One of the best known American power pop bands, the group's biggest hits over the years include "I Want You to Want Me", "Surrender", "Dream Police", "Don't Be Cruel" (a cover of Elvis Presley's hit), and "The Flame". Their most recent release, The Latest, has gained critical acclaim. They also wrote and performed the theme song for "The Colbert Report" as well as "That 70s Show", both tunes being fan favorites.
Nielsen and Petersson originally formed the group as Fuse in 1967, with Carlos joining the group several years later; however, when Zander joined as vocalist in 1972, the group was renamed Cheap Trick. Zander is considered one of the best hard rock vocalists of his era. For their part, Tom Petersson has been known for playing custom made 8, 12, and even a 18 string custom bass made by Modulus for Tom in 1981 and Rick Nielsen also has a penchant for unusual instruments. He owns and plays a five-necked solidbody electric guitar (it can be seen in the video for the song "She's Tight" among others).
Studio Albums
(1977) Cheap Trick [a.k.a Cheap Trick (1997)]
(1977) In Color
(1978) Heaven Tonight
(1979) Dream Police
(1980) All Shook Up
(1980) Found All The Parts
(1982) One on One
(1983) Next Position Please
(1985) Standing on the Edge
(1986) The Doctor
(1988) Lap of Luxury
(1990) Busted
(1994) Woke Up With A Monster
(1997) Cheap Trick [a.k.a Cheap Trick (1997)]
(2003) Special One
(2006) Rockford
(2009) The Latest
(2016) Bang, Zoom, Crazy...Hello
(2017) We're All Alright!
(2021) In Another World
[Live Albums]
(1978) At Budokan
(1978) Budokan II
(1998) At Budokan: the Complete Concert
(1999) Music for Hangovers
(2001) Silver
California Girl
Cheap Trick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the neighborhood
She's got backstreet savvy
Up to no good
She looks my way all wound up tight
Bitin' her lips, hoo! ready to fight
She's a California girl
She's a bad little girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine
Oh, just like a cat
She scratched my back
Under the midnight moon
Hollywood baby
Up to no good
She looks that way
All jacked up tight
Bitin' her lips, hoo! shakin' her hips
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a bad little girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine, hoo!
She's the devil's little lady
And my little girl
Sex in the city
She looks my way all wound up tight
All bitin' her lips, hoo! awww yeah!
There's a California girl
In the neighborhood
She's got a back street savy
Up to no good
She looks my way
She's all half cocked
Walkin' the walk
Get ready to rock!
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine whoo!
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl
Know I'm gonna make her mine whoo!
The lyrics to Cheap Trick's "California Girl" describe a rebellious and seductive young woman living in California. The singer is drawn to her despite her bad girl reputation and he sees her biting her lips and getting wound up tight, ready to fight. She is likened to a cat who scratches his back and moves under the midnight moon. Despite the potential danger, the singer is determined to make her his.
The "California girl" in this song represents a certain freedom and danger that comes with living in California. The singer is drawn to her because she is different from the norm and has a wild side that he finds attractive. He uses language that suggests she is powerful and in control, calling her a "devil's little lady" and describing her as "jacked up tight." This adds to her overall allure but also implies that she could be trouble.
The repetition of the phrase "She's a California girl" throughout the song reinforces the California lifestyle as being unique and separate from the rest of the country. The singer is drawn to her because she embodies this lifestyle and he wants to be a part of it. In the end, he is confident that he will make her his and join her in this wild and free lifestyle.
Overall, the lyrics to Cheap Trick's "California Girl" paint a picture of a rebellious and seductive young woman living in California that the singer is drawn to despite her potential danger.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a bad little girl
There is a girl who is known in the neighborhood to be mischievous
In the neighborhood
She lives in the same area as me
She's got backstreet savvy
She knows how to be street smart in tough areas
Up to no good
She is doing something she shouldn't be doing
She looks my way all wound up tight
She is looking at me with an excited, tense energy
Bitin' her lips, hoo! ready to fight
She is biting her lips in anticipation and is ready to verbally or physically confront me
She's a California girl
She is a girl from California
She's a bad little girl
She is known to be a mischievous or disobedient girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine
I am confident and determined to pursue her romantically
Oh, just like a cat
She moves gracefully and strategically like a cat
She scratched my back
She showed me affection or playedfully flirted with me
Under the midnight moon
During the nighttime while the moon is visible in the sky
Hollywood baby
She has the style, attitude, or lifestyle of someone from Hollywood
All jacked up tight
She is feeling nervous, anxious, or overly excited
Bitin' her lips, hoo! shakin' her hips
She is displaying her sexuality and flirting with me through lip biting and hip movement
She's the devil's little lady
She has a rebellious or sinful nature
And my little girl
Despite her rebellious nature, I am still attracted to her and want to be with her
Sex in the city
She has a sexual energy similar to the characters in the show 'Sex and the City'
She's all half cocked
She is behaving recklessly or impulsively
Walkin' the walk
She is acting out her confident, sexy, or intimidating persona
Get ready to rock!
I am excited and ready to pursue a romantic relationship with her
She's a California girl
She is a girl from California
Know I'm gonna make her mine whoo!
I am confident and enthusiastic that I will win her over romantically
Contributed by Vivian Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
トイプーカラオケ
There's a bad little girl
In the neighborhood
She's got backseat savvy
Up to no good
She looks my way all wound up tight
Bitin' her lips, hoo! ready to fight
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a bad little girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine
Oh, just like a cat
She scratched my back
Under the midnight moon
Hollywood baby
Up to no good
She looks that way
All jacked up tight
Bitin' her lips, hoo! shakin' her hips
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a bad little girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine,hoo!
She's the devil's little lady
And my little girl
Sex in the city
She looks my way all wound up tight
All bitin' her lips, hoo! awww yeah!
There's a California girl
In the neighborhood
She's got a back street savy
Up to no good
She looks my way
She's all half cocked
Walkin' the walk
Get ready to rock!
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine whoo!
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl
Know I'm gonna make her mine whoo!
David Bennett
A lost gem. A GREAT rock song!
トイプーカラオケ
There's a bad little girl
In the neighborhood
She's got backseat savvy
Up to no good
She looks my way all wound up tight
Bitin' her lips, hoo! ready to fight
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a bad little girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine
Oh, just like a cat
She scratched my back
Under the midnight moon
Hollywood baby
Up to no good
She looks that way
All jacked up tight
Bitin' her lips, hoo! shakin' her hips
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a bad little girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine,hoo!
She's the devil's little lady
And my little girl
Sex in the city
She looks my way all wound up tight
All bitin' her lips, hoo! awww yeah!
There's a California girl
In the neighborhood
She's got a back street savy
Up to no good
She looks my way
She's all half cocked
Walkin' the walk
Get ready to rock!
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
She's a California girl
And I know I'm gonna make her mine whoo!
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl (California girl)
She's a California girl
Know I'm gonna make her mine whoo!
Tim Stevens
pure rock n roll, great.
pkfireflies
Just Fantastic!
Ivy Hope
Rock and roll!
jim mulligan
CHEAP TRICK FUCKING RULES !!!!!!!!!!
Slap Johnson
Damn that’s good
R. Walsh
Why are we not hearing this on the radio?
Gregory Zahn
here in my hometown of Rockford, IL, it gets played once in a while ... but, then again, this is Cheap Trick's hometown ....
WatchingMyLifeFlashB
If you like this polished studio version, do yourself a favor & do a search to pull up the video of Scotty Moore & DJ Montana with Cheap Trick creating the precursor in 1995(?) called "Bad Little Girl". The original was more raw & is well worth a view