California in music

[sudu]

Why is 'california' found in so many thousands of songs and titles? in my (comparitively small) music collection i can find at least 5 songs with california in the title. why california and not florida or something?

[snapdarlich]

...Because it is...

[Drusilla]

According to my father, 'so take this with a pinch of salt', California became the hippest, coolest place in the world during the hippy period. It usurped Swinging London and held its place until the middle of the '70's. During this time the popular music industry was at it's height with massive record sales that dwarf today's sales.
I suppose Hollywood's presence also makes it the home of the beautiful people and the media savvy, which always helps when promoting an image, as does a lot of sunshine.
Florida is also full of old people, immigrants and Disneyworld- hardly cool!!

[sudu]

there's disneyland in california!! but i do see your point- thanks for the info

[Dudley]

It could be because it has four sylables and as it ends in a vowel it rhymes easily The same applies to Mississippi, Arizona, Pensylvania and some three sylable names such as Barcelona, Kentucky and America itself. I know 'Y' is not a vowel but it sounds like one.

[sfsorrow]

its all down to the fact that its where psychedelia began,nearly all the big bands of the era were from this area,i.e jefferson airplane, the doors ,love,the list is endless,haight & ashbury are still sung about today,in fact my brother is taking his honeymoon in san fransisco just so he can have some california dreaming