The California Sun

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When we got the call, we were looking out the window in a westerly direction.
We checked the road at the place where it curved away into tomorrow.
We dropped whatever we were doing, packed our babies and belongings,
and followed the rainbow, assured of the dream and all it foretold.
We killed whatever moved, we cut down anything that sprouted.
This was our land after all. It was manifest, our destiny.
The sound of bells and hammers blew in the wind of happy industry.
We made roads to get to roads, to get to roads to get our hands on all the gold.
We found it all in the California sun,
in the California sun, California sun, yeah.
Found it all in the California sun, in the California sun,
we found it all.
When we first set eyes upon the jewels of the Pacific,
we knew our god at last had brought us to the rainbow's end.
And there we dreamed machines we built that made new dreams we thirsted for.
We poured in girls and oil and oranges, and just a little more gold,
just a little more.
We spent it all in the California sun,
in the California sun, California sun, yeah.
Spent it all in the California sun, in the California sun,
we spent it all.
We went as far as we could go, we dug as deep as we could dig.
We flew as high as we could fly. We even made it to the moon.
And when we finally came to, we acted so surprised,
as if we thought we could expand that way forever.
And when our gold turned into lead, and all our instincts said slow down,
we climbed behind the wheel, and we accelerated anyway.
We drove it right through the California sun,
through the California sun, California sun, yeah.
Drove it right through the California sun,
through the California sun…
And if we could, would we do it all over again?
If we could, and we knew the things that we know now?
Split the difference in the middle of the country?
Kept the lessons that we learned in our pockets?
Now the sun is setting, night comes to remind us of the darkness.
The glow of dawn, the flame of day flicker quick before our sleepy eyes.
We are wandering, we are longing for a home that's gone forever,
for some tree to sit beneath, and for some time to think it over.
We burned it all in the California sun,
in the California sun, California sun, yeah.
Burned it all in the California sun, in the California sun,
we burned it all.
And when the ashes turn back into dust,
the spirit will rise because the spirit must.
And we'll turn with the earth, and we'll move with the wind,
and we'll start something different all over again.
©1994 Suzanne McDermott/Drexel Road Music (ASCAP) All Rights Reserved
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