California
EMA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You made me boring
I bled all my blood out
But these red pants
They don't show that
My old friends though
They know that
And when I sold them
I sold that
I'm sorry Gracie girl you're golden
I'm sorry Steven and Andrew
That I ever left you
You never seen the ocean
You never been on a plane
Schizophrenia rules the brain
Aliens coming to take you away
You're still my favorite
Past Life Martyred Saint
Gimme the places I'll give you the names
Wasted away alone on the plains
What's it like to be small-town and gay?
Fuck it baby I know you'll never change
So hold me down but I got it
Quick hit to the face
Soft blow to the mouth
On Christmas morning
You're bleeding from the fingertips
You rubbed me raw you rubbed me wrong
And I heave when I think of you
Oh! California
Now you've corrupted us all
With your sexuality
Tried to tell me love was free
Tried to tell me love was free
Us and them baby
You you you you you and me
Oh Love! In the time of scandal
Love in the form of tragedy
Love so much so real so fucked it's 5150
But I'm just 22, I'm just 22
I don't mind dyin'
I don't mind dyin'
I don't mind
What does failure taste like?
To me it tastes like dirt
And I'm beggin' you please to look away
I bet my money on the bob-tail nag
Somebody bet on the bay
I saw Joseph carrying the gun
I saw Mary carrying the gun
The gun the gun the gun
The gun carrying the gun
I saw Grandpa
Carrying the gun
I saw grandma
Carrying the gun
The gun the gun the gun
The gun carrying the gun
I used to carry the gun
I used to carry the gun
The gun the gun the gun
The gun carrying the gun
The song "California" by EMA is a powerful and introspective reflection on the personal struggles and failures that come with living in Los Angeles. The opening line, "Fuck California, you made me boring," sets the tone for the entire song by presenting a sentiment of anger towards the state that many people idealize as a paradise. EMA goes on to express her disillusionment with her own artistic and personal life, admitting that she has bled all her blood out, and the red pants she wears don't show it. The red pants are a symbol of the plastic and artificial culture of LA, where appearance is prioritized over substance. She acknowledges that her old friends know the truth about her struggles and the desperation she feels in trying to make it in the entertainment industry.
The verses that follow are addressed to specific individuals, such as Gracie, Steven, and Andrew. She laments how her pursuit of success has led her away from them and how they have missed out on experiences like seeing the ocean or riding a plane. She also references schizophrenia, which highlights the mental health issues that are prevalent in LA due to the immense pressure to succeed. The line, "past life martyred saint," is a reference to her first album of the same name and indicates that she feels like she has given everything to her music without getting the success she deserves. She wonders what it's like to live in a small town and be gay, expressing that there is no escape from the confines of societal norms or the pressure to conform in one way or another.
The chorus of the song, "Oh California, now you've corrupted us all with your sexuality. Tried to tell me love was free, tried to tell me love was free. Us and them baby, you, you, you, you and me," is a commentary on the sexualization of Hollywood and how it has impacted the way people interact with each other. She acknowledges that love isn't free and that it comes with a price, encapsulated in the 5150 code, which refers to involuntary psychiatric holds placed on individuals who are deemed a danger to themselves or others. The distorted guitar effects and the raw vocal delivery perfectly capture the raw intensity of the emotions expressed in the lyrics and make "California" a powerful and thought-provoking song.
Line by Line Meaning
Fuck California
I'm expressing my anger at California.
You made me boring
I blame California for making me dull.
I bled all my blood out
I gave my all to California.
But these red pants
Despite everything, I still look good in these pants.
They don't show that
My red pants don't reveal the pain I feel.
My old friends though
My childhood friends understand my pain.
They know that
They know how much California has hurt me.
And when I sold them
Despite our connection, I sold out my old friends.
I sold that
I gave up on my old life and forgot who I really am.
I'm sorry Gracie girl you're golden
I apologize to my friend Gracie who is better off than me.
I'm sorry Steven and Andrew
I regret leaving my other friends behind.
