I love you, California, you're the greatest state of all.
I love you in the winter, summer, spring, and in the fall.
I love your fertile valleys; your dear mountains I adore.
I love your grand old ocean and I love her rugged shore.
Where the snow crowned Golden Sierras keep their
watch o'er the valleys bloom,
It is there I would be in our land by the sea,
Ev'ry breeze bearing rich perfume,
It is here nature gives her rarest.
It is Home Sweet Home to Me,
and I know when I die I shall breath my last sigh
For my sunny California.
I love your redwood forests - love your fields of yellow grain.
I love your summer breezes and I love your winter rain.
I love you, land of flowers; land of honey, fruit and wine.
I love you, California; you have won this heart of mine.
I love your old gray Missions, love your vineyards
stretching far.
I love you, California, with your Golden Gate a jar.
I love your purple sunsets, love your skies of azure blue.
I love you California; I just cant help loving you.
I love you, Catalina, you are very dear to me.
I love you, Tamalpais, and I love Yosemite.
I love you, Land of Sun-shine, Half your beauties are untold.
I loved you in my childhood, and I'll love you when I'm old.
"I Love You, California," became the official state song in
1988. It had been used as early as 1915 at expositions held
in San Francisco and San Diego. The song also was played
on the first ship to go through the Panama Canal. The lyrics
were written by F.B. Silverwood, a Los Angeles merchant
and put to music by a conductor for the Los Angeles
Symphony Orchestra, Alfred Frankenstein. (That's a name
we can remember - if we're going to be tested on this) A
resolution designating it as California's state song, passed
in the State Legislature in 1951. Following that - attempts
were made to make other songs the official song, i.e.
"California, Here I come." But "I Love You California,"
became the official state song by law.