California Saga/California
"California Saga/California" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their January 1973 album Holland. It was written by Al Jardine and is the third and final part of the "California Saga" series of songs on Holland.[1] In May 1973, a remixed version was issued as a single under the title "California Saga (On My Way To Sunny Californ-i-a)".
"California Saga/California" | ||||
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Single by the Beach Boys | ||||
from the album Holland | ||||
B-side | "Funky Pretty" | |||
Released | May 1973 | |||
Recorded | 1972 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 3:21 | |||
Label | Brother | |||
Songwriter(s) | Al Jardine | |||
The Beach Boys singles chronology | ||||
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Recording
"California" features Brian Wilson – who was otherwise barely present at the Holland sessions – singing the opening line "On my way to sunny Californ-i-a".[2] Jardine remembered, "We came down to the studio to do a mix-down so [Brian] could get home. Then suddenly, [he] came in and said, 'Give me a microphone.' He walked straight in. I hadn't seen him for a month. He walked up to the microphone and started singing, 'I'm on my way to sunny Califon-i-a.' He then left the microphone and walked out."[1]
Single release
In the UK, "California Saga/California" (backed with "Sail On, Sailor") was issued in February 1973 as the lead single from Holland, reaching number 75.[3] Biographer Mark Dillon surmised that Jardine's song was chosen as a single because his 1970 production of "Cotton Fields" had been the band's last hit there.[4]
In March 1973, the band remixed and overdubbed new vocals onto "California Saga/California" for a U.S. single release.[5] Released in May, the single (backed with "Funky Pretty") reached number 84.[6]
References
Citations
- Badman 2004, p. 320.
- Dillon 2012, p. 210.
- Badman 2004, p. 326.
- Dillon 2012, p. 212.
- Badman 2004, p. 327.
- Badman 2004, p. 329.
Bibliography
- Badman, Keith (2004). The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-0-87930-818-6.
- Dillon, Mark (2012). Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story. ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-77090-198-8.