turns to inspiration. This is the territory of Sophie B. Hawkins’ remarkable sixth album, which is at once the most directly personal, musically transporting and defiantly raw work yet from the Grammy nominated
singer/songwriter.
Since her instantaneous 1992 breakthrough with the indelible hit single “Damn I Wish I Was Your
Lover” and her acclaimed debut album Tongues and Tails, Hawkins has proved an enduring artist with a fierce commitment to constantly evolving, while remaining steadfastly true to her own authentic history and experience. This comes to the fore as she breaks open her heart without reservation on The Crossing, her longawaited first album of new songs in several years. It is a searing, lush and startlingly naked chronicle of the most intense period of Hawkins’ life, in which she has come to terms with her father’s death, openly surrendered to the haunting specter of her past, discovered the exhilaration of motherhood and arrived at a profound reckoning of acceptance. All of this emerges in songwriting and vocals that mix the brashly playful and the unabashedly poignant in fresh ways for Hawkins.
“I was really reaching for somewhere new as I wrote these songs,” she explains. “It all started with
getting a letter from my sister that my father was dying – and, in a way, that opened up not only struggle and emotion but all these opportunities for healing. I had to acknowledge that I’d never be able to heal the abyss created by my parents’ alcoholism. I had to say this is how it was, this is how it is with me now and surrender to the grace of that. These feelings have always been there in my writing but it’s like I always kind of danced around them in my songs and now I was ready to go head-on into them. The songs began to express a kind of eternal dream I’ve had, that I think we all have, for a moment of peace and clarity, for the ability to get beyond our personal struggles and move out into the larger world -- knowing exactly where you stand in it.”
The eleven songs on her upcoming album, The Crossing spilled out of Sophie B. Hawkins in a way she had never experienced before in a lifetime of diverse and critically admired songwriting – yet were so closely entwined with her very being, she confesses they felt at first like secrets that needed to be kept. “I didn’t play these songs to anybody, not a soul, for a long time,” she acknowledges. “But as I wrote, I developed deeper and deeper roots of strength. I felt it was time to do something that might scare me. And what I love about these songs is that they are very, very emotional but they aren’t filled with baggage. There’s something very unconscious about them, a letting go, and they seem to bring people a lot of joy.”
Hoping to sustain the stripped-bare honesty of how the songs were written, Hawkins created the album
in a sonically hand-made way – recording entirely in her home studio and keeping the sparse, spontaneous immediacy of a demo-like sound. She engineered the album herself. “The album is entirely me with just drums, bass, guitar and flugel. I didn’t hire a band – I just would meet one musician at a time and have them come to the house to record and it was a very spacious and organic process. I became an engineer really by instinct. I kept things very simple and told the musicians to just have fun. It felt like it unfolded all on its own -- I really wanted to retain the feel of these songs that were written completely in the moment and I think we did. I felt lucky just to be there watching this be created.”
The tracks on The Crossing have that rare quality of feeling like an expedition underneath a human
skin, revealing a woman who has dragged wisdom and strength from a lion’s den of complicated relationships and life experiences. The journey ranges from the feisty “Bet Ya Got A Cure” which Hawkins calls “a personal, guttural response to everything I’ve seen and a reminder that we’re all too easily lulled by what’s easy instead of the parts of life that require you to be really brave”; to the powerful testament “Heart and Soul of a Woman,” an ode to feminine strength (in all forms) which Hawkins notes was inspired in part by her experiences working on Hilary Clinton’s historic Presidential campaign; to the fluid, crescendoing “Life Is a River,” which Hawkins says is about the idea “that you don’t really know who you are until you’re challenged.”
Some of the most personally revealing tracks include “Missing,” an impassioned reckoning with the dark
truths of her past that Hawkins says is about that “really simple dream of coming to the purest place of common ground with someone no matter what went on before. It also has this great feeling for me of New York in the springtime.” She makes a bold, no-holds barred declaration of independence in “I Don’t Need You,” then turns reflective in “Red Bird,” which was written after a friend was hit by a car and Hawkins muses “is about those moments when you have to move on, even though you don’t necessarily want to leave where you are, you can’t help but go forward.” Then there is “Dream Street & Chance,” a jazzy, modern torch song about possibility and acceptance. “There’s a lot of personal symbolism in that song,” notes Hawkins. “When I talk about the weatherman’s castle it goes back to me wanting to be a weatherman as a child, which my father used to tease me about. The song goes back to the idea of a sacred childhood, which is a part of being human no matter what your experience with childhood is, and which I think is the source of all creativity.”
