Two Songs

The Mamas & The Papas-California dreamin von peakers

By Maria Dresler & Jessica Neumann

The Mamas & The Papas - California Dreamin’
All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray
I've been for a walk on a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm if I was in L.A.
California dreamin' on such a winter's day

Stopped in to a church I passed along the way
Well I got down on my knees and I pretend to pray
You know the preacher liked the cold
He knows I'm gonna stay
California dreamin' on such a winter's day

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray
I've been for a walk on a winter's day
If I didn't tell her I could leave today
California dreamin' on such a winter's day
California dreamin' on such a winter's day
California dreamin' on such a winter's day

California songs have become part of the world culture. There are numerous pop and rock songs about the Golden State, and this is definitely one of the most famous ones. ‘California Dreamin’ by American vocal group ‘The Mamas & The Papas’ was first released in 1965 and quickly peaked at number 4 in the US chart.

Band comprised of ‘Papas’ John Phillips and Denny Doherty, ‘Mamas’ Cass Elliot and Michelle Phillips recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971. They defined sunshine pop, a cheerful and upbeat subgenre of music characterized by warm sounds and prominent vocal harmonies. They played a big role in putting California on the musical map and were one of a few American bands which managed to tackle The British Invasion in the mid 1960’s.

The song was written in 1963 by the married couple John and Michelle Phillips, while they were living in New York, and was inspired by Michelle's home sickness for California. East Coast was struck by a string of cold and snowy winters at the time.

The deeply emotional song expresses the narrators beg for warm sunshine during a cold winter, and a desperate lust for freedom. California appears as a promised land of safety and optimism, where problem fade away and dreams come true. Lyrics induce lament and as well as hope, while representing the primal desire for a return to Eden.

Sunshine pop songs are meant to be fairly superficial and apolitical. Although, different attempts to find hidden meaning in “California Dreamin” were made. For example alluding Vietnam war as the cold wintertime, where the President was the preacher and young anti-war men conscripted to army “pretended to pray” out of duty.

“California Dreamin” is considered to be the unofficial anthem of the land of California. And have been covered by other artists multiple times since it has been composed.



L.A. International Airport – Susan Raye
Standing in that silent hall;
Waitin' for that final call
Says he doesn't love me anymore
Shakin' hands, I pack a bag;
Tremblin' voice, I call a cab
Slowly I start walkin' through the door;

The cab arrives, he blows his horn
I stumble out in the early morn'
Tell him of the place I've got to go
Hit a hundred signal lights; Peterbilts in a traffic fight
Gettin' to these doors has been so slow.

Chorus:
L.A. International Airport
Where the big jet engines roar
L.A. International Airport
I won't see him anymore.

Stewardess in a mini-skirt; Hippie in a leather shirt
Starlet on her way to Naples; Rome
While I'm wonderin' where it's at; I see a Paris diplomat
College kids are tryin' to get back home;
Baggage car goes quickly by; See my case and I start to cry
Stumble to the lounge to be alone
And while I'm tryin' to get some rest; I bite my lips and try my best
To fight the pain that's makin' me leave home.

Chorus

With Silver wings across the sky; Vapor trails that wave goodbye
To those below who've got to stay at home
I wish that I had flown at night; So I could take that Champagne flight
Rid myself of every tear I own;

Soaring high above the heavens; In a seven-forty-seven
Fighting back the tears that curse my eyes
Captain's voice so loud and clear; Amplifies into my ear
Assuring me I'm flying friendly skies.

Susan Raye recorded that song in 1971 in Bakersfield, California.  She was born and raised on Oregon. Raye began to sing very early in her life. It was a matter of time that she was discovered. In her case it was Buck Owens himself He was already a famous country musician from Bakersfield, California at that time. She soon moved to California herself to be closer to her mentor. The city Bakersfield became the place where she became famous. Buck Owens and Susan Raye sang many duets. Some of them are still well known and liked by people all over the world.

