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Long Way to California

by Whitney Lockert

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1.
I don’t know what to tell you when you look at me that way What is it that I’m supposed to say? But you can read my mind sometimes anyway Maybe it’s just time to get away It’s a long way from here to California And I don’t want to be on my own Let’s head out on the road in an old dirty car Just to see how far we can go Listen to the songs on the radio, No need to be everywhere at once It’s a long way from here to California And I don’t want to be on my own It’s a long way from here to California Tell me baby, don’t you want to go? Don’t you want to go? I’m gonna leave behind the things that just keep me confused And see if I can find a place to breathe easy I’m tired of always searching for something new, Gonna see if I can build something old It’s a long way from here to California And I don’t wan to go on my own It’s a long way from here to California Tell me baby don’t you want to go? Tell me baby, don’t you want to go?
2.
Hello, girl on a train, Won’t you sit down here and tell me your name? Hello, girl in my brain, I been riding alone for too long. Standing on the platform in your T-shirt and scarf You glance over your book at me I look your way for a moment and turn, Just hoping you’ll look back and see. Where is your stop, won’t you tell me what’s good? I’m getting off at Myrtle Avenue. And I been living alone in this old neighborhood Looking for someone like you. Now it’s just one more stop and we’ll go our own ways, I sure enjoyed your company. And though we didn’t talk and I don’t know your name, I hope sometime you’ll think of me. Goodbye, girl on a train, I wish you’d sat down here and told me your name. Hello, girl in my brain, I been riding alone for too long.
3.
I think I blew it when I said good night to you And let you walk on down the hall Without so much as a birthday kiss Struck out looking, no swing and miss I think I blew it when you asked how I liked the room Was that supposed to be some kind of hint? The next time could you spell it out? I’m just kind of a clueless kid I think I blew it long before When I enrolled in that course of philosophy What good does all that thinking do If you don’t have the technology? I think I blew it when I first left town And headed out for the big city City of angels, city of lights Supposed to be some kind of hit for me
4.
When you told me that you needed some space I said can we still get drunk and screw? And when you told me that you needed a change I said I’ll never change for you. When I told you that I wasn’t the one You said well I’m not the one for you; I took offense and the night was a wreck And we crashed your new car too. Chorus: Well some things will never change Some things you just can’t do Some things you shouldn’t say Everyone makes a mistake or two. I’m so far from home and I feel so alone, Like some wandering cowboy fool Looking for someone or something to hold me From losing my mind and my cool. But everyone I meet’s just as confused as me, Can’t find that stability. I got no money or commitments at all, Well I guess you could call that free. (Chorus) So I should be in the business of making friends But I’m happy with the ones I’ve got. People tell me to do what I think I should do But whatever it was, I forgot. So open the bottle and pour me a drink I’ve got no place that I need to be. It’s getting late and I’m starting to think, Caught up in the mystery.
5.
I look at the rain I look at the sea Look at the desert What is it to me? A holy place, where can it be? And in this time well what would it mean? Look out your window Look at the sky Look at the buildings You wonder why We build and we build all over the place Run and we run just to keep up the pace You want to go and I want to stay And sometimes it feels like it's slipping away But I come around every once in a while Back to the place that I found in your smile I love the rain and I love the sea I love the way that your lips feel on me A holy place, now can’t you see And in this time that’s what love ought to be
6.
Lines on my face, Circles round my eyes When will I leave this disguise? Can’t sleep at night, Restless in the day, Never quite know what to say. I don’t believe anything called fate. Sometimes you’re not prepared, Sometimes you’re ready and you wait. Chorus: No one told me how to live, No one told me what to give. Ever since I was a kid these secrets have been hidden. Teachers are gone, But I didn’t learn. I’m not going back to school. Could I survive out in the wild? Could I run a hundred miles? Will I know which knot to tie? Will it really be all right? No one told me how to live No one told me what to give Ever since I was a kid these secrets have been hidden.
7.
When I was a kid I was there and you were there And we did those things we did Here and there and without a care More or less Now it’s anybody’s guess when we’ll meet again my friend Now that we’re all grown I am here and you’re over there, And I know we’re not alone But I am here and you’re over there And it’s not fair, It’s not fair I’m going out with all my friends, One more time to the end of the line And the night will never end Our steps will rhyme yet another time And I’ll be there And you’ll be there
8.
Not to Judge 04:46
What a simple thing to say When you tell me not to judge What am I supposed to do? Just like those who came before me There’s not much of which I’m sure When I see you coming towards me As we turn around in the light Who are you now, who am I? In this moment here in time Who are you and who am I? Choices that we make each day We can follow or abandon There are only so many roads to take
9.
How’s a man supposed to make it happen in this town? There just aren’t that many chances, when you look around What’s a man supposed to do? Ain’t no cure for the Staten Island Blues Hey man, why you coming round hassling me? Ain’t there someplace more important that you could be? What’s a man supposed to do? Ain’t no cure for the Staten Island Blues Broken windows, broken lights on the stairs Another black man down, like anybody really cares. What are you gonna do? Ain’t no cure for these New York Blues It’s just another day in the world, I suppose I hate to think that it’s just the way that it goes What are we gonna do? There ain’t no cure for the other man’s blues.

about

After nearly a decade in New York City, alt-country rocker Whitney Lockert finds refuge and renewal in Los Angeles and classic country/rock songcraft on his sophomore LP, Long Way to California (out July 15). The record plays like a series of musical postcards from pasts and futures, both real and imagined, and draws on Lockert’s varied work with artists like Nigerian reggae star Majek Fashek, and former lead guitarist of The Black Crowes, Marc Ford.

