California Sun

Some songs take 20 minutes to write – others take 20 years. California Sun is one of those twenty year songs. It was originally written as a slow tempo acoustic song intended to be recorded as such. At some point in time, it took on a life of its own outside of my control. Recorded at the infamous Sound 80 studios in Minneapolis in the early 1980s, I admit that I never liked this version. It was too fast and too overproduced for the mood and expression of what I originally intended. It goes without saying that the arrangement, recording and musician performances were all stellar and very much a reflection of where the industry was at the time. Looking back I can appreciate all that went into it.

Jump ahead a few decades and California Sun became The Letter on my CD Blue Companion. In the intervening years, I wrote a final verse which really closed the chapter on that part of my life and completed the story of that song. My friend and musical compadre, Lonnie Knight, completely understood how this song should be treated and arranged and performed it as I had originally envisioned. He was able to interpret the song’s intention through his extraordinary acoustic guitar work and supporting vocal.

I’m grateful to have both versions of this song, and to the musicians that contributed to each rendition. I’m also grateful for having time and distance to reflect on the evolution of this song.

CALIFORNIA SUN

 

Living in the California sun, waiting to be born again
Waiting for the strength you thought would come
Ah, but you’re just tired and worn again
Even Mother Ocean she can’t help you now
And the change of scenery doesn’t matter after all
Feelin’ like a Shepard who has lost his only sheep
You are lonely
You tell me that you’re older now and you don’t need to weep
Hey, you don’t fool me

Starting out anew you leave behind the Minnesota winter
But memories still linger in your mind
So you think you’ll write a letter
Even if I wanted I can’t help you now
But the feelings that I have don’t matter anyhow
Time has left us standing on our own two separate shores
We are strangers
I have my own life to live and I know that you’ve got yours
It’s for the better

I see the lights within your city
Fading from view
And now I wonder do you see me
The way I see you

Living in the California sun…

©Crocus Hill Music 1980