| I was born in the country, lived in the county | 
| Raised on a farm, didn’t do nobody wrong | 
| Girlfriend Annabella, she had a lotta fellas | 
| You know she could be drunk, then Lord it kept me so disgusted | 
| I’m gonna leave, I’m gonna leave | 
| I’m going to California, California | 
| I moved to Alabama, went to Louisiana | 
| Back to Mississippi, Lord I flew on out to Texas | 
| Got to leave, oh baby baby got to leave | 
| Everybody know, Lord, that I got to go | 
| Keep on moving, I keep on moving | 
| Now I went on over in Texas, I met a girl named Betsy | 
| She was a good old friend, stuck with me to the end | 
| I got to leave, oh baby baby | 
| Everybody got to go, got to find my love some more | 
| I got to leave | 
| Keep on searching, trying to find | 
| California stays on my mind | 
| If I have a good time, I’d better get going | 
| If I have a beg for it, keep on going | 
| I’m going to California, I’m going to California | 
| I’m going to California, I’m going to California | 
| I’m packed away, California I plan to stay | 
| I hope you receive me well, I got a story that I got to tell | 
| You got to be good to me California, I’ll be good to you | 
| You got to be good to me California, I’ll be good to you |