California | 5ive Songs

1. Lorde, “California”

💿 Solar Power • 🏷 Universal • 📅 2021

🎙 Lorde had a big triumph with her sophomore album, 💿 Melodrama.  It’s excellence alone built-up hype for third studio album, 💿 Solar Power, released in 2021. Solar Power is enjoyable and well-rounded, but not nearly as deep as Melodrama.  Still, it has some solid moments including the song, 🎵 “California.”

On “California,” a spare, light number, Lorde asserts, “Don’t want that California love.” Why?  Per her commentary, she loves and appreciates state, but feels like it’s not the right place for her currently.  The song does a fine job of reflecting her ‘tap out’ as she describes it:

“Goodbye to all the bottles, all the models
Bye to the kids in the lines for the new Supreme.”

All in all, “California” delivers a nice moment early on Solar Power. Undoubtedly, there are many people who aren’t native Californians that feel the same way.  There may even been Californians who feel that way!

2. Migos, “Malibu”

Ft. Polo G

💿 Culture III • 🏷 Quality Control Music • 📅 2021

“Pooh, you a fool for this one!” Indeed, 🎙 Migos, indeed.  That said, it’s not 🎛 Pooh Beatz or his fellow producers 🎛 X-Plosive, 🎛 Abaz, 🎛 Nas Moore, or 🎛 Sool Got Hits that are the fools on 🎵 “Malibu.” “Malibu” appears on Migos’ long awaited 💿 Culture III.  Yes, it references the great state of California but, does 🎙 Offset, 🎙 Quavo, and 🎙 Takeoff do it justice? “I took twenty-five hoes in Malibu on my yacht / I got twenty-five M’s in the bank, no cap, no lie.”

While the three Migos ‘do their thing’ as always, they invite a high-profile guest along for the ride.  That’s right, 🎙 Polo G drops the second verse on the drippy “Malibu.” An ascending superstar, sadly, Polo falls short here, with a clunky, slightly offbeat flow.  Beyond him, Migos are okay but certainly aren’t in 🎵 “Bad and Boujee” top-notch form.  With six producers, expectedly, the loop fueling the production is sound, though wears on over the course of four minutes.  Perhaps Malibu deserved better?

3. Lana Del Rey, “California”

💿 Norman Fucking Rockwell! • 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2020

🎙 Lana Del Rey may be polarizing yet musically, the 🏆 Grammy-nominated alt-pop singer/songwriter is incredibly gifted.  Her sixth studio album, 💿 Norman Fucking Rockwell!, marked her best to date.  As always, on NFR!, Del Rey sings about one of her favorite places, California, several times, hence, why 🎵 “California” arrives on this mini-playlist.

“California” is soaked with familiar themes of love, nostalgia/reminiscence, cars, and a strong devotion to Cali.  It’s a ballad with its fair share of tender moments, but also finds Del Rey showing more oomph at different times.  The key takeaway is love and her willingness to attain it:

“Oh, I’ll pick you up
If you come back to America, just hit me up
‘Cause this is crazy love, I’ll catch you on the flip side
If you come back to California, you should just hit me up.”    

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 17 Songs Characterized by Their Place

4. Demi Lovato, “California Sober”

💿 Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over • 🏷 Island • 📅 2021

🎙 Demi Lovato is one of the most honest musicians in the game.  Over the past couple of years, they have only grown more transparent.  Their 2021 studio album, 💿 Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over, continues this ‘open book’ policy.  That includes the fact that Lovato, who survived an overdose, is admittedly, California sober.  Basically, she smokes weed and drinks in moderation…

“I’m California sober / It doesn’t have to mean the growin’ part is over / No, it ain’t black or white, it’s all colors.” What better way than to speak about this Cali sobriety than 🎵 “California Sober,” the 16^th track on Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over. Musically, “California Sober” sounds West Coast with the presence of the rhythmic guitar.  Soon enough, a sweet groove anchors the production.  Lovato, indeed, sounds like they’ve come a long way in their recovery, impressing with this breezy, spirited performance.

5. Father John Misty, “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”

💿 Fear Fun • 🏷 Sub Pop • 📅 2012

“Jesus Christ, girl / What are people going to think? / When I show up to one of several funerals / I’ve attended for Grandpa this week.” Say what, 🎙 Father John Misty? 🎵 “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” is quite an entertaining, folk-rock record from singer/songwriter 🎙 Josh Tillman.  “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” appears on his debut solo album, 💿 Fear Fun, released in 2012.

What makes “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” so entertaining? Well, it’s the clever, left of center lyrics. Specifically, there’s a clear element of freak and kinkiness in play throughout the record.  While it’s a bit more subtle on the first verse, the freakiness arrives full throttle on the third verse:

“Jesus Christ, girl
It hasn’t been long, so it seems
Since I was picking out an island and a tomb for you
At the Hollywood Cemetery
You kiss on me
But we should let this dead guy sleep
We should let this dead guy sleep.”

Weird.  Drugs enter the mix as well on the third verse (“Retracing the expanse of your American back / With Adderall and weed in my veins”), but the eyebrow-raising lyric is “You came, I think?” Oh my! The final statement of the song is “Someone’s got to help me dig.”

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 11 Intriguing Songs That are Totally Hollywood
🔗 🎧 15 Songs Whose Focus is on Forever