While touring in Ireland, the discovered the audience would cheer back "Who the Fuck is Alice?". As it turns out , this was a ritual at a Café in Nijmegen (the Netherlands) called "Gompie". The group decided to "cover" this version with comedian Roy Chubby Brown having the honor of yelling "Alice, Who the Fuck is Alice?" during the chorus. Thus, Smokie holds the record as the first group to have a top ten song with the word "fuck" in it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokie_(band)
It Never Rains In Southern California
Smokie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't think before deciding what to do
All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
Rang true, sure rang true
Seems it never rain in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
Out of work, I'm out of my head
Out of self respect, I'm out of bread
I'm under loved, I'm under fed
I wanna go home, it never rains in California
But girl don't they warn ya, it pours, man, it pours
Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?
Had offers but don't know which one to take
Please don't tell them how you found me
Don't tell them how you found me
Give me a break, give me a break
Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya it pours man it pours
The lyrics of Smokie's song, It Never Rains In Southern California, tell the story of someone who has left their home in search of better opportunities out West, but is struggling to make it on their own. The first verse describes how the person impulsively boarded a plane to California after hearing all the talk of opportunities in the entertainment industry, but soon realizes that the promise of success is not as easy to fulfill as they thought. The repetition of the phrase "seems I've often heard that kind of talk before" highlights the universal nature of the promises of success and glamour in Hollywood, which are a common trope in popular culture.
The chorus of the song focuses on the irony of the title, "It Never Rains In Southern California," and how this phrase has become a symbol of the false promises that the person has come to realize. The line "But girl, don't they warn ya it pours, man, it pours" is a warning to others that even though the perception is that Southern California is always sunny and perfect, the reality is that there are storms and hardships that come along with the pursuit of one's dreams.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's struggles, with lines such as "Out of work, I'm out of my head, out of self-respect, I'm out of bread" conveying a sense of desperation and hopelessness. The final verse is a plea to a loved one back home to not reveal the person's current situation, which adds a layer of shame and secrecy to their struggles.
Overall, the lyrics of the song capture the realities of the pursuit of the American dream and the often unspoken challenges that come with it, despite the glossy image of success that is projected.
Line by Line Meaning
Got on aboard a west bound seven forty seven
I boarded a plane heading west without thinking it through
Didn't think before deciding what to do
I acted impulsively without considering the consequences
All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
The promises of success, fame, and fortune in California sounded enticing
Rang true, sure rang true
Those promises seemed believable and convincing
Seems it never rain in Southern California
It appears that rainfall is scarce in this region
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
I've heard similar claims about California's climate in the past
It never rains in California
Rainfall is a rarity in this state
But girl, don't they warn ya it pours, man, it pours
However, when it does rain, it can pour heavily
Out of work, I'm out of my head
I am unemployed and feeling lost and uncertain
Out of self respect, I'm out of bread
I am also struggling financially and losing my dignity
I'm under loved, I'm under fed
Additionally, I am lacking love and nourishment in my life
I wanna go home, it never rains in California
I want to leave this place where things aren't going well for me
But girl don't they warn ya, it pours, man, it pours
However, I am reminded that even if what I am leaving is bad, the grass isn't always greener on the other side
Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?
Can you inform my family and friends that I came close to achieving success?
Had offers but don't know which one to take
I had opportunities, but I wasn't sure which one to pursue
Please don't tell them how you found me
Please don't reveal my current situation to others
Don't tell them how you found me
I want to keep my struggles private and not let others know I am struggling
Give me a break, give me a break
Can you please understand my situation and cut me some slack?
Contributed by Peyton C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
appleby
Got on aboard a west bound seven forty seven
Didn't think before deciding what to do
All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
Rang true, sure rang true
[chorus:]
Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya it pours, man, it pours
I'm out of work, I'm out of my head
Out of self respect, I'm out of bread
I'm under loved, I'm under fed
I wanna go home, it never rains in California
But girl don't they warn ya, it pours, man, it pours
Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?
I had offers but don't know which one to take
Please don't tell them how you found me
Don't tell them how you found me
Give me a break, give me a break
[chorus:]
Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya it pours, man, it pours...
47millionvictors
My favourite song of all time, from when I was 12 to now, at 55...
Great version here by a really underrated band....
Małgorzata Ziółkowska
God...... THE GREATEST BAND! 👍👏👍👏👍👏 CONGRATULATIONS
Peter Peters
Вернулся в прошлое ... Ах молодость, молодость...!!!! Прекрасное время - прекрасные песни! Спасибо "смокам!"
trisha ging
absolutely brilliant band love them x x x
suziQ27
how could anybody not love this song?
Erica Hriati
suziQ27 i really love it
Conde D MonteCristo
¡ Excellent !
That's Music 🎵
great cover of this song!!!
Daniel B.
Wow great song!!!
appleby
Got on aboard a west bound seven forty seven
Didn't think before deciding what to do
All that talk of opportunities, TV breaks and movies
Rang true, sure rang true
[chorus:]
Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya it pours, man, it pours
I'm out of work, I'm out of my head
Out of self respect, I'm out of bread
I'm under loved, I'm under fed
I wanna go home, it never rains in California
But girl don't they warn ya, it pours, man, it pours
Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it?
I had offers but don't know which one to take
Please don't tell them how you found me
Don't tell them how you found me
Give me a break, give me a break
[chorus:]
Seems it never rains in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya it pours, man, it pours...