I’ve been wanting to filk California Dreamin’ for years, but I couldn’t think of an angle.  A friend suggested the key word of the chorus, and I realised it was time I wrote something with a more environmental bent, so I did, inspired by the recent bushfires here in the Valley.

Content Warning: bushfires. May trigger flashback. Sorry.

September 2019.

All the air is brown (the air is brown)
And the sun is red (and the sun is red)
Choppers start their run (they start their run)
Thumping overhead (thumping overhead)
This should be my home (this should be my home)
Soon it might be dead (soon it might be dead)
Mother Nature’s screaming (Mother Nature’s screaming)
There’s trouble up ahead.

Crammed into a hall
To hear the warnings read (hear the warnings read)
Well there’s maps up on the wall (maps up on the wall)
They’re coloured black and red (coloured black and red)
We listen closely to the man (closely to the man)
To every word he said (every word he said)
Mother Nature’s screaming (Mother Nature’s screaming)
There’s trouble up ahead.

All the air is brown (the air is brown)
And the sun is red (and the sun is red)
Wonder if we’ll see (oh, if we’ll see)
Our home and bed
Don’t you say it’s normal (don’t say it’s normal)
Not a cause for dread (not a cause for dread)
Mother Nature’s screaming (Mother Nature’s screaming)
There’s trouble up ahead.
Mother Nature’s screaming
There’s trouble up ahead.
Mother Nature’s screaming
There’s trouble up ahead.