California

*Landed on the wrong page with a similar name? See: California (disambiguation)*.

## California

### Writers

Dominic Harrison
Martin Terefe

### Producers

Martin Terefe

"**California**", released 15 June 2018, is the eleventh song on YUNGBLUD's debut album *21st Century Liability*, as well as the album's third single.

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]

Got cuts on your eyes

Preachin' to me sayin' you sympathise

Misunderstanding, I am alright

It's you that needs the glasses

Why can't you see?

That I am okay, you take more drugs than me

Chewing your cheek

I can't believe you put me in a straight jacket

[Pre-Chorus]

They tried to put me on Ritalin (Ritalin)

Visions of calming me down

They tried to put me on Ritalin (Ritalin)

Hopin' I don't make a sound

[Chorus]

Maybe I just need to go to California

'Cause I am young, don't wanna die yet, can't afford it

Maybe I just need to go to California

[Post-Chorus]

Swear that when I get old, you'll blow all my brains out

Swear that when I get old, you'll blow all my brains out

(Blow my brains out!)

(Blow my brains out!)

[Verse 2]

I don't understand

How I can respect you when you're such a twat (Woo)

What you shocked at? It's a matter of fact

And usually, I would listen to you

But when my future's involved, I got a responsibility to sit down

And think what I should do

Shout, "Fuck him and fuck her and fuck you too" (What?)

[Pre-Chorus]

They tried to put me on Ritalin (Ritalin)

Visions of calming me down

They tried to put me on Ritalin (Ritalin)

Hopin' I don't make a sound (Brrap, brrap)

They tried to put me on Ritalin (Ritalin)

Visions of calming me down

They tried to put me on Ritalin (Ritalin)

Hopin' I don't make a sound

[Chorus]

Maybe I just need to go to California

'Cause I am young, don't wanna die yet, can't afford it

Maybe I just need to go to California

[Post-Chorus]

Swear that when I get old, you'll blow all my brains out

Swear that when I get old, you'll blow all my brains out

(Blow my brains out!)

(Yeah, blow my brains out)

[Bridge]

Rip my heart up

And pull it out of my chest

Rip my heart up

And pull it out of my chest

Rip my heart up

And pull it out of my chest

Rip my heart up

And pull it out of my chest!

[Outro]

Maybe I just need to go to California

'Cause I am young, don't wanna die yet, can't afford it

Maybe I just need to go to California

Swear that when I get old, you'll blow all my brains out

Maybe I just need to go to California

'Cause I am young, don't wanna die yet, can't afford it

Maybe I just need to go to California

Swear that when I get old, you'll blow all my brains out

Swear that when I get old, you'll blow all my brains out!

## Verified Annotations

On Genius YUNGBLUD annotated this song, verifying the meaning behind the lyrics.

* Got cuts on your eyes / Preachin' to me sayin' you sympathise / Misunderstanding, I am alright / It's you that needs the glasses → *"this is a comment on the wrinkles on someone’s face as they try to convince me what I should do with my life, how I should be or how I should think. But they are blind, their eyes are flooded with a catorax of old ideologies."*

Chorus, Post-Chorus, Outro → *"California was a place where I signed to my record label. This was the first moment in my life people wanted to invest in me for being myself. It always seemed like people older than me in positions of power wanted to dilute me and I swore to myself I would never be like them. Hence if I do become them … blow my brains out."*

* And usually, I would listen to you / But when my future's involved, I got a responsibility to sit down / And think what I should do / Shout, "Fuck him and fuck her and fuck you too" (What?) → *"this line reflects the intelligence of young people today. We are not just reactionary, “teenage brats rebelling against the establishment.” We have so much access to information, we have the opportunities to become educated to the wrong doings in society and we speak freely about them, as we should be allowed to do."*

Bridge → *"This has a double meaning. One of I become like them, kill me. Two, I always want to remain real and true to myself wear my heart and my opinions on my sleeve."*

## Trivia

* Ritalin is a stimulant medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. In YUNGBLUD's case, he was prescribed to take it in school because of the problems his teachers believed he was having in school due to his ADHD.

## Buy/Stream

* YouTube (Audio)
* YouTube (Music Video)
* SoundCloud
* Apple Music
* Deezer
* Tidal
* Google Play
* Spotify

## References

1. ↑ Genius — "YUNGBLUD — California Lyrics (First Verse)". Published Retrieved 25 June 2021.
2. ↑ Genius — "YUNGBLUD — California Lyrics (Chorus/Post Chorus/Outro)". Published Retrieved 25 June 2021.
3. ↑ Genius — "YUNGBLUD — California Lyrics (Second Verse)". Published Retrieved 25 June 2021.
4. ↑ Genius — "YUNGBLUD — California Lyrics (Bridge)". Published Retrieved 25 June 2021.