The song ‘L.A. International Airport is as the name already says it about the airport in Los Angeles. It has always been a big and busy airport and today it is the third largest airport in the United States. In the 1970’s the passenger flights experienced a boom. More and more airlines were established and flying became even more attractive for the people. It became easy to travel. And many people used the opportunity to fly to places they weren’t able to visit before that easily. Los Angeles was a very appealing destination, because firstly it is one of the biggest cities of the United States at that time and secondly of course it was and still is the city that holds and makes movie stars. The city that has the American dream living within it.

In the song that was written by Leanne Scott, is about a girl which explains that her boyfriend obviously broke up with her. Now she is on her way to the airport. She takes a taxi, which will take her to airport. Everyone on the streets, in their cars or trucks is apparently hectic or annoyed. Los Angeles is a city with a lot of traffic and people get annoyed easily by traffic jams or unobservant drivers. At the airport there are many stewardesses in their normal uniform, a short dress. She sees a hippie which is probably not unusual at that time. The anti-war movement was still at large. The clothing slowly had been integrated into the American society. So it became a style to dress like a hippie even when you were not actually anti-war. And then that girl in the song is in California and the hippie movement took place mainly in California. The hippie-mekka was San Francisco, also a big city of California and very attractive for tourists.

Then there is also a so called Starlet at the airport. A star in Los Angeles at the airport is also not unusual. In a city with that many famous personalities you can almost count on seeing one at a place like this. The girl assumes she is going to Italy to some of the fashion metropolises where she can be seen and spend some of her money.

Overall you can say that the airport of Los Angeles is a place where all different kinds of people come together. California is like a magnet for people no matter what their attitude is. They believe that in California they can life it or even perfect it. Flying back at home then is for a lot of people a relief when their dreams of or whatever reason they came for didn’t work out. So the airport is the gate to your dreams or away from them, either way you have to through them, sad or happy.

"Lost in Hollywood"

System of a down-Lost in Hollywood - MyVideo

By Jenny Schulz & Julia Wallor

The song “Lost in Hollywood”, by System of a Down, is obviously negative concerning to Californias “dreamfactory” Hollywood. It is written in a kind of letter from a person whose friend went to Hollywood to become a big star.

“I´ll wait here 
You´re crazy”

The writer of the letter tells his friend that he is waiting back home while his friend goes to Hollywood. He also says that he thinks his friend is crazy to try something that so many people tried before and failed.

“Those vicious streets are filled with strays,
You should have never gone to Hollywood.”

This line is supposed to show how hard the life in Hollywood and its “vicious” is and that one ends with the “strays” when the big dream of becoming famous does not come true. “You should have never gone to Hollywood” obviously means that the risk to fail is much bigger compared to the chance of succeeding and that one should therefore not try to become big in Hollywood and rather stay home.

“They find you,
To time you,
Say you´re the best they've ever seen,
You should have never trusted Hollywood.”

Many people are told they had potential and could become a star and should therefore sign contracts with this or that manager or agency, but in the end they are dropped as soon as they do not bring enough profit anymore.

“I wrote you,
And told you,
You were the biggest fish out here,
You should have never gone to Hollywood.”

The writer tries to convince his friend to come back because although he is a “big fish” in what he is doing at home it is not enough to become big with in a place like Hollywood. That is what most people who go there do not realize at first but will learn in a hard way afterwards.

“They take you,
And make you,
They look at you in disgusting ways,
You should have never trusted Hollywood.”

Stars are usually not treated as human beings anymore but as public objects. They are “money machines” for their agencies and their life’s are not worthy for more than public entertainment which is here showed through “They look at you in disgusting ways”.

