With weather like we've had in Berkeley lately, it's hard to imagine living anywhere but California. The (kind of) perpetually clear, sunny skies can spoil even passing visitors, so it's pretty clear why California is known worldwide as a land of possibility and good fortune. In music, this has inspired countless works on every subject, with a common theme of the "Golden State." It formed the basis of The Thrills' excellent debut record, So Much For The City, with each song in some way devoted to dreams of West Coast glory. Madonna (like many before and after her) considers the darker side of the American dream, epitomized by the excesses of Hollywood in her single named after the town (presented here in the Thin White Duke remix she performed at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards). The short-lived teen sensation The O.C. made Phantom Planet's "California" a well-known theme tune pretty much everywhere, and it sums up the feeling of freedom and new chances that many associate with this side of the States. Since you're likely very sick of the original edition (featured here for latecomers), I've supplemented it with a live version performed with the hottest producer of the moment, Mark Ronson.
EDIT: I couldn't find the Mark Ronson live version online anywhere, and the "Valerie" single it's on isn't in the US iTunes store, so... it's actually not featured. If anyone has the track and would like to email it to me, I'll update the post to include it.
The Thrills, "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)" [YSI] (from the album So Much For The City)
Madonna, "Hollywood" (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duck Mix Edit) [YSI] (original version on the album American Life)
Phantom Planet, "California" [YSI] (from the album The Guest)
***Note: Links removed***
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1 comment:
haha yeah, being in CA just once has decided it for me, i'll move from toronto when the money's right
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