3 Folky Songs About California That Will Instantly Brighten Your Day

Need a little sunshine? We’ve got you covered. Here are a few folky songs about California that will instantly put you in a better mood.

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“California” by Joni Mitchell

Of course, we had to start with this classic. In “California”, Joni Mitchell longs for a taste of the sunshine state after having traveled to Spain and France. At the time, Mitchell had recently gone through a breakup with musician Graham Nash. Perhaps this is the man she’s referring to when she says she’s “strung out on another man,” after asking California to take her as she is. Even though Mitchell sounds rather lonely in this particular song, you wouldn’t know it by the catchy melody.

“Going To California” by Led Zeppelin

This song, written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, was actually inspired by Mitchell’s song about California. Like Mitchell, it seems Plant was trying to find himself during a time of uncertainty with this song.

He revealed in an interview that the song was him “…reflecting on the first years of [Led Zeppelin], when I was only about… 20, and was struggling to find myself in the midst of all the craziness of California and the band and the groupies.”

This track also references Mitchell, Nash, and other folk musicians who were popular at the time.

“California Dreamin’” by The Mamas And The Papas

Members of The Mamas And The Papas, Michelle Phillips and John Phillips, were also reminiscing on California when they wrote this song. They were living in New York City then, involved with a group called the New Journeymen. This would eventually become The Mamas and The Papas.

Even though the song became one of the group’s most enduring hits, not everyone was a fan of it while it was being recorded.

Singer-songwriter P.F. Sloan shared with Songfacts, “The ‘California Dreamin” session was magical. John [Phillips] was very nervous. Nobody particularly liked the song, and to be honest with you, ‘California Dreamin” was maybe three or four chords.”

He continued, “I added the ‘Walk – Don’t Run’ Ventures guitar riffs for that ‘da da da da da da.’ That was all creative work inside the studio when I heard them singing on mic. I had recorded them with Barry McGuire on his second album, so I knew how good they were.”

Photo by: Chris Walter/WireImage