“I was standing on the wall,
Feeling ten feet tall,
All you maggots smoking fags on Santa Monica Boulevard”

This line tells a story apart from what was told before. In his childhood Darian Malakian (ex-guitarist from SOAD) and his friends could see the streets of Hollywood from a high wall. What they saw were all the people who failed in Hollywood and then became drug dealers, prostitutes or other criminals. “All you Mggots smoking faggots” is repeated many times in this song which emphasizes the amount of people who fail compared to those whose dreams really come true.

“Phoney people come to pay,
Look at all of them back to stay,
Phoney people come to pray.”

Finally the song says that Hollywood is some kind of a “centre of attraction” for phoney people who are drawn to Hollywood and stay there no matter if they come to “pay” or to succeed.

All in all one can conclude that Hollywood is a place that promises the fulfillment of dreams that are out of any reality and that it can and already has ruined the life of many people who thought they could become big stars but are just as ordinary people as everybody else.

Californication – Red Hot Chili Peppers

By Dagmar Düring & Gina Skierlo

Released in 2000 on the same-titled album, Californication was one of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' greatest hits and, in writer Anthony Kiedis' opinion, the best lyrics he had ever written. The text of the song mainly deals with the dark side of California's golden image and in particular with the superficial lifestyle of Hollywood's society. Within this project, we will examine and interpret the most striking ideas of the Californian and Hollywood lifestyle conveyed in the Red Hot Chili Peppers' song.

As far as the subject is concerned, the lyrics can be divided into three parts: The first one, ending with the first chorus, deals with the idea of fame and glory in Hollywood. The second one, ending with the next chorus, is about Hollywood life and its creations. The last part begins with “Destructions” which explains what it is about: the dark side of reaching for fame. Structuring the song this way exposes the path people in Hollywood are going on.

Hollywood, as part of Los Angeles and, in a larger sense, as part of California, represents the possibility of fulfilling the American, or even more concrete, the Californian Dream. It is the main destination for people who want to improve their lives and achieve success: “And if you want these kind of dreams / It's Californication” (ll. 5-6). The term “Californication” itself is repeated at the end of almost every verse and overall in the chorus which indicates its importance for transmitting the song's message. “Californication” refers to California producing its own image and spreading it to the world. This golden image of unlimited possibilities excites the whole world and sets it into euphoria – which mainly covers the definition of the term. Even though everyone is aware of the dark side of fame and of the fact that going to LA does not necessarily mean becoming famous, people are still attracted and still try their luck.

The desire of being famous becomes obvious in lines 3-4 where it says: “Little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotations”. People come from all over the world, dreaming of becoming a movie star. But the cruel reality soon catches up. A lot of those trying finally fail and in order to not have to return home without achieving anything, they end up shooting pornographic movies which is alluded in mentioning “girls from Sweden”. This idea is made even more obvious in the chorus where it says “First born unicorn / Hard core soft porn”. The “unicorn” refers to a fairy tale a lot of people dream of. The next line portrays a stark contrast to the fairy tale idea and indicates the two extremes in Hollywood life and the reality people have to face. Since this contrast is being repeated with the chorus, the centrality of this idea is underlined.

The second verse deals with the geographical position of Hollywood as it is located at the western “edge of the world” (l. 7). Also, it symbolizes our western civilization even though
taking it to extremes (l. 8). The next two lines refer to the fact that the sun rises in the East but setting in the West – where Hollywood is located. The play of words “settle” instead of “set” alludes to the shining and glory image of Hollywood.

Nowhere the notion of western culture is as centralized as here. Nowhere being famous seems to be as reachable as in Southern California's Dream Factory. The Red Hot Chili Peppers paraphrase this vision by saying "And buy me a star on the boulevard / It's Californication." (ll. 25-26) referring to the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard.

Since this industry is very superficial, success is closely related to appearance. The line “Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging” (ll. 13-14) refers to this plastic and unrealistic image that Hollywood sells to the world. People are obsessed with looking perfect and accomplishing the forever-young-image. It becomes more and more popular to be more than just perfect but to represent some kind of art through plastic surgery.

