California Girls

Album: Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (1965)
Charted: 26 3
Play Video
  • Well, East coast girls are hip
    I really dig those styles they wear
    And the Southern girls with the way they talk
    They knock me out when I'm down there

    The Midwest farmer's daughters really make you feel alright
    And the Northern girls with the way they kiss
    They keep their boyfriends warm at night

    I wish they all could be California (girls)
    I wish they all could be California
    I wish they all could be California girls

    The West coast has the sunshine
    And the girls all get so tanned
    I dig a French bikini on Hawaiian island
    Dolls by a palm tree in the sand

    I been all around this great big world
    And I seen all kinds of girls
    Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back in the States
    Back to the cutest girls in the world

    I wish they all could be California (girls)
    I wish they all could be California
    I wish they all could be California girls

    I wish they all could be California girls
    (Girls, girls, girls, yeah I dig the)
    I wish they all could be California girls
    (Girls, girls, girls, yeah I dig the)
    I wish they all could be California girls
    (Girls, girls, girls, yeah I dig the)
    I wish they all could be California girls
    (Girls, girls, girls, yeah I dig the)
    I wish they all could be California girls
    (Girls, girls, girls, yeah I dig the)
    I wish they all could be California girls
    (Girls, girls, girls, yeah I dig the) Writer/s: Brian Douglas Wilson, Michael Edward Love
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 40

