Riding along this dirty old road thinking of what used to be
Left-behinds, also-rans, and folks I never got to see
I'm not bothering anyone, no one is bothering me
Had a lot of friends, had a lot of times
But I had to break free

California - you and me we changed so fast I knew I had to leave
California - but you linger in my heart and in my dreams

Back when I was a younger boy I had a lot of changes there
Shabby clothes, worn out shoes, innosense and tarny hair
I was not their native son, but I didn't really care
Suppose the people who befriended me ever wondered how I fared

California - yeah you and me we changed so fast I knew I had to leave
California - but you will always be a part of me

And it was hard thinking of where I wanted to go
Leaving behind all the people and places that I loved so
I knew in time they just become a figment, a memory
Walking away is never easy as we tell ourselves it should be

All the years that have past away are gone like a whisper in time
Memories fade, new friends are made a little further along the line
I'm not looking backwards, there ain't nothing for me to find
Who knows one day I might be back when I finally begun to mind

California - oh you and me we changed so fast I knew I had to leave
California - but you will always be a part of me
You're here in my heart and in my dreams
You will always be a part of me in my dreams