Possibly very obvious Song I.D.: "California" / Soul / Female Singer...

This was one of those where the song was playing over a soundsystem in a shop, faintly, so I was kind of struggling to make anything out, cocking an ear to the speaker in the ceiling. Maybe this is a really easy one and my Google skills are shit, but here goes:

60s/70s sounding, soul and/or folk-ish. Female singer, who I think repeated the phrase "I'm going to California" (hence Zep-y search difficulties). I believe she used the word "bronze" as well, in the verse.

That's all I've got.

Is it the Joni Mitchell song California? I believe she's the lady with flowers in her hair that Ver Zep were going to find..

Sitting in a park in paris, france
Reading the news and it sure looks bad
They wont give peace a chance
That was just a dream some of us had
Still a lot of lands to see
But I wouldnt want to stay here
Its too old and cold and settled in its ways here
Oh, but california
California Im coming home
Im going to see the folks I dig
Ill even kiss a sunset pig
California Im coming home

I met a redneck on a grecian isle
Who did the goat dance very well
He gave me back my smile
But he kept my camera to sell
Oh the rogue, the red red rogue
He cooked good omelettes and stews
And I might have stayed on with him there
But my heart cried out for you, california
Oh california Im coming home
Oh make me feel good rockn roll band
Im your biggest fan
California, Im coming home

Chorus:

Oh it gets so lonely
When youre walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
Just gives you the blues
Just gives you the blues

So I bought me a ticket
I caught a plane to spain
Went to a party down a red dirt road
There were lots of pretty people there
Reading rolling stone, reading vogue
They said, how long can you hang around?
I said a week, maybe two,
Just until my skin turns brown
Then Im going home to california
California Im coming home
Oh will you take me as I am
Strung out on another man
California Im coming home

Chorus:

Oh it gets so lonely
When youre walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
More about the war
And the bloody changes
Oh will you take me as l am?
Will you take me as l am?
Will you?

fantastic song

Nope - much more soul-sounding than that one. I could be totally off with the "folk-y" thing.

marlena shaw - california soul??

Not that one either... but it does sound pretty great from the 30 second iTunes sample...

Joni Mitchell - California is amazing, love that track.

Could anyone help me out with a California-themed bluesey/70s folky rock with synthesizers ID?
my recording is great so i can't figure all the lyrics and some of my guesses are laughable
here are the lyrics

(Begins with ocean sounds)

Took off in San Francisco
hitching up 101
ended up on a flatbed (chanting?)
(thinking?) at the setting sun
slept all night in the (cola?)
thought i'd nearly freeze alive
cause all i had was a US blanket (from?) 1945

on the california coastline
trying to have myself a good time
on the california coastline
trying to have myself a good time

(got loose from jail?) in three days
(shoulda been locked my face?)
think i'll head out for Utah
(???) the human race
and if i live to be 100
ain't never goin back again
couldn't think of a colder place to visit on
easier place to sin

on the california coastline
trying to have myself a good time
on the california coastline
trying to have myself a good time

(???) to nowhere
somewhere west of everybody else
(???) to nowhere
somewhere west of everybody else
(???) to nowhere
somewhere west of everybody else

on the california coastline
trying to have myself a good time
on the california coastline
trying to have myself a good time
(repeated out)

Googling "california coastline" turns up Mannfred Mann, though I can't find any lyrics for the song...

is it this?

its manfred mann's earth band from their s/t in 1972, thanks

Alas, none of these is the right song - but I did pick up that great Marlena Shaw tune, so there's a silver lining here...

Maybe I'll go hang out for a couple of hours in the TK Maxx in Hammersmith, where I heard the original one, and hope they've got some instore mix that plays on a loop...

Jackpot! Found it! It's a jazzy cover of a John Lee Hooker song from 1960 called "Going to California" by Irene Kral. It's more torch-y than I remembered it, but it does have a vaguely folk feel, with some bouncy brass. iTunes has it on a couple of comps. Along with the other stuff you guys dug up in this thread, I have a nice little mini-mix happening... thanks!

What's the Sunset Pig?

These Italians seem to think she's using hippie slang to refer to a cop. I had always imagined it to be a landmark of some sort.

Not that I think Joni's above using hippie slang or anything. But it's a mysterious, evocative image. I was picturing something like a Bob's Big Boy sign. Could also be a breakfast combo at Denny's. See what happens when I post before breakfast?

Like a "breakfast for dinner" kinda meal.

I'm pretty sure Joni's speaker's referring to a cop (and probably alluding to the Sunset Strip riots of 1966); the idea being that the speaker's homesickness would make even her political antagonists seem lovable.

Isn't it "sunset peak"?

Would've guessed the song at the top was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mJ06GiGl1Y