“California” was written by the oldest sibling, Katie Petersen. It is one of our favorites she has ever written!
►Hear Katie talking about writing the song
Live concert version
2020 Branson show version
Katie’s instructional video
►Buy or stream Live Sessions Vol. 01
An older version appears on our Shenandoah album
►Photo album: The grandmas
Lady Katie and Grandma Petersen
Ice cream date with mom’s mom
———————–
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Go behind the scenes with @The Petersen Family
►This video:
Lead vocal and fiddle: @Katie Petersen
Harmony vocal: @Ellen Haygood
Harmony vocal and guitar: @Matt Petersen
Dobro: Emmett Franz
Bass: Karen Petersen
Mandolin: @Julianne
Location: Weddings at the Homestead
Weddings at the Homestead provides a rustic, yet beautiful setting, amid rolling hills, grassy meadows, creek-side valley and authentic 1848 timber framed barn.
Turn on captions (CC) to see the lyrics on screen.
Special thanks to Troy Dixon for helping us with audio and Aaron Clark for the videography.
Microphones by Ear Trumpet Labs
►LYRICS – California (a Katie Petersen original)
Memories fade slowly
No please don’t go, not yet
Well I was your one and only
I’m not ready to forget
All the times we shared together
All the words we never said
But I remember…
When we almost went to California
We almost fell in love in the sand
And you almost told me to be your woman
So you’ll always almost be my man
I think it was late last summer
I saw the distance in your eyes
When you said that you found another
And then you told me not to cry
But I knew that’s when it started
The beginning of the end
And I remembered…
When we almost went to California
We almost fell in love in the sand
And you almost told me to be your woman
So you’ll always almost be my man
I guess it was late last winter
Snow falling all around
Wedding bells rang, she entered
But I left without a sound
Oh I know she’ll always love you
But heaven knows that so will I
And I’ll remember…
When we almost went to California
We almost fell in love in the sand
And you almost told me to be your woman
So you’ll always almost be my man
►The Petersens:
We celebrate American roots music with family values, and perform full time in Branson, Missouri in the USA. The band consists of four siblings, Katie, Ellen, Matt, and Julianne, our mom Karen, and good friend Emmett Franz. Learn more about our family on our website
Subscriber count: 64,369
#ThePetersens #LiveSessions01 #California #Folk
#OriginalSong #KatiePetersen
#WeddingsAtTheHomesteadMO
This song features on: #LiveSessions01 #ShenandoahAlbum #2020BransonShow #FirstLiveConcert
Lyrics to “California”
—-
Memories fade slowly
No please don't go, not yet
I was your one and only
I'm not ready to forget
All the times we shared together
All the words we never said
But I remember…
When we almost went to California
We almost fell in love in the sand
You almost told me to be your woman
So you'll always almost be my man
I think it was late last summer
I saw the distance in your eyes
Said that you found another
Then you told me not to cry
But I knew that's when it started
The beginning of the end
But I remembered…
When we almost went to California
We almost fell in love in the sand
You almost told me to be your woman
So you'll always almost be my man
I guess it was late last winter
Snow falling all around
Wedding bells rang she entered
But I left without a sound
Oh I know she'll always love you
But heaven knows that so will I
And I’ll remember
When we almost went to California
We almost fell in love in the sand
You almost told me to be your woman
So you'll always almost be my man
사랑해 💚
♡❤
넘오래
Incredible tune well written and sung, I love it, sad by so lovely, I've tried to write songs and this one makes me wish i could.
ㅠㅠ죄송 여기 남한 이람니다~^^♡
이사왔어요~^^♡
우씨..ㅋㅋ..~^^♡
골드
Such a beautifully clean sound, brings back memories of a long lost youth. Traveling across America with a group of fellow gap year students in the 50's.
Love your music.
I can't see my keyboard through the mist. So lovely and melancholy. Magical.
I was just asking myself who was the author of this song, since it sounded to me so great and classic and well centered…and just around the end of it I read that it was a Katie's…you are kidding me!! This needs to become the leading theme of a romantic movie, right now!! When I think I know something about your individual and collective talent, a new gem comes out from Youtube…A hug and a big thank you from Italy.
I've never heard this song. Beautiful and it couldn't have been performed by anyone better.
…………..Simply Great!…………………………..many greetings from Germany, also here we like to listen to their music!
Remarkable!
주님께서 함께 하실꺼에요~^^♡
I love it when Katie sings her own songs. It is truly an encounter with a skilled poet who has a beautiful and very well trained voice. Every emotion in the song rings crystal clear in her performance.