In the sixth verse the Red Hot Chilli Peppers want to call our attention to the difference between what space really is and what Hollywood made us think space is, whether our imagination of it is real or just fiction evoked by Hollywood. Thus, the first two lines in this verse “Space my be the final frontier / But it's made in a Hollywood basement” might allude to Star Trek's fifth feature called The Final Frontier and, in this relation, that nothing in our minds is really protected from Hollywood's influence, not even our imagination of the universe which is, through Star Trek and others, highly controlled by films and TV series. This hypothesis of influenced and controlled imagination is strengthened in line 31 in which “Alderaan” refers to a planet in the fictional universe of Star Wars which was destroyed by the Empire. Therefore, this might be an allusion to that the world, its values and concepts, are being destroyed by Hollywood. Besides, the hint to Kurt Cobain in lines 29 and 30 might also refer to that “space”, as Cobain's band is called Nirvana which is a word originally from the Buddhists belief, where it stands for something similar to our heaven. And since most of us imagine heaven as kind of space, it fits perfectly into this verse. These hints from The Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Star Trek and Star Wars as Hollywoods very successful products and the hint to the Nirvana really want us to be aware of the fact that Hollywood with its influence and power is endless and that there are no frontiers for it, not even space, because our imagination of space is also produced in the Dream Factory.

Beginning the last part of the song with “Destruction leads to a very rough road / But it also breeds creation / And earthquakes are to a girl’s guitar / They are just another good vibration / And tidal waves couldn’t save the world / From Californication” (ll. 36 – 41), the composers allude to the ups and downs people have to endure on their “rough road” to being famous. In this business, setbacks are the order of every day. But instead of giving up, downs can be inspirational which is suggested in the second line of this verse. “Earthquakes” as well as “tidal waves” convey an ambiguous meaning. On the one hand, these apply to the setbacks mentioned before, on the other hand, they refer to the geographical circumstances. California is well-known for its natural catastrophes such as those mentioned in the lyrics. In both ways, “earthquakes” and “tidal waves” are seen as possible sources of inspiration. Moreover, as “Californication” is named, the last sentence again alludes to the euphoria, California evokes in people's minds all over the world even though they know that it is prone to natural disasters since the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate collide in this area.

The euphoria which is evoked by many people can also be seen in other contexts and lines of the song. For instance the phrase “Getting high on information” (l. 24) indicates the euphoria of people to watch the celebrity news and gossips in the media. Almost always their prime aim is to see all that misery and sorrow and to watch the rise and fall of the stars. They gloat over others harm and enjoy seeing the rapid descent of famous people. Therefore it can be assumed, that almost everyone knows how fast one can fall back from celebrity to nobody but even though everyone knows it, they still do not give up trying to have luck in the Dream Factory Hollywood. This is exactly the contrast that characterizes California: On the one hand knowing all those tragic failures and stories of broken dreams and on the other side still thinking that YOU are the one who will be able to achieve success because YOU are the one who is better than the rest.

In the end of the song, the Red Hot Chili Peppers repeat the verse concerning plastic surgery adding “Sicker than the rest” (l. 44). This could be a link to medical and especially psychological consequences, such as burn-out, fame can entail. “But this is what you're craving” (l. 46) now examines that people take this risk in order to be in the spotlight.

Throughout the whole text, the writers make use of irony as the main stylistic device. They tell the story of California being the glory of the world in a very sarcastic way. Here, we can see that the song is meant to be subliminally accusing and tries to evoke rethinking of Hollywood's shining image. It is the quick shift from rise to fall what the Red Hot Chilli Peppers want us to be aware of because that kind of thinking is not provoked by California, it is provoked by Californication.

