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California Here I Come (Sophie B. Hawkins song)

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"California Here I Come"
Single by Sophie B. Hawkins
from the album Tongues and Tails
B-side"Saviour Child"
ReleasedJuly 1992
Length
  • 4:38 (album version)
  • 4:25 (single version)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Sophie B. Hawkins
Producer(s)
Sophie B. Hawkins singles chronology
"Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover"
(1992) 		"California Here I Come"
(1992) 		"I Want You"
(1992)

"California Here I Come" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, released in 1992 as the second single from her debut studio album, Tongues and Tails. The song was written by Hawkins and produced by Rick Chertoff and Ralph Schuckett. The song's music video was directed by Kevin Kerslake and produced by Line Postmyr and Tina Silvey.[1]

Background

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The song's bridge was influenced by John Steinbeck's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath and features Hawkins reciting the Lord's Prayer. In 2004, Hawkins noted that "aspects of the chorus were influenced by Bugs Bunny going through the golden gates and finding 50 foot carrots". She added, "I had never been to California when I wrote the song. The lyrics are great to savor live, and they get truer somehow as time goes on."[2]

Critical reception

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Upon its release, Larry Flick of Billboard considered the song to be "an equally literate, highly potent pop/rock journey" to Hawkins' debut single "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover". He praised the single remix for providing "more emphasis on the melody" and giving it "a lighter, more accessible tone".[3] Randy Clark of Cash Box commented, "With her Madonna-meets-Chrissie Hynde voice and unusually structured songwriting style, Sophie could get more AC play on this track."[4] Music & Media stated, "With this follow up to 'Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover', this young singer/songwriter is destined to become the next Cyndi Lauper."[5] Victoria Thieberger of The Age noted Hawkins' "distinctive voice" was "measured but warm" on the track. She also praised the song for being "richly orchestrated with a romantic synth sound over a heavy bass".[6]

Track listings

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7-inch and cassette single

  1. "California Here I Come" (remix) – 4:20
  2. "Saviour Child" – 4:45

CD single (UK and Europe)

  1. "California Here I Come" (remix) – 4:25
  2. "California Here I Come" (LP version) – 4:38
  3. "Saviour Child" – 4:43

CD single (Europe)

  1. "California Here I Come" – 4:20
  2. "Saviour Child" – 4:43
  3. "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" (remix) – 4:39

CD single (US release)

  1. "California Here I Come" – 4:20
  2. "Saviour Child" – 4:43

Personnel

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Production

Other

Charts

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Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 104
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 39
Germany (GfK)[9] 77
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 43
UK Singles (OCC)[11] 53
US Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles[12] 79

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States July 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [13]
Japan August 21, 1992 Mini-CD Sony [14]
United Kingdom August 31, 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [15]

References

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  1. ^ "Music Video: Production Notes". Billboard. August 29, 1992. p. 37.
  2. ^ Hawkins, Sophie B. (April 2004). "Ask Sophie". sophiebhawkins.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (August 1, 1992). "Single Reviews". Billboard. p. 102.
  4. ^ Clark, Randy (August 15, 1992). "Music Reviews: Singles". Cash Box. Vol. 55, no. 51. p. 5. ISSN 0008-7289.
  5. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music & Media. September 12, 1992. p. 9.
  6. ^ Thieberger, Victoria (August 21, 1992). "Entertainment Guide: Singles". The Age.
  7. ^ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received September 12, 2016". Retrieved August 13, 2020 – via Imgur.
  8. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1324." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  9. ^ "Sophie B. Hawkins – California Here I Come" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  10. ^ "Sophie B. Hawkins – California Here I Come". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  11. ^ "Sophie B. Hawkins: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  12. ^ Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950-1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. p. 152. ISBN 1563083167. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  13. ^ Rufer, Diane; Fell, Ron (July 24, 1992). "Reviews". Gavin Report. No. 1915. p. 28. OCLC 34039542.
  14. ^ "カリフォルニア・ヒア・アイ・カム | ソフィー・B.ホーキンス" [California Here I Come | Sophie B. Hawkins] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  15. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 29, 1992. p. 17.
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