Alvin and his older brother Phil Alvin grew up loving Americana, country and blues. In 1979 they formed The Blasters with friends Bill Bateman and John Bazz.
Shortly after leaving the Blasters, Alvin joined X as lead guitarist after the departure of Billy Zoom. Alvin amicably left the group to work on a solo project shortly after the recording sessions for their album See How We Are. Alvin is also a member of country band The Knitters (composed mainly of members of X), appearing on 1987's Poor Little Critter on the Road and the 2005 follow-up, The Modern Sounds of The Knitters.
In the early 1980s Alvin, along with fellow Blasters members Bill Bateman and Steve Berlin, performed on several albums with the Los Angeles punk band The Flesh Eaters. These albums are considered precursors to what is now called "deathrock". Alvin also played with the band The Gun Club briefly, playing guitar on "Eternally Is Here" & "The Stranger in Our Town" from the 1984 album, The Las Vegas Story.
Alvin's first solo album, entitled Romeo's Escape (1987) in the United States and Every Night About This Time in England, added a purer country influence along with a larger side-portion of the blues; while the album was critically well received, it didn't fare well in the marketplace, and Alvin was dropped by his American record label, Columbia. Alvin suffered health problems which sidelined him for a while, except for a wild tour with friends Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana as the Pleasure Barons, which was described as "a Las Vegas revue from acts who aren't going to be asked to play Vegas." (A live album was released of a second Pleasure Barons tour in 1993.)
In 1989, Dwight Yoakam scored a hit on the country charts with Alvin's song "Long White Cadillac," and Alvin used the royalties to start work on his second solo set, Blue Blvd. Released by the California-based roots-music label Hightone Records in 1991, Blue Blvd received enthusiastic reviews and sold well enough to re-establish Alvin as a significant artist in the roots rock scene.
After releasing Museum of Heart in 1993, Alvin began to turn his attention to acoustic music with 1994's King of California, and over the next several years Alvin moved back and forth between hard-edged roots rock and more introspective acoustic material that still honored his influences (and allowed him to display a greater range as a vocalist).
In 2000, Alvin recorded a collection of traditional folk and blues classics, Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land, which earned him a Grammy award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.
In 2011, Alvin released the album Eleven Eleven on Yep Roc Records. The album was a return to Alvin's rock roots. According to Rolling Stone, "Though Alvin has often switched between electric and acoustic, almost everything here is plugged in – above all Alvin, an under-recognized guitar hero."
www.davealvin.net
Here In California
Dave Alvin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
SHe said child take your time
Don't fall in love too quickly
Before you know the one
She held me round the shoulders
In a voice so soft and kind
She said love can make you happy
And love can rob you blind
There's no gold I thought I'd warn you
And the hills turn brown in the summertime
Now I will learn to love you
But I can't say when
This morning we were strangers
And tonight we're only friends
I'll take the time to know you
I'll take the time to see
There's nothing I won't show you
If you take your time with me
Here in California fruit hangs heavy on the vines
There's no gold I thought I'd warn you
And the hills turn brown in the summertime
SOLO
There's a old familiar story
An old familiar rhyme
To everything there is a season
To every purpose there's a time
A time to love and come together
A time when love longs for air ??
A time for questions we can't answer
Though we ask them just the same
Here in California fruit hangs heavy on the vines
There's no gold I thought I'd warn you
And the hills turn brown in the summertime
The song "Here In California" by Dave Alvin seems to be a cautionary tale about love and relationships. The first verse begins with the singer's mother advising him to take his time when it comes to love, warning him of its risks and potential rewards. This wisdom is carried on into the chorus, which describes California as a place where fruit hangs heavy on the vines, but where there is no gold to be found. The hills turn brown in the summertime, reminding the listener that even the most attractive places and things must face the passing of time.
In the second verse, the singer contemplates his own actions when it comes to love. He mentions learning to love someone, but is wary of committing too soon. They were strangers in the morning, but by nightfall they became friends. The singer wants to take the time to build a lasting relationship and believes that it is worth it in the end. The final verse seems to continue the reflection on love and relationships, acknowledging that there is a time for everything, including love. However, there are some things that cannot be answered, even if we want to ask.
