Tuesday, September 6, 2011

A California State of Mind

New Insight to the song "Gone to California" and the California Dream

The California Dream depicted in Pink's song "Gone to California" elucidates on more than just the notion of escaping to California for ultimately a better life. The speaker in the song shows the struggle towards a new life and expecting stardom, fame, and happiness in the new land of California. Not only does she anticipate the pleasure of experiencing days of respite and bliss, but also the assurance of finding the perfect life in this utopian setting in the Golden State.

As I searched further into the words, repetitions, paradoxical rhythm, and the desperate tone in the song, I discerned that the song fundamentally embodies vain hope. In addition to the disillusionment the speaker will feel after realizing that the California Dream is nothing more than a illusive mirage, this futile idea exemplifies an vacant dream. Without a specific destination, the song expresses the fact that the California Dream is frankly unattainable and serves, instead, as a desperate fantasy by hopeful individuals.

Through this song, I detected that the California Dream resembles a fairy tale that includes a series of imaginary, propitious visions of success. A fairy tale is also a narrative of fictitious characters attempting to escape to a world of promises and eternal joy. Also, a mirage in the distance illustrates a distant, beautiful image that fails to actually exist. Neither of these metaphors refer to reality at hand. I figured out that California is not envisioned as a physical location. California is a forlorn state of mind, and the California Dream only encourages individuals to be entrapped in unpromising futures.


A mirage, representative of the distant futility of the California Dream
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3 comments:

  1. From the GroveSeptember 6, 2011 at 8:47 PM

    After reviewing your post, I see that both our songs are similar in that the California Dream presents a facade of grandeur, only to leave the promise of paradise unfulfilled in the end. I especially enjoy your observation regarding the California Dream resembling a fairy tale of escapism. How would you weave mirages and fairy tales all into one context?
    Additionally, is there any positive side to your song at all? The allure of the California Dream inherently may be hollow, but other aspects of California Dream could provide some sort of comfortable numb.

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  2. DivG123September 10, 2011 at 2:41 PM

    My song was also quite similar to yours. It embodied the hopeful view of the California Dream, but actually represented a hollow dream as well. Do you think the music video gave any hints as to this vain hope? Why do you think PInk might have chosen to write the song this way? Was there something in her life that she experienced that caused her to distrust the Dream?

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  3. NBSeptember 21, 2011 at 1:09 AM

    I appreciate your realistic interpretation of the California Dream, despite the speaker's vain hope to achieve this dream. Do you believe that the California Dream, as a means to success and happiness, is an empty promise and illusion for all individuals in general? Or does it represent disillusionment for merely the speaker in the song, due to her unrealistic expectations?

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