California Love 2018
Greetings from California! If you know Knockaround then you know we've got nothing but love for our home state…as do a lot of artists and musicians. It was no problem putting together a Knockmix that paid homage to this great state. So, if Monday’s making it tough to get going—it’s all good (from Diego to The Bay), take a quick break and check out the latest Knockmix.
2Pac, Dr. Dre with "California Love"
This is a great song… but the video? Ridiculous. It’s kind of like a Mad Max meets Burning Man meets the future meets the past. Nevertheless, it’s hard to find a song that shows more love to the 31st state.
The Mamas & The Papas with "California Dreamin’"
Southern California was unusually cold this past Winter… but it’s like they say about pizza: even bad pizza is good pizza. Even “cold” in SoCal is warm just about everywhere else. That’s a reminder to everyone living south of Santa Barbara during the Winter months. Even when it’s cold, It ain’t that cold.
Eagles with "Hotel California"
Of course we had to include it. They say this song isn’t about California at all, it’s about cocaine addiction. Nevertheless, the album cover is quintessential CA (palm trees and sunsets) and the dueling guitars at 5:40 just feel like the Golden State.
Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg with "California Gurls"
To be fair, there might be a few California songs that are “better” than this one… but we’ll always have a soft spot for any tracks that include Snoop Dogg. After all, he was the first celebrity to ever rock a pair of Knockarounds.
The Band of Heathens with "Green Grass of California"
“The Band of Heathens toke and twang their way through ‘Green Grass of California,’ the new video for which offers up three minutes of smoke, smiles and sun-baked country-rock.” -Rolling Stone, March 16, 2017. BTW, it’s legal here.
The Notorious B.I.G. with "Going Back to Cali"
We learned a few things from this song: 1. Biggie had a tough time waking up for cross-country flights and 2. “Cali, great place to visit.”
Hole with "Malibu"
Someone at Knockaround HQ recently referred to Kurt Cobain as “Kurt Propane”. That got us thinking about his wife, Courtney Love, and her band, Hole. Malibu was their biggest hit.
The Beach Boys with "Surfin’ USA"
On a list of California songs you might think we’d go with the classic Beach Boys hit California Girls. Nah, too easy. Instead we opted for Surfin’ USA, which calls out about 20 Cali towns (including La Jolla, where Knockaround was started.)
The Rivieras with "California Sun"
This old track kind of sums up the Knockaround business model.
Phantom Planet with "California"
Sure, this song makes you think of that show, The OC. But strip away that extra mental baggage and you’ll start to feel the passion that these guys feel about Knockaround’s home, California.
BONUS: Billy Joel with "You’re My Home"
California is Knockaround’s home. However, Billy Joel makes a good point in his (most underrated) song: home isn’t really a place, it’s a feeling. The ones we love give us that feeling no matter where we are. Cherish those people, and let them know you love them. Alright, enough of the sappy stuff, start the playlist over and crank up the 2pac.