Evocative themes weave throughout the album from innocence and the purity of love in “A Child” (which
morphs into Hawkins’ sultry take on “Summertime And The Living Is Easy”) to the human need for the natural world in “The Land, The Sea and The Sky” to the brassy rebelliousness of youth in the sexy, sunny, straightahead pop song “Georgia.” Hawkins also collaborated with Academy Award®-winning actress Mary Steenburgen on the heart-felt, Joplinesque folk ballad “Gone Baby.” “I met Mary at a Clinton rally and in the middle of everything she mentioned that she wrote songs,” Hawkins recalls. “Later, she sang one of her songs to me over the phone and she was like a lone wolf in the desert. I felt that the song was all there, it just needed to be developed. It turned out to be a great partnership and I got so much out of working with her.”
In the end, the album became to Hawkins a kind of line in the sand: “These songs were written right on
that border between transcending the person I used to be and opening up to something new, to realizing I’ve come to a place where I can bring more love, more passion and more energy to my life and creation. It’s an acceptance of where I’ve been and a declaration of where I’m standing I am right now.”
In the middle of writing the songs for her new album, Hawkins received an unusual chance to take an
artistic left turn. Hawkins was asked by her longtime manager and acclaimed filmmaker, Gigi Gaston, to join her in pitching a musical Gigi had been working on with Kristin Chenoweth, the Tony & Emmy award-winning singer and actress (Glee, Pushing Daisies, Wicked), in which Chenoweth would star. The musical had deep roots, having been started by Gaston’s mother, Theodora Lynch, in 1950, and now the three women were inspired to bring an extraordinary story back to life. A fan of Hawkins’ music, Chenoweth asked Sophie to write the new music & lyrics for a book by Gaston and Tony-award winning Broadway legend Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray), who joined the project as co-writer soon after.
“When Gigi, my manager first approached me about writing a Broadway musical, I thought ‘there’s no
way,’“ Sophie laughs. “It was completely outside anything I’d ever done, but at the same time, I’ve always loved musicals and some of my favorite songwriters and singers come from the theatre world, which has had a huge influence on me. I started to think that just maybe I had it in me.”
After that fateful first meeting between Gaston, Chenoweth and Hawkins, the journey began.
Tentatively at first, Hawkins began writing with Gaston, then further collaborating with Meehan. It was a fresh and creative adventure that became a perfectly timed yin-yang contrast to Hawkins’ work on the album.
“It has been a grand experiment and a lot of hard work but it was also an amazing opportunity to
explore a completely different creative process,” Hawkins explains. “Here I was writing these intensely
emotional songs for the album, so working on the musical became a welcome release from that. It wasn’t about me, it was about fictional characters and the arc of telling a dramatic story -- and I could immerse myself in that in a whole different way. It’s a more intellectual way of writing, but it also became more unconscious and poetic as it went along. It was also great for me because I have rarely collaborated lyrically with anyone and it was very interesting to work with other people’s ideas and themes. I was moving back and forth between these songs for the album that were so personal on the one hand, and then on the other, working in a very collaborative atmosphere on something structured and theatrical. It was a great contrast that I think allowed me to explore more of the potential of who I am.”
The Crossing is in many ways the culmination of Sophie B. Hawkins’ life-long apprenticeship in
creative transcendence. Hawkins grew up in a colorful but troubled New York family and found an outlet for her yearning and imagination in music at 14 years old, Drawn to the intensity and spell of rhythm, she left home then and moved in with her African Drum teacher Godson, and African master drummer Babutune Olatunji, to learn, eat and breathe music. She entered the rarified realm of female percussionists, playing with a number of artists including Bryan Ferry, until she literally found the strength of her own voice. In 1992, she cut her first demo as a singer, and it would go on to become the international hit single, “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover,” showcasing the tough-yet-tender, movingly transparent vocals that would become her trademark.
