Classic Rock Lyrics

Going To California Lyrics - Led Zeppelin



Spent my days with a woman unkind,
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine.
Made up my mind to make a new start,
Going To California with an aching in my heart.

Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.
Took my chances on a big jet plane,
Never let them tell you that they're all the same.

The sea was red and the sky was grey,
Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today.
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
As the children of the sun began to awake.

Seems that the wrath of the Gods
Got a punch on the nose and it started to flow;
I think I might be sinking.
Throw me a line if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there where the path
Runs straight and high.

To find a queen without a king;
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings.
La la la la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born.
Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams,
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems.

Inspired by Joni Mitchell's "California." Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were big fans of hers.
The original title was "Guide To California."
This started as a song about earthquakes, but developed into a song about the search for a woman.
When Page, an engineer, and their manager flew to L.A. to mix the track, there was an earthquake near San Diego.
Zeppelin performed this during their acoustic sets.
Part of Led Zeppelin's fourth album which was untitled. The album was often called "ZoSo," which was Jimmy Page's sign, or "Led Zeppelin 4." The symbols were put in due to the lack of a title for the album. (thanks, Eric - Houston, TX)
This came from a poem Jimmy Page wrote on a notebook. He found it awhile later and branched off from there. (thanks, Aaron - Troy, IL)

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