01 Psychic spies from China

   Try to steal your mind's elation

   Little girls from Sweden

   Dream of silver screen quotations

05 And if you want these kind of dreams

   It's Californication

   It's the edge of the world

   And all of western civilization

   The sun may rise in the East

10 At least it settles in the final location

   It's understood that Hollywood

   sells Californication

   Pay your surgeon very well

   To break the spell of aging

15 Celebrity skin is this your chin 

   Or is that war your waging

   [Chorus:]

   First born unicorn

   Hard core soft porn

   Dream of Californication

20 Dream of Californication

   Marry me girl be my fairy to the world 

   Be my very own constellation

   A teenage bride with a baby inside 

   Getting high on information

25 And buy me a star on the boulevard

   It's Californication

   Space may be the final frontier

   But it's made in a Hollywood basement 

   Cobain can you hear the spheres

30 Singing songs off station to station 

   And Alderaan's not far away

   It's Californication

   

   Born and raised by those who praise

   Control of population 

   Everybody's been there 

35 And I don't mean on vacation

   [Chorus]

   Destruction leads to a very rough road

   But it also breeds creation

   And earthquakes are to a girl's guitar 

   They're just another good vibration

40 And tidal waves couldn't save the world 

   From Californication

   Pay your surgeon very well 

   To break the spell of aging 

   Sicker than the rest

45 There is no test

   But this is what you're craving

   [Chorus]

California: A Beacon Of Innovation

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The creation of Californian self-images is firstly often attributed to the Industry. Hollywood is one of the expressions of Californian creativity, yet another iconic symbol of the inventiveness of California is Silicon Valley.

From this mythical place, knowledge is dismissed all around the globe. It was in California, that the vehicles of knowledge production and knowledge transportation were developed. This knowledge is, from an utilitarian perspective, ‘useful’ and exploitable knowledge: it’s technology.

Silicon Valley modifies our every-day life by these outcomes of Californian knowledge production. Google, Amazon, Apple etc. are to a large extent responsible for the diffusion of knowledge. But there is more inside: it's more than the invention of the internet. California created the vehicles for the access to knowledge and for the creation of new knowledge.

Silicon Valley has spread its own image by the help of its own basis: after its own technical implementation of ideas and by creating its own new media.

The internet projects not only the self-representation of Silicon Valley, but the communication itself comes into being by the help of different Californian products such as the PC, the I-Phone etc. At the same time, it hands over as well the Hollywood self-image to the world.

The Hollywood narrative on Silicon Valley as depicted in the film excerpt has been influenced (and to a certain extent even has been made possible) by its own subject. These self-reflecting aspects re-

represent the creation of self-representational images. While the importance of the innovativeness of Silicon Valley is illustrated by its outcomes such as the personal computer, different programming languages, hardware products such as the mouse, various kinds of periphery, Tcp/IP (developed at Stanford in cooperation with London out of the development of the Ethernet developed by Xerox) the film focuses only on the development of the Personal Computer.

But today, more than 2000 different firms have their Headquarter or a dependency in Silicon Valley. Economically, Silicon Valley is the most important place in the world for the computer industry. This billion dollar industry has had and will again have its ups and downs, dropping bubbles (internet bubble in the 2000’s) or the social network bubble (still intact) – but these are just tips of the creative iceberg. Maybe, it’s this overwhelming density of this knowledge based economic power (just think of what knowledge can do in the hands of those who held power) that represents best the counterpart of the ‘cool’ Tech’ branch – what the film is not about. It re-creates the idea of guru like Steve Jobs, the ‘discovery’ of the PC and the cleverness of a happy few.

It is in the self-reflecting medium of communication (e.g. thinking of re-editing of Encyclopedia entry on Silicon Valley by people from different perspectives and with different interests) that we do communicate here.

This meta-narrative leads to concluding meta-analysis: California has not only literature or the Industry for the creation of its own self-representations and Silicon Valley is not only a mythical place re-represented by the film industry and re-iterating its owns splendor and mythical value.

