I heard it said that all the seams had run out
I heard in the summertime even the rivers run dry
But here we come all the modern forty-niners
All come looking for gold in California

They come looking for gold in California
They come looking for gold in California
They come looking for gold in California
They come looking for gold

There's devils on the streets of the city of the angels
Parades of freaks on Hollywood Boulevard
Hustlers and actors they ain't always on the lots
Getting the start is hard in California

When you're looking for gold in California
When you're looking for gold

And you never know how near you are
Like Paul on the Damascus road
When the canyon sun is going down slow
Oh, suddenly, oh, suddenly

You may feel cold in California
You may feel cold in California
You may feel cold in California
You may feel cold
Out on the mountain just before the canyon
Where the sun goes down like a blazing forest fire
Oh, you may turn around and may miss your home companions
For the streams below run gold in California

You come looking for gold in California
You come looking for gold in California
You come looking for gold in California
You come looking for gold

And you never know how near you are
Like Paul on the Damascus road
When the canyon sun is going down slow
Oh suddenly, so suddenly

You may find gold in California
You may find gold in California
You may find gold in California

There's gold in California
Keep looking for gold
There's gold in California
Keep looking for gold in California
...