California Sun (Covered by The Hawkbirds)

Details

Description

The Hawkbirds covering the Ramones version of the track, “California Sun”

Background…

"California Sun" was originally recorded by Joe Jones in 1961. A few years later, in 1964, The Rivieras made the song popular with their version. With an upbeat, surf rock vibe, the song celebrated California's sunshine and carefree youth culture. In 1977, Ramones covered the song on their album "Leave Home," giving it a punk twist. Their version stripped away most of the surf rock elements, replacing them with rumbling bass, power chords, and a classic Ramones style with a raw, driving rhythm. The Ramones’ cover reflected their punk energy while paying homage to the early rock and surf music that influenced them. As they honored their roots, we do the same for the Ramones!

Original Version by Joe Jones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlU5PCBVHyI

Lyrics…

🎶 Well I'm going out west where I belong
Where the days are short and the nights are long

And I'll walk, And they'll walk
And I'll twist, And they'll twist
And I'll shimmy, And they'll shimmy
And I'll fly, And they'll fly

Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun

Well, I'm going out west out on the coast
Where the California girls are really the most

And I'll walk, And they'll walk
And I'll twist, And they'll twist
And I'll shimmy, And they'll shimmy
And I'll fly, And they'll fly

Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun

Well, the girls are frisky in old 'Frisco
A pretty little chick wherever you go

(Oh, oh whoa, oh whoa) And I'll walk, And they'll walk
And I'll twist, And they'll twist
And I'll shimmy, And they'll shimmy
And I'll fly, And they'll fly

Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun
Where we're out there having fun
In the warm California sun 🎶

From the shelf…

🧸🐇 Rose the Rabbit and Brown Bear love spending time together at the beach, basking in the sun and listening to California Sun on repeat. They totally dig the Ramones' version because it’s the perfect mix of old-school rock and raw punk. They love how the Ramones take a classic surf tune and crank it up with fast guitars and that unmistakable punk attitude. There’s no fluff… just pure, unfiltered energy. It’s the sound of freedom, rebellion, and summer sunshine all rolled into one! Whether they’re building sandcastles or just soaking up the salty air, it’s the perfect soundtrack to their carefree moments of summer. ☀️🏖️🧸🐇

Audio…

This song, was recorded on May 26, 2025, in our basement studio on 6 separate tracks, using a Zoom H6 audio interface, which was then mixed in GarageBand:
1. Vocals (Audix OM5 Hypercardioid Dynamic Microphones)
2. Guitar (Gibson Les Paul Studio)
3. Bass guitar (Ibanez miKro)
4. Bass drum (Ludwig Neusonic 22” Bass Drum)
5. Toms/snare (Ludwig 13" Tom, 16" Floor Tom, and 14” Snare)
6. Cymbals (Zildjian A Custom Cymbals)
*The drums were recorded using an overhead stereo pair of sE Electronics sE8 condenser microphones, complemented by an Audix D6 cardioid dynamic microphone for the kick drum.
To ensure a precise balance and bring out the nuances of each instrument, we relied on Sennheiser HD-660S2 headphones paired with an AudioEngine DAC3 amplifier during the mixing process. Given the small size of our studio and the inherent challenge of the drums' volume, we are continually working to achieve the best possible sound. We truly appreciate all of your feedback, which plays a crucial role in refining our work. Please keep the comments coming… every suggestion helps!

The band…

The Hawkbirds Family-
👩🏼 Sunflower Hawkbird - Lead vocals and bass guitar
👩🏻‍🦰 Mom Hawkbird - Guitar and back-up vocals
🧑🏻 Dad Hawkbird - Drums
🧸 Brown Bear - Audio Engineer

Thank you so much for watching our videos—we are deeply grateful for all the positivity and encouragement you've shared with us. Your support tells us that there is so much good in the world. Let’s continue this journey together, spreading kindness and empathy wherever we can! We feel truly honored to know each and every one of you, and we absolutely love you all!❤️👩🏻‍🦰👩🏼🧸🧑🏻❤️