Long Way to California is about recognizing where you are and searching for something new, learning from mistakes and triumphs, and seeking contentment among the confusions of modern life. Lockert pens wry and deadly honest lyrics, lightened with occasional touches of levity. His musical brilliance stems from an encyclopedic knowledge and reverence for stalwart Americana bards like Neil Young, Tom Petty, Merle Haggard, Steve Earle, and Buck Owens. He toys with classic country tropes, subverting them with humor and modern insight, while blending them with anthemic folk rock, psychedelic guitar leads and the occasional Bakersfield lilt.

Album opener and title track “Long Way to California” lays out the album’s themes of seeking contentment and a place in the world. It contemplates leaving everything behind and hitting the road “in an old dirty car,” in search of a place to “build something old.” It’s about looking for love, stability, and room to grow. The song basks in Lockert’s layered guitars and velvety, baritone vocals. The subdued organ, punchy guitar leads and synced piano melodies build into an anthemic love letter to a Golden State of the mind, free of the cramped confines of the city.

“I grew up in the Bay Area, then lived in New York for a long time,” says Lockert. “Through Hurricane Sandy, good and bad roommates, and many other ups and downs, I sometimes felt more connected to humanity than ever, and sometimes more isolated… I came to see the dream of California and the frontier of the West in ways I never had before, the appeal of its open spaces, its freedom from a certain kind of history. I was also imagining finding the right person to settle down with, and it just worked out that long after writing the song, I found that person, packed it up and headed west.”

“Girl On a Train” is a New York love song, a tale of gentle flirtation across subway platforms. There’s hope and melancholy in Lockert’s voice as he sings of two strangers, who never were and never will be, sharing a moment before going on to lead their separate lives. The “Girl on a Train” video finds Lockert drifting in and out of consciousness in a theater, dreaming about what could be. Hypnotic found footage and classic horror film clips simulate the subway experience as strange characters, some beautiful, some disturbing, come and go. Lockert makes peace with his journey as a gorgeous harmonized chorus lulls him to sleep. The transient, warm pedal steel brings him back to life as he reaches his last stop on Myrtle Avenue.

Album closer “Staten Island Blues” was written after Eric Garner’s murder at the hand of NYC police officers on July 7, 2014. Sadly, the song seems only to gain relevance with the passage of time and further events. Lockert’s guitar speaks as poignantly as his lyrics on this song, building from quiet lyricism to a full-on howl of emotion at the song’s climax.

“I Think I Blew It” is driven by a mellow yet propulsive guitar hook coupled with lyrics full of humorous hindsight; its wry self-effacement and psychedelic touches suggest the hazy rock of Kurt Vile. It’s a song about laughing at one’s own “a-ha moments,” realized just a little too late. Grunge-infused cosmic country track “Not to Judge” stems from an off-handed comment thrown out by a companion in a New York taxi cab between bumps of cocaine. It’s about the choices we make in the moment and their consequences.

“Everyone Makes A Mistake or Two” is an alt-country ballad about learning emotional intelligence, wrecking relationships and cars, and maybe drinking too much along the way. “We Were There” reflects on growing older and nostalgically looks back at growing up in a small town and simpler times. “This Disguise” continues the theme of growing up and figuring out “how to live” in a chaotic world. It pulls no emotional punches, showcasing Lockert’s undeniable ability to make his guitar sing with its own tragic voice. He invokes the spirit of Duane Allman jamming with Crazy Horse as he strangleholds blue notes that dance and shriek with transcendent ecstasy.

“The Desert and the Sea” finds Lockert envisioning life in Los Angeles, while still unsure if it’s time to go. Its gentle, West African-inspired fingerpicking and country pedal steel complement Lockert’s lulling vocals in this vacation-ready ode to rebuilding. Contemplating the push and pull of relationships, Lockert sings, “You want to go and I want to stay/And sometimes it feels like it's slipping away/But I come around every once in a while/Back to the place that I found in your smile.” Maybe the time for construction is over for Lockert, who says that he wrote this song for a friend, as he settles into his new life of temperateness and relaxation.


Long Way to California is about movement and longing, the desire for love, and the risk to venture somewhere new in search of a better life. Taken together, Lockert’s memories and reveries form an album that not only tells the stories of the artist’s life but invites its audience to reflect on their own journeys and hoped-for destinations. For now, you’ll find Whitney in California, with a girlfriend and a dog, and another song always on its way.

credits

released July 15, 2022

Whitney Lockert: Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Garrett Cook: Electric Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar
Hudson Mueller: Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
Quinn McCarthy: Bass, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Keyboards
Jeff Barton: Drums, Percussion
Sasha Smith: Keyboards (1, 4)
Brad Wentworth: Drums (1)

All songs written by Whitney Lockert (ASCAP)
Engineered and Mixed by Quinn McCarthy at the Creamery, Brooklyn
Mastered by Fred Kevorkian

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