Silicon Valley creates and generates its own and our future by its knowledge production and the world- wide spread of its technical outcomes and products. In this perspective, our own knowledge production itself is influenced by California. And even further, California influences the way we perceive ourselves - thinking of shaping our own virtual identities and avatars just as illustrated by this blog.

Mel Tillis' "Ain't No California"

By Maëve Jacquet & Valentina Borodina

Well I live my life on highways, from sea to shining sea
So listen to my story, save yourself some agony
Forget that urge to wander, like a shadow on the ground
Find yourself a woman, get a job and settle down

Cause there ain't no California, where the water tastes like wine
Ain't no Big Rock Candy Mountain, where you feel good all the time
I ain't found that old blue bayou, thou I roamed my whole life long
Searching for my blue heaven, heard somewhere it's called home

So don't you listen to those freight trains, let them scream into the night
Don't watch those greyhound buses, semi-trucks and airplane lines
Let someone else be lonely, let someone else be cold
Let someone else make sure those lies and stories all get told

Cause there ain't no California, where the water tastes like wine
Ain't no Big Rock Candy Mountain, where you feel good all the time
I ain't found that old blue bayou, thou I roamed my whole life long
Searching for my blue heaven, heard somewhere it's called home

Cause there ain't no California, where the water tastes like wine
Ain't no Big Rock Candy Mountain, where you feel good all the time
I ain't found that old blue bayou, thou I roamed my whole life long
Searching for my blue heaven, heard somewhere it's called home

We decided to do our project on Mel Tillis’ song Ain’t No California because it shows California in unusual, unpopular way. Unlike the ballads about California being practically heaven on Earth Ain’t No California expresses disappointment although it is sang in a cheerful way.

Mel Tillis or Lonnie Melvin Tillis was born on August 8, 1932 in Dover, Florida. After enduring malaria as a child, he developed a stutter. It did not stop him from wanting to be a musician, he learned the drums and guitar. When he was a young man, he formed a band called The Westerners which performed at local nightclubs. His carrier started around 1957 with the hits such as I’m Tired, The Violet and a Rose, Sawmill. He became quite famous in the 70’s with songs I Ain’t Never, Good Woman Blues and Heart Breaker. Ain’t No California is the second single from his album I Believe in You released in 1978. Mel Tillis has awards such as Entertainer of the Year and Comedian of the Year for 6 years in the 70’s and many more.

Today Mel Tillis is an old man but he is still remembered. On February 13, 2012 he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by Barack Obama for contributing to country music. His daughter, Pam Tillis, is also a successful country music singer.

The style of his music is more honest than modern popular culture. It tends to show the life of a person “like you and me”. With this song Mel Tillis breaks all our dreams or at least tries to lower our expectations. The idea 5 out of 10 have is to leave everything for a good old road trip in California. It seems like the solution to our need of freedom is to leave, get a backpack and see the world: California. But with a few statements the singer manages to remind us all that it’s not that green outside, all that glitters is far from being gold. The songs starts with some advices, clearly telling us to keep our feets far from that ground we’ve been dying to fool since we are able to understand what the City of Angels is and since we started to be mesmerized by its legends. Mel Tillis explains to us he’s a man of experience, he dealt with so difficult situations that’s why we should listen to his message, to «save ourselves some agony», instead of following «that urge to wander». The last sentence of the first paragraph is the moto of each disappointed adventurer «Find yourself a woman, get a job and settle down».

The next paragraph is repeated 3 times in the song it’s the chorus and as joyful as it sounds, it starts with this statement «there ain’t no California», the rest emphasizes that what we’ve heard or believed so far is not true. What makes us think California is the place to be might be a huge lie, Mel wants us to think twice. This urge to go to California where everything shines brighter is the wish of the youth willing to find what can supposedly not be found here. It’s like a perpetual gold rush: Beauty and Fame, Money or Glory.

But as the singer says, what we are looking for, this «blue heaven» might be just in front of us, it might be home.

