"California Man" The Move

"California Man" is a 1972 rock and roll California song by British rock group The Move from Birmingham, England.

A top-10 single in the UK, "California Man" was the last hit record released by The Move before band member Jeff Lynne transitioned the group into the phenomenally successful Electric Light Orchestra, or ELO.

A few years later, Cheap Trick would record a remake of "California Man", which enjoyed Billboard chart success in America and is considered a classic rock and roll song.

Composed by songwriter Roy Wood, "California Man" embodies the nostalgic vibe popular in the early 1970s, with musical nods to 1950s rock music pioneers Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Co-produced by Jeff Lynne, the high-energy song foreshadows a sound which would later be successfully repeated in several ELO hits produced by Lynne.

One of the most knee-slapping songs about California, "California Man" is an unofficial anthem of California Dudes far and wide, which we can all thank Jeff Lynne and The Move for.

The Move California Man