Queen of California
John Mayer Lyrics

Goodbye cold, goodbye rain
I'm bidding farewell to everything cold and dreary in my life.

Goodbye sorrow, goodbye shame
I'm also leaving behind all the sadness and regret that has been weighing me down.

I'm headed out west with my headphones on
I'm traveling out to California while tuning out the rest of the world with my music.

Boarded a flight with a song in the back of my soul
I'm taking a flight with a deep feeling inside that I can't quite explain.

And no one knows
Nobody knows where I'm going or what I'm feeling at the moment.

I just found out her ghost left town
I recently discovered that a memory or a person who has been haunting me is gone now.

The Queen of California is stepping down, down
The person who used to be the center of attention or the symbol of California is no longer in power.

Hello beauty, hello strange
As I'm exploring California, I'm admiring the sights and people that I'm encountering - even if they're unfamiliar to me.

Hello wonder, what's your name?
I'm curious about the different wonders and splendors that I'm discovering in California, as well as the people behind these marvels.

Looking for the sun that Neil Young hung
I'm searching for a particular type of California ideal that Neil Young embodied in his music, and which I hope to discover as well.

After the gold rush of 1971
I'm following in the footsteps of other artists, like Neil Young, who explored and represented the essence of California in their work.

If you see her say, "Hello"
If you come across a certain person, who I've left behind, try to say hello to her for me.

Just don't tell me, "I told you so"
But please don't bring up the past and remind me of the warnings or criticisms that I ignored when I was leaving.

Joni wrote Blue in her house by the sea
Another icon of California, Joni Mitchell, created one of her classic albums in a place by the water, which reflects the specialness of this state.

I gotta believe there's another color waiting on me
I'm optimistic that there's a new type of meaning or expression that lies ahead of me as I continue my travels in California.

To set me free
Ultimately, I hope to find the freedom and inspiration that California can offer me.

The Queen of California is stepping down, down, down Get down
This phrase repeats the sense that a previous authority or influence in California is losing ground, while also adding an enthusiastic exhortation to 'get down'.