Led Zeppelin: Going to California

Led Zeppelin performs “Going to California”, Earls Court, 1975:


Going to California" is an acoustic folk song on Led Zeppelin's 4th album, released in 1971. It consists of Robert Plant’s soft poetic lead vocals, Jimmy Page on acoustic guitar and features mandolin by John Paul Jones. It contrasts with the heavy electric-amplified rock on several of the album's other tracks. The song is supposedly about singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, With whom Plant and Page were both infatuated. At Led Zeppelin concerts the band performed this song during their acoustic sets. One live version, from Led Zeppelin's performance at Earls Court in 1975, is featured on disc 2 of the Led Zeppelin DVD. It was also performed on Plant's solo tours during 1988/1989 and at the Knebworth Silver Clef show in 1990. He played it again on his "Mighty ReArranger" tour, with additions of a double bass and a synthesiser.



Lyrics to Going to California:
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.

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