Her first album, Tongues and Tails, full of primal, fiery pop, was an immediate success, earning her a
Grammy nomination for “Best New Artist.” Hawkins followed that with Whaler, which featured the smash ballad, “As I Lay Me Down,” which remains the longest-running hit single in the Billboard charts in American history. The album, as equally gutsy as her first yet an atmospheric departure sealed her rising reputation for musical breadth and lyrical depth.
Hawkins’ third album, Timbre, in which she broke out into a more earthy, stripped-back sound that
aimed at the core of her personal expression, was released in 1999. In a move toward artistic independence, Hawkins worked out an arrangement that would allow her to leave her label while retaining the masters to Timbre. She re-released the album on her newly born label Trumpet Swan Productions – then hit the road, on her own this time, just Sophie and her band touring the country in a station wagon.
2004’s Wilderness saw Hawkins diving into a jazzier style for what would become her most musically
layered and emotionally complex album yet, and the first recorded entirely in her Los Angeles home studio. Playfully exploring a collage of musical influences and her own multi-instrumental talents, Hawkins played guitar, cello, keyboard, drums and a variety of exotic percussion on a recording Rolling Stone singled out for its “dreamy charm.”
The roiling energy and close intimacy of Hawkins’ live shows was captured in 2006’s Bad Kitty Board
Mix, a two-disc set recorded in Seattle. Spotlighting her improvisational instincts, Hawkins says she wanted this live album to be something different, “not just the songs you already know, but what they become in front of you, totally raw, exposed and new every night.”
In 2008, Hawkins’ life took one of its most dramatic and enlarging turns yet, as she became the proud
mother of a son, Dashiell, now only 14 months old. “Becoming a mother gave me an amazing new perspective on being an artist,” she muses. “There’s an immense amount of truth and honesty and presence that comes out in our relationship. It’s a constant reminder that the most beautiful thing you can ever do for another person is to fully, passionately and fearlessly express yourself and what you believe in.”
California Here I Come
Sophie B. Hawkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Poor you
Playing so long but you're still not grooving
I see you running but I see you ain't moving
And me
Pitiful me
I sleep with both eyes open but I'm just not seeing
California here I come
Open up your golden arms
I had enough of the New York City slums
My brother he went before me
My God watch over me
California here I come
Can we stop
Obsessing
There's food on the table let's count our blessings
How come we want to be messing
Messing around
With the wild wild west
Must be a better life than this
How come
Some people got it all
Some people got none
I been banging my head against
The writing on the wall
But now
I just want to have fun
California here I come
Open up your golden arms
I had enough of the New York City slums
My brother he went before me
My God watch over me
California here I come
California I'll be there
Let me fall into your hair
I won't be guilty for my New York City care
My sister come along with me
Our God is offering our share
California I'll be there
Sophie B. Hawkins's song California Here I Come is a poignant reflection on life choices and the desire for a fresh start. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of two lost souls - the singer and the person she addresses as "You" - who have lost their rhythm and can't seem to move forward despite their best efforts. The "forest" and "trees" metaphor suggests that they are too caught up in their problems to see the bigger picture.
The song then pivots into a declaration of the singer's intention to leave New York City behind for California. She mentions her brother who went before her, suggesting that she's following in his footsteps, and asks God to watch over her. She wants to open herself up to the possibilities of a new place, free from the "slums" of New York, and the "guilt" that comes with it. The chorus is a plea to California to welcome her with open arms and help her start over.
The second verse takes a more philosophical turn, questioning the human tendency to obsess over what we lack instead of being grateful for what we have ("There's food on the table let's count our blessings"). The singer wonders why some people seem to have it all while others struggle, banging their heads against the wall. The extended metaphor of the "wild wild west" suggests that California represents an untamed, but ultimately more hopeful, version of life.
Overall, California Here I Come is a song about reinvention, the desire for a fresh start, and the willingness to take risks in pursuit of a better life.
Line by Line Meaning
You
Addressing the listener, acknowledging their current state of being.
Poor you
Recognizing the struggles and hardships the listener may be facing in their life.
Playing so long but you're still not grooving
Commenting on the listener's prolonged struggles despite their efforts to change.
