CALIFORNIA SUN^©

Original The Rivieras version

[Introductory 30-second instrumental interlude]

Well I'm goin' out west where I belong
Where the days are short and the nights are long
Where they walk and I'll walk
They twist and I'll twist
They shimmy and I'll shimmy
They fly and I'll fly
Well they're out there a'havin' fun
In that warm California sun

Well I'm goin' out west out on the coast
Where the California girls are really the most
Where they walk and I'll walk
They twist and I'll twist
They shimmy and I'll shimmy
They fly and I'll fly
Well they're out there a'havin' fun
In that warm California sun

[24-second instrumental interlude]

Well the girls are frisky in old 'Frisco
A pretty little chick wherever you go
A-a-and they'll walk and I'll walk
They'll twist and I'll twist
They'll shimmy and I'll shimmy
They'll fly and I'll fly
Well they're out there a'havin' fun
In that warm California sun
Yeah they're out there a'havin' fun
In that warm California sun

Page last updated: 06 Nov 2009

CALIFORNIA SUN is a song credited to Henry Glover and Morris Levy. Originally recorded by 35-year-old New Orleans-born singer-songwriter Joe Jones, and released by EMI in the winter of 1961, it peaked at #89 on the charts.

The most successful version was by The Rivieras in 1964 which reached #5 in the main U.S. pop chart. It was released as a single [first scan below] and included as the title track of an EP [second scan below] that same year. It was released again in 1967 as the title track of a The Rivieras compilation album [third scan below].

The above lyrics are for original The Rivieras version. Bruce Springsteen performed CALIFORNIA SUN live a few times in his career. See his versions below.

List of available versions of CALIFORNIA SUN on this website:

• Live 23 Oct 1999 version
• Live 09 Nov 2007 version
• Original The Rivieras version