California Man (song)

Infobox Single
Name = California Man


Artist = The Move
from Album = Message From the Country
B-side = "Do Ya", "Ella James"
Released = May 1972
Format = 7"
Recorded = 1971 Philips Studios
Genre = Classic rock, Rock'n'Roll
Length = 3:37
Label = Harvest Records
Writer = Roy Wood
Producer = Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne
Certification =
Last single = "Chinatown" (1971)
This single = California Man (1972)
Next single = "Do Ya" (1972)

California Man is a song by The Move.

Released in 1972 as a maxi single with "Do Ya" and "Ella James", this was The Move's swan song exit, as the Electric Light Orchestra had already been launched with the first ELO single 10538 Overture released only a month after this track. The song is high energy rock 'n' roll with tributes to Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Larry Williams and even George Gershwin; with Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood trading verses. The single reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart.

In the U.S. the song was released with Lynne's "Do Ya" as the b-side on United Artists. However the B-side proved more popular and became The Move's only U.S. charting single.

Only Wood, Lynne and drummer Bev Bevan appear on the recording. The picture sleeve opposite has an older picture of The Move, including bassist Rick Price, who was no longer a member of the group by then.

The song was later covered by Cheap Trick and Jim Davidson.

Link

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNClsvgv2V0 TV Performance 1972] You tube