Surfing Mavericks

By Lisa Ruhnow & Alexandra Krumrei

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. The sky and the sea are blue, the sun is shining in the moony place called Pillar Point Harbor. But appearances are deceiving. Here, only about 25 miles south of San Francisco, one of the world most famous waves is located. Big wave surfers from all over the world come to ride the Maverick wave, which has an average altitude of 25 feet (8m) and a top crest at over 80 feet (24m) during the winter time. The form of the Mavericks, which makes them special is determined by the unique sea floor and the cliffs crossing the bay.

Already The Beach Boys sang in their popular song “Surfing USA“ about the lifestyle of surfing that developed in the 1950s. Surfing became a sport for the populace. But only a few people tried to dare the impossible. At Waimea Bay, Hawaii, they formed a new extreme – the big wave surfing. Standing in front of these masses of water, as high as multistory buildings, one cannot image why someone would paddle out there voluntary. Probably, for most of the people it will stay a mystery, except they grab a board and go out there themselves. It is just an awesome feeling making your way all through the fractious waves and finally reaching the line-up. This relaxing moment while waiting for the perfect wave makes the fascination because of knowing that most likely a few seconds later you will paddle for your life just to get a great start and with a jump you will ride that wave to it's whole extent. That is what lets you be passionate about it. Experiencing this with surfing average waves, what great of a feeling it must be to surf on big waves, like the Maverick. I assume the fascination, the fun and the passionate feeling of addiction must at least double, if not triple. It is so overwhelming that not only surfer enjoy riding these giants but also many spectators are attracted. So every year in Winter they have the Mavericks Surf Contest, where only the 24 greatest surfers of the world are invited to. Only by watching these professionals you can actually feel the adrenalin rushes yourself. That is exactly what led to a bad end for many surfers. The pressure of always wanting more is very treacherous and lets people forget about the power of nature. Not only these enormous masses of water that can push you under the surface for a couple of minutes, but also the hard sea floor is very dangerous – not to mention the cliffs in the bay which make hazardous obstacles for the smashing waves. Adding the cold of the water, all this offers a perilous combination which at least two surfers were subjects to. It was on December 23, 1994, when Mark Foo, a Hawaiian big wave surfer, came together with friends to Pillar Point Harbor. The big event ended quite fast, when Mark Foo was caught by the edge of his surfboard and tangled in his leash. Another example would be Sion Milosky. Although time has changed and technics developed, the experienced surfer drowned on March 16, 2011 after a two-wave hold. A next thing you have to keep in mind besides waves and cliffs are sharks. Bethany Hamilton was attacked by a shark on October 31, 2003, at the age of 13. She was laying on her surfboard with her left arm dangling in the water, when a 14 feet tiger shark attacked her. Her left arm was severed just below the shoulder.

As you can see here and in the short film the philosophy of surfing lets people underestimate the power of nature and do dangerous ventures. It happens quite often that surfers drop into their own surfing world and forget because of adrenaline that surfing is dangerous. Nothing else would matter to them besides surfing and chasing the best waves, like Bethany Hamilton, who was surfing again three weeks after her accident. So they forget to have an eye on the real life. Considering this in a brighter context, it mirrors exactly the dual nature of California. The ambivalent nature, that gives you perfect conditions for surfing on the one hand but is always almost about to kill you on the other hand. It is the same thing like the beautiful landscape and the terrible earthquakes or the promising Hollywood glamor with all its stars and super rich people and the many lost ones that tried hard but will never make it. So the Californian surfing is just another example for California's superficial brightness. But never forget to take a deeper glance...

California Gurls

California Gurls (feat... von Katy Perry...
© Katy Perry featuring Sno...-Videos bei Clipfish

By Ricarda Schmiede & Linda Mohaupt

Born in Santa Barbara, California, the singer and songwriter Katy Perry contributed with her song California Gurls to the unbroken myth of California. However, the lyrics as well as the music video leave the audience with a little smile on their face over-emphasizing California as the dreamland.

