California

All the beautiful girls are sweatin' through their tank tops
I lived in the studio right by the 99-cent shop
Got followed home at night so much, the rent dropped
The sun melted all my lipstick, my vanity made time stop

Guess I played the game, but I never thought about it that way
I laid around the Pasadena compound
Made the band play all of my amateur shit
Then I'd go home and strangle it
Make a better song, make a better life
Make amends with myself all the time
All the time

California
You gave me all of my nerve
California
I came to you a weaker girl

And I got burnt on all of your beaches
Tracin' tan lines with my thumb
Fucked around with Hollywood preachers
Feelin' saved, believin' in it
Kept my freedom
Kept my freedom

In the eternal summer, we put the oysters on a credit card
I took a boy back to my borrowed Laurel Canyon backyard
Tried to show him my shiny things, but he always liked to hear me sing
Now he loves me in my normalcy
We're makin' out in the Walgreens

California
You gave me all of my nerve
California
I came to you a weaker girl

And I got burnt on all of your beaches
Tracin' tan lines with my thumb
Fucked around with Hollywood preachers
Feelin' saved, believin' in it
Kept my freedom
Kept my freedom

All the time
All the time

California
You gave me all of my nerve
California
I came to you a weaker girl

California
You gave me all of my nerve
California
I came to you a weaker girl

And I got burnt on all of your beaches
Tracin' tan lines with my thumb
Fucked around with Hollywood preachers
Feelin' saved, believin' in it
Kept my freedom
Kept my freedom