In 1960, he started in music with Gibraltarian band 'The Diamond Boys', which had no real commercial success, but played a part in Spain's introduction to popular music.In 1966 Hammond co-founded the British vocal group The Family Dogg, scoring a UK Top 10 hit with "A Way of Life" in 1969. He is probably best known for his early 70s hits "It Never Rains In Southern California" and 'Free Electric Band' - but he went on to write countless hits for other artists such as Madonna and Leo Sayer. In 1987, Hammond's composition with Diane Warren "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (recorded by Jefferson Starship) was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy. In 1988, Hammond won an Emmy Award for the song "One Moment in Time", a song he wrote along with John Bettis. In 2008, Hammond was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is immortalised in song by Half Man Half Biscuit in their 1986 track "Albert Hammond Bootleg".
His son, Albert Hammond, Jr., is a guitarist in The Strokes.
More info: www.alberthammond.net
It Never Rains in Southern California
Albert Hammond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't think before deciding what to do
Oh, that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
Rang true, sure rang true
Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours
Out of work, I'm out of my head
Out of self respect, I'm out of bread
I'm underloved, I'm underfed
I wanna go home
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours
Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?
Had offers but don't know which one to take
Please don't tell 'em how you found me
Don't tell 'em how you found me
Gimme a break, give me a break
Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours
The lyrics of Albert Hammond's song "It Never Rains in Southern California" describe the experiences of a man who moves to California with hopes of success, only to end up homeless and desperate. The singer of the song initially seems optimistic and excited about his move, boarding a westbound 747 without thinking twice. The promises of opportunities, TV breaks, and movies that he had heard about seemed to be true. However, his optimism is quickly shattered by the harsh reality of life in California.
The chorus of the song, "It never rains in southern California," is a play on words that suggests that life in California is always sunny and full of promise. However, the line "But girl, don't they warn ya? It pours, man, it pours" indicates that this is not the case, and that life in California can be just as tumultuous as anywhere else. The man is out of work and out of his head, lacking self-respect and bread. He is underloved and underfed, and he longs to go back home.
The song highlights the stark contrast between the promises of California and the reality of life there. The singer is unable to return home a success, which would have made his struggles in California worthwhile. This song can, therefore, be interpreted as a warning to those who seek their fortunes in California without fully understanding the risks and costs involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Got on board a westbound 747
I decided to leave my current situation and board a plane going west.
Didn't think before deciding what to do
I didn't consider the consequences of my decision to leave.
Oh, that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
I was excited by the idea of new opportunities in California, like being discovered for TV or movies.
Rang true, sure rang true
Those ideas seemed realistic and promising.
Seems it never rains in southern California
I've heard people say that California always has good weather.
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
I've heard these kinds of promises of success before and they often don't come true.
It never rains in California
People often believe that California has perfect weather all the time.
But girl, don't they warn ya?
People warn you that things may not always be as great as they seem in California.
It pours, man, it pours
Actually, sometimes it rains very hard in California.
Out of work, I'm out of my head
I don't have a job and it's driving me crazy.
Out of self respect, I'm out of bread
I don't have any money and it's making me lose my self-respect.
I'm underloved, I'm underfed
I'm feeling unloved and hungry.
I wanna go home
I regret coming to California and I want to go back to where I came from.
Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?
Can you let my family and friends know that I was close to achieving my dreams?
Had offers but don't know which one to take
I had job offers but I wasn't sure which one to accept.
Please don't tell 'em how you found me
I don't want people to know that I'm struggling in California.
Gimme a break, give me a break
Please have mercy on me and don't judge me too harshly.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Albert Hammond, Mike Hazlewood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind