This morning for some reason I started listening to songs in my iPod, in alphabetical order, that started with "C". (Usually I just play albums, in the old fashioned style, even through this new format.) Some great songs came up pretty quickly that I hadn't heard in a while, and a couple others could stand as my Friday Song of the Day -- but "California" by Joni Mitchell, made me almost explode with joy, and, for the next 24 hours, is my official best song in the whole word ever. (The paradox, which I will leave unresolved, is that it's not even necessarily the best song on the Blue album.) I quote the lyrics below not so you can read the lyrics, which are of course, really cool -- but rather so that someone who is familiar with the song can get it in their mind so they don't have to keep humming "We Built This City" because of Swish's 50 Worst Songs thread:

Sitting in a park in paris, france
Reading the news and it sure looks bad
They won’t give peace a chance
That was just a dream some of us had
Still a lot of lands to see
But I wouldn’t want to stay here
It’s too old and cold and settled in it’s ways here
Oh, but california
California I’m coming home
I’m going to see the folks I dig
I’ll even kiss a sunset pig
California I’m coming home

I met a redneck on a grecian isle
Who did the goat dance very well
He gave me back my smile
But he kept my camera to sell
Oh the rogue, the red red rogue
He cooked good omelettes and stews
And I might have stayed on with him there
But my heart cried out for you, california
Oh california I’m coming home
Oh make me feel good rock’n roll band
I’m your biggest fan
California, I’m coming home

Chorus:

Oh it gets so lonely
When you’re walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
Just gives you the blues
Just gives you the blues

So I bought me a ticket
I caught a plane to spain
Went to a party down a red dirt road
There were lots of pretty people there
Reading rolling stone, reading vogue
They said, how long can you hang around?
I said a week, maybe two,
Just until my skin turns brown
Then I’m going home to california
California I’m coming home
Oh will you take me as I am
Strung out on another man
California I’m coming home

Chorus:

Oh it gets so lonely
When you’re walking
And the streets are full of strangers
All the news of home you read
More about the war
And the bloody changes
Oh will you take me as l am?
Will you take me as l am?
Will you?