Overall, "Here In California" appears to be a song that encourages careful consideration when it comes to love and relationships. The bluegrass-influenced melody and simple lyrics give the song a nostalgic, old-timey feel, evoking a sense of classic Americana.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was young my mamma told me
The singer is reminiscing back to when he was younger and his mother gave him advice about love and taking his time.
She said child take your time
His mother warned him not to rush into love too quickly.
Don't fall in love too quickly
He was advised not to let love cloud his judgement before he truly knows someone.
Before you know the one
He should make sure he knows the person he loves before committing to them.
She held me round the shoulders
The memory of his mother holding him is a reminder of her loving advice.
In a voice so soft and kind
Her soothing tone highlights the tenderness of their relationship and how much he cherished her advice.
She said love can make you happy
Love has the power to bring great joy into someone's life.
And love can rob you blind
At the same time, love can also lead to heartbreak and pain.
Here in California fruit hangs heavy on the vines
The song shifts into imagery of California, where ripe fruit is plentiful and abundant.
There's no gold I thought I'd warn you
Despite stories of the Gold Rush and wealth in California, the singer warns that there is no easy fortune to be had.
And the hills turn brown in the summertime
In contrast to the greenery of the vines, the hills dry up and turn brown in the summer heat, reflecting the ebb and flow of life and nature.
Now I will learn to love you
The singer acknowledges that he will open himself up to love again.
But I can't say when
He doesn't know when love will find him again, but he is willing to wait for the right person.
This morning we were strangers
He is currently with someone he doesn't know very well yet.
And tonight we're only friends
They aren't yet lovers, but they are getting to know each other.
I'll take the time to know you
He won't rush into things and will take the time to truly get to know his potential partner.
I'll take the time to see
He will also take the time to learn about himself and his own desires and needs when it comes to love.
There's nothing I won't show you
He is willing to be vulnerable and open with his partner.
If you take your time with me
In turn, he needs his partner to also have patience and take things slow.
SOLO
This line doesn't have a specific meaning, but rather indicates a musical interlude or instrumental solo in the song.
There's a old familiar story
The singer reflects on the timeless nature of love stories and tropes throughout history.
An old familiar rhyme
Similarly, love has been sung about and explored through poetry and rhyme for generations.
To everything there is a season
Just like the seasons change, so too do the ebbs and flows of love and life.
To every purpose there's a time
Each stage of life and love has its own specific purpose and timing.
A time to love and come together
Despite the ups and downs, there are moments of pure love and connection.
A time when love longs for air ??
This line is a bit unclear, but may suggest a time when love feels stifled or in need of breathing room.
A time for questions we can't answer
Some aspects of love and life will always remain a mystery.
Though we ask them just the same
Despite the uncertainty, humans will always question and seek answers about love and life.
Here in California fruit hangs heavy on the vines
The song returns to the image of the bountiful California landscape.
There's no gold I thought I'd warn you
The warning that wealth is not easily obtained in California continues.
And the hills turn brown in the summertime
The dryness of the hills in contrast to the ripe fruit symbolizes the bittersweet nature of life and love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Kate Wolf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thomashermann2785
Beautiful tribute from Dave Alvin and Christie McWilson to the late great Kate Wolf. Well done Dave!
@berkeleybernie
Really enjoy this song. I especially love the sweet fill work by Greg Leisz on the Weissenborn.
@kevsol7665
His voice is so easy to listen to
@martinh.7127
I love this song...easy listening....thanks:)
@foggyholler
best version. thanks dave
@joestephan1111
I've lived every word of this song.
@jastebol1
feeling like that
@paulboger8163
aj lee does a great version of this also
@IndigoJo
Who's the woman singing the 2nd verse?
@michaelcrenshaw9199
Kate Wolf wrote the song. She passed away 20 odd years ago.