upbeat but:

Under the Bridge , Red Hot Chili Peppers
Long December, Counting Crows
Lights by Journey
Do you know the way to San Jose, Dionne Warwick and various covers
posted by Mallenroh at 12:05 PM on June 30, 2018


Slightly off topic maybe.... but totally California. You can YouTube search for KROQ flashback and Rodney on the Rock... That's just 80s-90s nostalgia over the world famous KKKRRRROOOOOOOOOQ.
posted by zengargoyle at 12:11 PM on June 30, 2018


Somewhere if I haven't lost it I have a cassette tape of the very last Flashback lunch including an acoustic Adam Ant bit. Just like VHS, I have no cassette player left... :)
posted by zengargoyle at 12:14 PM on June 30, 2018


I mean, it's sinister so dunno it's a mood you want, but for on-paper obvious there's Sonic Youth's "Pacific Coast Highway".

Of a probably more appropriate tone, and does explicitly mention the Pacific Coast Highway (and the beach! and "tak[ing] a shine to the west coast heaven"), there's the Spinanes' "Kid in Candy".
posted by ifjuly at 2:16 PM on June 30, 2018


California & California, Part 2 by Mason Jennings
Big Sur by Mason Jennings
California Soul by Marlena Shaw
Theme for Oakland by The Phenomenauts
LA County by Lyle Lovett
Come A Long Way by Michelle Shocked
Tijuana Makes Me Happy by Nortec Collective (if you reach the border!)
Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash
Hella by Cayucas

Starry Eyed Surprise by Paul Oakenfold (which isn't actually about California, but gives me deep coastal feels I think because of an early-aughts Coke commerical filmed in Venice. )

Have fun!
posted by condesaguera at 4:18 PM on June 30, 2018 [1 favorite]


Johnny Rivers - Going Back To Big Sur
The Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino
The Fun and Games - Topanga Canyon Road
The Mamas and The Papas - Pacific Coast Highway

So this is about driving along the sea in Australia, but it's my favorite driving song and I always listen to it on any of my coast drives:
The Lucksmiths - The Year of Driving Langourously (and here's a bonus clip of them singing it live, I loved this band so much...)
posted by plasticpalacealice at 5:54 PM on June 30, 2018


The beautiful Topanga Canyon by John Phillips.

Also Ladies of the Canyon by Joni Mitchell.
posted by Duffington at 5:37 PM on July 1, 2018


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