That I ever left you
I feel guilty for abandoning them and moving on to California.
You never seen the ocean
My friends back home haven't experienced the things I have in California.
You never been on a plane
They haven't even flown before.
Schizophrenia rules the brain
My friends back home struggle with mental illness.
Aliens coming to take you away
They feel like outsiders and don't belong anywhere.
You're still my favorite
Despite all of this, they are still my favorite people.
Past Life Martyred Saint
I feel like a martyr for my past life and experiences.
Gimme the places I'll give you the names
I can tell you where I've been and what I've seen.
Wasted away alone on the plains
I feel lonely and isolated in California.
What's it like to be small-town and gay?
I wonder what it's like to be a queer person in a small town.
Fuck it baby I know you'll never change
I accept that things will never go back to the way they were.
So hold me down but I got it
I may be struggling, but I am in control of my life.
Quick hit to the face
I am hit with the harsh reality of my situation.
Soft blow to the mouth
Despite it all, I am still trying to be gentle with myself.
On Christmas morning
Even on a holiday, I am still dealing with my inner turmoil.
You're bleeding from the fingertips
You've hurt me and I am feeling the pain physically.
You rubbed me raw you rubbed me wrong
Your actions have deeply hurt me.
And I heave when I think of you
You make me nauseous when I think about you.
Now you've corrupted us all
California has negatively impacted all of us who have come here.
With your sexuality
California's liberal attitude towards sex has corrupted us.
Tried to tell me love was free
I was naïve to believe that love is free in California.
Us and them baby
The divide between us and the rest of the world is so clear.
You you you you you and me
All of us here in California are in this together.
Oh Love! In the time of scandal
Love is complicated and often messy in California.
Love in the form of tragedy
Love can be painful and devastating in California.
Love so much so real so fucked it's 5150
Love is intense and often leads to a 5150 psychiatric hold in California.
But I'm just 22, I'm just 22
I'm young and still have a lot to learn about life and love.
I don't mind dyin'
I am not afraid of death.
What does failure taste like?
I am curious about what it feels like to fail.
To me it tastes like dirt
To me, failure feels like I am worthless.
And I'm beggin' you please to look away
I am ashamed of my failures and don't want others to see them.
I bet my money on the bob-tail nag
I took a risk and lost everything.
Somebody bet on the bay
Someone else took a risk and succeeded.
I saw Joseph carrying the gun
Violence and danger are prevalent in California.
I saw Mary carrying the gun
Even the most peaceful people are becoming violent in California.
The gun the gun the gun
Guns are everywhere in California.
The gun carrying the gun
Violence begets more violence.
I saw Grandpa
Even the elderly have become violent in California.
Carrying the gun
Everyone is armed and dangerous in California.
I saw grandma
Even the gentlest people are becoming violent in California.
I used to carry the gun
Even I was once a part of the violence in California.
The gun the gun the gun
The culture of guns continues to thrive in California.
The gun carrying the gun
Violence and danger will always beget more violence.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Erika M. Anderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Semtex100
After 10 years still sounds amazing. Timeless tune. Love it
@Devondubya
FUCK THE WARM UP TRICKS GO WITH THE SWITCH TRE
@frictiontelevision
Devon Wiedemann Do the stairs at Benihana!~!!! You made me laught so so hard seeing your comment... long live gator, natas and lee and ofcourse the others...
@frictiontelevision
i was always waiting for him to say " Yo fuck the streets bitch it's all about Burnside! You pussies need a lesson from Red!"
@mjc2394
22 - I'm 52... I came back to revisit this classic. Love it.
@Olhado256
Easily one of the best songs of the 2010s. So underappreciated. I hope she'll get rediscovered when arty music with big feelings inevitably makes a comeback.
@johnariesespan2422
Every time i hear this i remember the intro of the skate movie Pretty Sweet
@ForkRat
yea same
@shayamaddex996
69 likes
@coalateapepper
Yeah .