I see you running but I see you ain't moving
Noting that the listener is trying to make progress, but still feels stuck or stagnant.
And me
Shifting the focus to the artist's own situation.
Pitiful me
Acknowledging the singer's own feelings of self-pity or despair.
I sleep with both eyes open but I'm just not seeing
Feeling that the singer is missing out on important opportunities or experiences despite their constant awareness and vigilance.
The forest let alone the trees
Struggling to see the big picture, and instead being lost in the details and minutiae of life.
California here I come
Expressing the desire to leave one's current situation and move to California.
Open up your golden arms
Inviting California to welcome and embrace the artist.
I had enough of the New York City slums
Expressing dissatisfaction with the current living conditions in New York City.
My brother he went before me
Mentioning the artist's brother who moved to California before them.
My God watch over me
Asking for protection and guidance from a higher power during the transition.
Can we stop
Asking for a change in focus or mindset.
Obsessing
Noting that the listener may be overly preoccupied with their problems or negative thoughts.
There's food on the table let's count our blessings
Suggesting the listener try to recognize and appreciate the good in their life.
How come we want to be messing
Questioning why people often choose to disrupt their own lives or create problems for themselves.
Messing around
Referring to irresponsible or risky behavior.
With the wild wild west
Idiomatically referring to the unknown or unpredictable aspects of life in California.
Must be a better life than this
Speculating that California may offer a better quality of life than New York City.
How come
Continuing to question the reasons behind human behavior and existential struggles.
Some people got it all
Observing that some people seem to have everything they could ever want or need.
Some people got none
Acknowledging that other people are not as fortunate, and may struggle to make ends meet or attain happiness.
I been banging my head against
Expressing frustration and a sense of repetitive struggle.
The writing on the wall
Accepting a harsh or inevitable truth that has been apparent for some time.
But now
Suggesting a turning point or moment of clarity for the singer.
I just want to have fun
Expressing a desire for carefree enjoyment and pleasure.
California I'll be there
Reiterating the previous desire to move to California.
Let me fall into your hair
Using colorful imagery to express the deep connection and attraction the artist feels towards California.
I won't be guilty for my New York City care
Rejecting any feelings of obligation or guilt for leaving behind their old life in New York City.
My sister come along with me
Mentioning the singer's sister, who may also be considering or eager to move to California.
Our God is offering our share
Believing that a divine or universal force has provided this opportunity for a new, better chapter in their lives.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SOPHIE B. HAWKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
0407 desertrose
California Here I Come
You
Poor you
Playing so long but you're still not grooving
I see you running but I see you ain't moving
And me
Pitiful me
I sleep with both eyes open but I'm just not seeing
The forest let alone the trees
California here I come
Open up your golden arms
I had enough of the New York City slums
My brother he went before me
My God watch over me
California here I come
Can we stop
Obsessing
There's food on the table let's count our blessings
How come we want to be messing
Messing around
With the wild wild west
Must be a better life than this
How come
Some people got it all
Some people got none
I been banging my head against
The writing on the wall
But now
I just want to have fun
California here I come
Open up your golden arms
I had enough of the New York City slums
My brother he went before me
My God watch over me
California here I come
California I'll be there
Let me fall into your hair
I won't be guilty for my New York City care
My sister come along with me
Our God is offering our share
California I'll be there
shyman99
This song is so amazing. It's a spiritual awakening towards the hopes and dreams of a better life after being down for so long. Thanks Sophie for this masterpiece.
Oddly Even
I'm here again...2020...and this song is still as good to me as when I first heard it back in the 90's. Love it forever!
Brandon Moore
I'm listening to Sophie B Hawkins California Here I Come early February 2022
BobRenoir
My favorite Sophie song! And in my opinion one of the best 90's song!
Phoenix72
Still in 2022
Trevor Wylie
you could be right its the one that stayed with me from 1992 never dated at all
D J Benji
Not very popular I believe, but my favorite song from Sophie also.
Sioux Hartley
Still love you Sophie...this is me driving my kids to school, all of us singing all the words❤️❤️❤️
Mac Na hÉireann
One of those great songs that has remained with me after all these years, fantastic artist. Good to hear our Lord’s Prayer in the lyrics. Better times ahead.
day light
she is just amazing