Going to California
London Philharmonic Orchestra Lyrics


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Spent My Days With A Woman Unkind
Smoked My Stuff And Drank All My Wine
Made Up My Mind To Make A New Start
Going To California With An Aching In My Heart
Someone Told Me There's A Girl Out There
With Love In Her Eyes And Flowers In Her Hair
Took My Chances On A Big Jet Plane
Never Let Them Tell You That They're All The Same
The Sea Was Red And The Sky Was Grey
Wondered How Tomorrow Could Ever Follow Today
The Mountains And The Canyons Started To Tremble And Shake
As The Children Of The Sun Began To Awake
Seems That The Wrath Of The Gods
Got A Punch On The Nose And It Started To Flow;
I Think I Might Be Sinking
Throw Me A Line If I Reach It In Time
I'll Meet You Up There Where The Path
Runs Straight And High
To Find A Queen Without A King;
They Say She Plays Guitar And Cries And Sings
La La La La
Ride A White Mare In The Footsteps Of Dawn
Tryin' To Find A Woman Who's Never Never Never Been Born




Standing On A Hill In My Mountain Of Dreams
Telling Myself It's Not As Hard Hard Hard As It Seems

Overall Meaning

The London Philharmonic Orchestra's song "Going to California" is a beautifully crafted ode to the journey of starting anew in a distant land. The opening lines, "Spent my days with a woman unkind, smoked my stuff and drank all my wine," immediately set up the singer as someone who has previously been weighed down by the past and is seeking a fresh start. With a new resolve to make a change, he heads to California with an ache in his heart, fully aware of the challenges ahead.


As he embarks on his journey, he hears stories of a girl in California who is different from the rest, with "love in her eyes and flowers in her hair." Despite the risks and unknowns, he takes his chances on a big jet plane, determined to find this girl and make a life with her. Along the way, he encounters moments of doubt and fear, such as the image of the sea being red and the sky being grey, and the feeling that he might be sinking. But in these moments, he holds on to hope and the possibility of a better tomorrow.


The song is rich with imagery, particularly in its descriptions of the landscape of California. The mountains and canyons tremble and shake with the awakening of the "children of the sun," suggesting a powerful and magical energy in this new land. The singer asks for a line to be thrown to him if he starts to sink, but ultimately, he is determined to reach the path that runs straight and high, where he hopes to find a queen without a king.


Overall, "Going to California" is a beautiful and poetic song about the courage it takes to leave the past behind and start anew in a place of possibility and hope.


Line by Line Meaning

Spent My Days With A Woman Unkind
I have been with a woman who did not treat me well.


Smoked My Stuff And Drank All My Wine
I used all my drugs and drank all my wine.


Made Up My Mind To Make A New Start
I have decided to start anew.


Going To California With An Aching In My Heart
I am going to California even though I feel sad inside.


Someone Told Me There's A Girl Out There
I heard there is a girl with flowers in her hair somewhere.


With Love In Her Eyes And Flowers In Her Hair
She has a loving gaze and flowers in her hair.


Took My Chances On A Big Jet Plane
I risked everything for a flight on a large aircraft.


Never Let Them Tell You That They're All The Same
Don't ever believe that everything is identical.


The Sea Was Red And The Sky Was Grey
The sea was a red color and the sky was gray.


Wondered How Tomorrow Could Ever Follow Today
I pondered how tomorrow could ever follow today.


The Mountains And The Canyons Started To Tremble And Shake
The mountains and canyons began to quake.


As The Children Of The Sun Began To Awake
The sun's offspring began to stir.


Seems That The Wrath Of The Gods
It seems like the gods are angry.


Got A Punch On The Nose And It Started To Flow;
The punch on the nose caused bleeding to occur.


I Think I Might Be Sinking
I believe I may be sinking.


Throw Me A Line If I Reach It In Time
If I make it in time, throw me a rope to grab onto.


I'll Meet You Up There Where The Path
I will meet you where the trail is straight and high.


Runs Straight And High
The path is straight and high.


To Find A Queen Without A King;
To look for a queen who is without a king.


They Say She Plays Guitar And Cries And Sings
I have heard that she plays guitar and expresses her emotions through music.


La La La La
N/A


Ride A White Mare In The Footsteps Of Dawn
I am riding on a white horse towards the sunrise.


Tryin' To Find A Woman Who's Never Never Never Been Born
I am searching for a woman who has never existed before.


Standing On A Hill In My Mountain Of Dreams
I am standing atop a mountain of my own imagination.


Telling Myself It's Not As Hard Hard Hard As It Seems
I am reassuring myself that it's not as difficult as it appears.




Writer(s): Robert Anthony Plant, James Patrick Page

Contributed by Connor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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