  • Iwanttoliveonaotherplanet from United KingdomI hate this song and always will.
  • Eric from Formerly, MassachusettsI was there, a newly minted adolescent in the summer of 1965. And after a couple months of folk rock, garage bands, so-so Motown, and the second wave of British Invasion, hearing this single was like the sun coming out after a long cold winter.
  • Notsohappyatall from United KingdomTo Sean from California. Glad you find them so amusing ,because most of what people say is true. In my view the Beach Boys have become a band who seem to think that songs which portray women in such a way is acceptable, it is not. Time they considered retirement.
  • Sean from CaliforniaThe comments here are hilarious!
  • Notsohappyatall from United KingdomThe Beach Boys are passed their sell by date Mr Beyer, In my view they are the most disagreeable band in the world and always will be!!
  • Gene H Beyer from Fairfield, CaliforniaMusic has taken my life and positively influenced and mesmerized me thanks to my loving family. The Beach Boys had a beautiful surfing rock genre mastered. The hits are catchy and stay with you. Their genius does what they intended, to make people happy from their hearts to ours. A Beach Boys misunderstood is frieghtening. Music is for the soul...soul candy! Everyone has their favorites and nothing else should ever be said about it! No negativity, please! Long live the Beach Boys!
  • Notsohappyatall from United KingdomI have never liked this song for several reasons which are not suitable for mentioning here, I prefer the version by ApologetiX they are Christian music group their version is based on 1 Kings verse 11, much nicer , less upsetting to watch than the original.
  • Msn from United KingdomTo Joel from Los Angeles CA: I disliked the video and found it upsetting and distressing to watch.
  • Msn from United KingdomTo Jeff from Atlanta: I think you will find that most women here in the UK would disagree, its one track the pubs here won't have on their jukeboxes, hot babes as you call it is so outdated!!
  • Msn from United KingdomThis is one song I cannot stand, its very upsetting and distressing to listen to, I don't like the videos of this song either, time they were removed for good, I also hate the screens showing women in swimwear and cheerleader costumes. times are changing.
  • Kevin from CanadaThe song had come out but I had not heard it yet...picked up a 45 at the local record store. The intro was amazing....absolutely nothing like it before. Clearly it was going to be a smash hit and it has now endured as a favorite BB song for over 50 years. I have been to 17 concerts, most at large venues, but the last two were special, in small settings. #16 got to meet Mike Love and Bruce who signed my BB Guitar song book. #17 brought my daughter, a very accomplished and trained drummer, to see Brian Wilson...told here this was going to be like meeting Mozart. Met Brian, Al and Blondie Chaplin...who signed the same book and some other things. Brian did not say a word, just smiled as needed. Of all of them Al was the most engaging. Being at meet and greets and sound checks is a great experience as is being right in front of the artists as they perform. The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Beach Boys had a big influence on each other and a number of the songs by each group were the result of competition/collaboration among them. 100 years from now people will still be listening to these amazing rock and roll artists.
  • Duncan from Manhattan, KsTo John from MD: The "Sounds of Summer" stereo mix has a couple of mixing problems. First, the vocals are out of sync with the backing track at some points, and for some reason, the "girls, girls, girls, yeah I dig the girls" backing vocals are almost completely drowned out by the backing track. The original mono version and the first stereo mix (from the first issue of the "Endless Harmony Soundtrack" CD) has more prominent backing vocals.
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaA lot of those musicans played on their LPS and for a lot of other artists, they were known as The Wrecking Crew. There are two books and a video documentary about them if anyone is interested. Cal girl and native Californian.
  • Bill from Rochester, NyByfield, MA!?!?! Jan, what a memory you posted, many thanks, couldn't agree more - went to a school in S. Byfield, MA, just down the road, Beach Boys were part of same experience for me (w/different girl, but same memorable impact!)...good for you and your post, what a powerful flashback - BBoys rock!
  • Dan from Towson, MdI can't stand when idiotic DJ's talk over the intro. Its the best part of the song! I heard them do it just the other day on Sirius.
  • Sabrina from Corvallis, OrWhere is this heroin stuff coming from? Now there is a drug reference to the song but not heroin. According to Wikipedia, Brian was inspired to write this song while on an acid trip...but then weren't many of the songs from the 60s lol?
  • Reed from New Ulm, MnMurph from Peoria....sorry to say, but i think YOU may clearly be about heroin addiction----please do yourself a favor and put the needle and spoon down. You can live without it.
    This song is one of the best ever written, EVER.
    Brian Wilson was a friggin' genius!
  • John from Brisbane, United StatesI always thought they were singing about a wish day on the beach California curls.It took most of my life before I was so very repulsed when I learned it was about girls! What a turn off was that for me.This song is such a turn off,it is about heterosexual stupid men who like females.What a disappointment for woe is me.
  • Steve Dotstar from Los Angeles, CaMy cousin Dennis and I learned to play a
    version of the intro to this song on the guitar
    when it first came out.
    (a fond memory)
  • John from Brisbane, United StatesI always thought it was The wish Pack on the Beach.But when I was 20 years old I realized that men have a desire for girls.The wish back on the beat california.
  • Jan from Byfield, MaThis song brings back the warmest memories. My first kiss was on a warm summer evening with the lyric "And the Northern girls with the way they kiss keep their boyfriends warm at night." in the background. Thank you Tom, wherever you are, you gave me a memory that still makes me smile!!
  • Fred from Laurel, MdHey! All you who are getting so riled up by the drug comment--take a close look at Murph/Peoria down at the bottom of this page--can't you see that silly smirk on his face? And that cheek bulging from his tongue? He's just trying to get a rise out of as many people as he can, so he obviously chose one of the very least drug-connected songs he could find to plant his comment. Don't fall for it! *** And seriously, this song is one of the pop icons of the 20th century. Period.
  • Joel from Columbia, ScIt is NOT about heroin or any other drugs. If someone can point out drug references in the lyrics then okay otherwise please give it a rest.
    P-E-A-C-E-
  • Dale from Santa Fe, NmJohn in MD, both the Beach Boys version and the DLR version have the "I dig 'em girls" line. I've never heard a studio version of the song without that line. If you have the treble/bass ratio off, however, it could be lost.
  • Tom from North Attleboro, MaDarrell, Eugene: YOUR interpretation.
  • Darrell from EugeneThis song is not about heroin addiction. It is about those anorexic models, actresses and wannabes who make me want to turn California into a separate country if I run for president under the Independent ticket several elections down the road, that is, if I live that long. By the way, everything about those same women (who are often so pale that they roast like wienies in the sun) that I mention in the beginning of this comment make me glad that my girlfriend is half Caucasian and half Native Hawaiian and was born in Phoenix.
  • Joel from Los Angeles, CaGood tune. Did anyone else like David Lee Roth's version?
  • Krista from Elyria, OhThis is one of their best! They are almost as good as The Beatles! I also like David Lee Roth's version, too. I didn't like his vid woth all the girls in bikinis though.
  • Sloop Johnb from Kansasville, United StatesActually this song is not about girls from California. Brian , with a little help from cousin Mike, is describing the attributes of girls from around the United States and he wishes they all could be California Girls. Brian hated travelling, expecially flying and once had a nervous breaking down on a plane at the start of a concert tour back in the 60's. His dream was to have all the fine ladies from around the US right in his home state of California, presumable so he wouldn't have to travel far to see them all...
  • Luke from Manchester, EnglandHow the **** can this be about herion addiction when it clearly celebrates the women of America and says the best are from California... Retards
  • John from Lansing, MiIn concert, for at least a year or two after the song was released, Mike Love would jokingly tell the audience that the song's original title was "California Girls Are Pregnant"
  • Henry from Kingston, NyHeroin addiction? You're insane. I absolutely love this song. Something about the vocals drive me crazy.
  • Caitlin from Upper Township, NjI remeber my mom sang along 2 this in the car once in front of my friend. it was embarrasing!
  • Aylin from MontrealInteresting how 5 out of the ten weekly most popular songfacts this week contain the word California in the title (counting Californication).
  • Bram from Zoetermeer, NetherlandsMore Brian Wilson than Mike Love, as often was the case
  • Voodoocat from Zimbabwe, United StatesThis is an awesome like a possum song!!
  • John from Millersville, MdI've heard what seems to be two versions of the song--one which includes a sort of chant right before the chorus of 'I dig it giirrlllss' or something like that. I have ONLY heard this version on the radio, my Beach Boys CD (the Sonds of Summer compilation, not the original album) does NOT have this chant. I like the chant. Can anyone tell me if the two versions are distinguishable?
  • Gary from Auckland, New ZealandForget about hot babes and heroin, you heroes. Brian Wilson composed it (Mike Love probably added and edited lyrics, as usual), reliably reported, immediately after his first LSD trip. He rates the introduction the best passage of music he's ever written. Sales-wise it was somewhat overlooked at the time, coming off second best to raves of the moment like the newly breaking Dylan and Sonny & Cher. New York City's top top-40 station, WNBC, did a vote-in and sales survey in 1976 for most of the eastern Seaboard and found that 'California Girls' came in second only to the Beatles 'Yesterday' for 1965.
  • Murph from Peoria, IlActually, I think this song is clearly about heroin addiction.
  • Jeff from Atlanta, GaI love this song! What rock star DOESN'T like singing about hot babes?

    Its also great to play at bars for the ladies too. =)
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Tim and his brother Richard are the Furs' foundation; Tim explains how they write and tells the story of "Pretty In Pink."

The Girl in That Song

The Girl in That SongFact or Fiction

Billie Jean, Delilah, Sara, Laura and Sharona - do you know who the girls in the songs really are?

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."