Perry characterizes the stereotypical Californian girls as 'undeniable fine, fresh, fierce, [...] toned, tanned, fit, and ready' and 'west-coast represent'. They are 'unforgettable' with 'sun-kissed skin, so hot'. The phrase 'These are the girls I love the most' even seems to lift them up to the most desirable creatures on the planet.

According to the song California is 'a place where the grass is really greener' and it offers the assumption that 'there must be somethin’ in the water', implying that it is naturally outstanding. Moreover, the song defines California as a state where 'summertime is everyday'. In the end the lyrics create the impression that California is inhabited only by pretty girls and that it is just a fun place where people spend their lives in an endless vacation 'sippin' gin and juice', 'layin' underneath the palm trees' and have 'sex on the beach'.

California Gurls thus becomes one of manifold pieces of popular culture that depict California as a lush place that's naturally sexier and more fun than anywhere else in the world. But not only does it seem to advertise and uphold the everlasting, glowing Californian promise, it also makes the listener feel invited by claiming: "Once you party with us you'll be falling in love" as if California (and its 'gurls') were already waiting for the implied listener to come and join them. Thus, the song characterizes California as a naturally magnificent place full of gorgeous, open-minded, happy people who bid whoever wants to come welcome, in short: as paradise.

This notion is taken to extremes in the California Gurls music video which depicts California as a gigantic candy store named 'Candyfornia' in a rather childlike (but at the same time highly sexualized) manner. This can be read critically as a hint towards the mainly hedonistic opportunities that people so naively (i.e. without any awareness of or interest in the great dangers inherent in both California's natural condition and its lifestyle) strive for when heading towards California. In that setting, the plot is being depicted as a board game within which Snoop Dogg embodies a stereotypical sugardaddy-gambler who holds the dice and makes the California Gurls his tokens. This could on the one hand be interpreted as referencing the tradition of gambling dating back in Californian cultural history to the California Gold Rush and persisting ( in varied forms, of course) to the present day. On the other hand it's worth paying attention to what happens in the course of the game: the Katy Perry - token has to fullfill the task of releasing the 'Queens of Candyfornia' who she finds trapped along the way. On that route she has to face and master some severe challenges, such as having to traverse a sinister - looking gorge on a candy cane. Another scene shows Perry trying to climb to the sky. In the process of choosing a candy cane to hold on to most of them turn out to be snakes. Can this be read as a rather bashful hint at the hidden dangers, the dark side of the Candystore California appears to be but isn't? Probably. But just like in California's public perception this notion gets quickly wiped away: Candy - Perry overcomes all troubles and ends up proning naked on a pink cotton candy cloud, smiling her Californian toothpaste grin, flirting with the camera (resp. the viewer) as she praises California and its 'gurls', not being concerned with anything but their "daisy dukes" and "bikinis on top" anymore. After all, the Candyfornia Queens emancipate from the sugardaddy and the rules of his game and end up having fun, looking lush and happy on the beach. Thus, the video seems to fail at - if intended - making the viewer aware of the flipside of the shiny, glittering facade of the concept of California as being promoted widely. If criticism is implied, it is immediately enfeebled by distracting the viewer through its spectacular images and catchy tune. In a way one could argue, though, that this again works analogous to the widespread (maybe even deliberate) denial of the dark aspects of the Californian dreamland - such as the often experienced cruel denial of its promise, the partly inhumane parts of its history or its natural desasters.

After all, one could conclude that Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg's California Gurls affiliates itself to the tradition of advertising the utopia of California and its lifestyle (as indicated by the framing Beach Boys quotes) but, especially the video, can also be interpreted, if looked at very closely, as cultural criticism in so far as it does point at problematic cultural phenomena such as gambling, cautiously hints at the misleading Californian promise and at the same time demonstrates how easily, broadly and willingly this all is being ignored.