Her playing attracted the attention of bass player Ray Brown, who brought her into touch with influential teachers and producers. At the age of seventeen, she won a scholarship from the Vancouver Jazz Festival to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After three terms she moved to Los Angeles to study with Jimmy Rowles, with whom she also began to sing. In 1990, Krall relocated to New York. She is married to British musician Elvis Costello.
California Dreamin
Diana Krall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been for a walk on a winter's day.
I'd be safe and warm if I was in L.A.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
Stopped in to a church I passed along the way.
Well I got down on my knees and I pretend to pray.
You know the preacher liked the cold
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray.
I've been for a walk on a winter's day.
If I didn't tell him I could leave today
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
Diana Krall’s version of the song “California Dreamin’” offers a fresh take on the well-known classic. The song begins by describing the dreary and cold winter weather, as the singer reminisces about a walk she took outside. She imagines that if she were in Los Angeles, she would be safe and warm, dreaming of a different kind of winter day. This emphasizes the desire to escape to a place that is warm, sunny, and alive, and is often used as a metaphor of desire and hope.
The next verse describes the singer stopping at a church on her walk, perhaps trying to find solace in the silence of the empty building. She kneels down and pretends to pray as the preacher acknowledges her presence, but she is still lost in her own thoughts of dreaming about California. The last verse repeats the opening lyrics, with the singer admitting that if she didn’t tell anyone, she could leave today and fulfill her California dream, leaving the gloomy winter weather behind.
The repetition of the lyrics emphasizes the singer’s yearning for something more than what she currently has in her life, something more fulfilling or exciting. This is a relatable feeling for many people who aspire to a better life or different surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray.
The singer describes a winter day, where the trees are without leaves and the sky is dull in appearance.
I've been for a walk on a winter's day.
The singer has recently taken a stroll on the aforementioned winter day.
I'd be safe and warm if I was in L.A.
The singer believes that they would feel protected and comfortable if they were in Los Angeles, a location typically known for its warm weather.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
The artist is lost in thought, thinking about their fantasies of being in California during the winter season.
Stopped in to a church I passed along the way.
The artist saw a church during their previous walk and decided to enter it.
Well I got down on my knees and I pretend to pray.
The singer knelt on the floor and feigned prayer, although their actual purpose for entering the church is unclear.
You know the preacher liked the cold
The preacher in the church enjoys or is used to cold weather conditions.
He knows I'm gonna stay.
The artist indicates that they will remain in the location where they are, most likely due to external circumstances.
If I didn't tell him I could leave today
The artist suggests that they may have considered leaving the area, but did not inform the preacher of their thoughts.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
The artist reiterates their thoughts and desires to be in California during the winter season.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
The singer repeats their idea of idealizing California during the winter season.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day.
The artist concludes the song with a repetition of their main theme and idea.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John Edmund Andrew Phillips, Michelle Gilliam Phillips
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@OfficialDianaKrall
New record, 'This Dream of You', out September 25. Listen to "How Deep is the Ocean" here:
https://DianaKrall.lnk.to/ThisDreamOfYouID!pc
@detlefborges3782
1 PPP kg
Great
@shamyl5
You were my teenage crush in early 2000
@godfreylu7t9
0
@camilacasa4873
Amazingly well done job, Diane
@Aereaux
Wallflower is a fantastic album. So great to hear Diana Krall put her style to so many songs from my misspent early years. Takes me back to much better times.
@keeferdog5617
My wife and I argue about whose cover is better...Queen Latifah or Diana's? Please- Diana's blows hers away! Period, end of story!!!
@livinglifetothefullest22
Bobby Womack is the best cover!!
@cabezon2u
She's done it again. Love how she can take an American classic and turn it into such an amazingly jazzy feast for the ears!
@angelaanderson2105
me too!