Arguably the best song written this past decade. Such a beautiful melody.
This song still wrecks me… so pure! So heartfelt! Love you guys!
This is one if the most wonderful songs I ever heard.
I just found your YouTube channel a few days ago and listened through a lot of your videos. I'm really impressed by your music, your family and the atmosphere between you when you perfom a song.
Greetings from Germany
~^^♡
I absolutely love this tune. I could play it again and again and feel the emotion behind it. It's just precious to hear.
❤
GREAT TUNE. WHY DOES THE MANDOLIN PLAYER SHY AWAY FROM A REAL OPPORTUNITY? SHE OBVIOUSLY HAS AN ABILITY TO SHINE. I'LL PRAY FOR HER.
An absolutely magnificent tune. God came to earth just to write this devastatingly gorgeous song.
I absolutely love this song. I have to say I chuckle every time I see Ellen ducking back out of the way of Katie's violin bow at the 2:47 mark. Totally agree with the commenters who say that this could be a No. 1 hit.
Takes me back to my own memories. That is beautiful song writing, when so many can relate.
-❤
What a great song!!! I found the Petersens a month or so ago while scrolling through YOUTUBE for backgound music to go along with some computer work that was overdue. When I heard 'California', I stopped and repeated the song. Since then, I've been listening to more music by the Petersens. I'm generally not a big fan of bluegrass, but it's kind of growing on me. Cheers!
It's really a beautiful song Kat, there is so much love and melancholy, tears and sweet memories … and your eyes are not as happy as ever, as if loves and memories were yours.
Be proud of yourself Kat, who gives love finds love …
Katie, your voice defines “velvet.”
A dream. ♥️♥️♥️
Hermosa familia! Me encantan!!
Great song! You'll almost be my woman, Love it.
ich bin einfach nur begeistert von der ganzen familie.ein grosses lob auch an die mutter,die so wunderbare musikalische kinder hat.liebe grüsse:mario aus deutschland.
WOW– that's NICE– GREAT JOB Katie.. love your voice on songs like that– the whole gang is GREAT.. super job!!!!
That dobro…..wow
Familia linda e abençoada
Bravo The Petersens
Miss Katie For most of us love can be found in the heart as well as the mind . Love can heal and love can kill . when love heals the broken heart , it fills us with joy and hope . But when love breaks the heart , it spills out and leaves nothing but sadness and pain . Some of the ones may recover But Most never does . Only the strong will go on , and yet some will die of a broken heart . so I say Please be careful with love . We are all fragile when it comes to love , there is no escape
Exquisitely heartbreaking. Hard to watch this and not fall in love with Katie.
Sadly so few will ever see this…though they WILL have lived through it.
I left without a sound…I've been there…says it all.
Dutch captions:
CALIFORNIË
[Geschreven door Katie] Herinneringen vervagen langzaam
Nee alsjeblieft, ga niet weg, nog niet
Ik betekende alles voor jou,
en ik ben er niet aan toe dat te vergeten
Alle momenten die we samen deelden,
alle woorden die niet werden gezegd
Maar ik herinner me nog dat
toen we bijna naar Californië gingen,
we bijna verliefd werden in het zand
En je maakte me bijna tot je vrouw,
dus zal je voor altijd bijna mijn man zijn
[Julianne mandoline]
Ik denk dat het aan het eind van afgelopen zomer was
Je ogen stonden afstandelijk,
toen je vertelde dat je iemand anders had
en je daarna zei dat ik niet moest huilen
Maar ik wist dat het toen begonnen was,
het begin van het einde
En ik herinnerde me nog dat
toen we bijna naar Californië gingen,
we bijna verliefd werden in het zand
En je maakte me bijna tot je vrouw,
dus zal je voor altijd bijna mijn man zijn
[Katie viool]
Ik geloof dat het aan het eind van afgelopen winter was
Het sneeuwde flink
De huwelijksklokken luidden, ze kwam binnen
maar ik ging er stilletjes vandoor
O, ik weet, ze zal altijd van je houden
Maar zoals God weet, dat geldt ook voor mij
En ik zal me herinneren dat
toen we bijna naar Californië gingen,
we bijna verliefd werden in het zand
En je maakte me bijna tot je vrouw,
dus zal je voor altijd bijna mijn man zijn
[Emmett dobro]
Ja, je zal voor altijd bijna mijn man zijn
[Belangrijk nieuws: we komen met meer eigen nummers in 2021]
[We moeten alleen nog even wachten tot de Ozarks er een beetje mooier zien, zodat we de video's kunnen opnemen]
It's obvious The Peterson's are from the country. But where?