I rolled into Alabama in a hand-me-down Jeep
with a Malibu tan and a dream I couldn’t keep
Had boots from TEMU and a hat from L.A.
Thought I'd be a southern girl by the end of the day.

I said "y'all" way too much, drank sweet tea too fast.
Tried line dancing Friday, got whiplash from that.
Bought a pair of Wranglers two sizes too tight
And learned real quick humidity ain't cute at night.

Pre-Chorus:

I came for the boys like Trepeaux in bonfire lights,
The front porch songs and the southern nights

Chorus:

But California called my name
Like a wave pulling me back to the bay again
I tried my luck in a small-town scene
But the fire ants won and the air turned mean

Now I'm back where the palm trees sway
Teaching little kids their ABCs every day
I traded boots for a lesson plan.
And I'm happier than I ever have been

I thought I wanted Dixie dreams
Turns out home was where my heart still leaned
Yeah, I chased that southern mystery
Now I'm writing California English history.

I couldn't understand why church started at eight
Why everybody's grandma wanted me on a date.
Why some farmer's son named Billy Ray Joe
Who knew every deer trail twenty miles from home

I missed the ocean breeze and fish tacos at night
The mountains in the distance and the city lights.
Missed saying "dude" without somebody laughing out loud
And wearing flip-flops without drawing a crowd

I gave it my best and I gave it a try
But homesick showed up like tears in my eyes

Chorus:

California called my name
Like a wave pulling me back to the bay again
I tried my luck in a small-town scene
But the fire ants won and the air turned mean

Now I'm back where the palm trees sway
Teaching little kids their ABCs every day
I traded boots for a lesson plan
And I'm happier than I ever have been

I thought I wanted Dixie dreams
Turns out home was where my heart still leaned
Yeah, I chased that southern mystery
Now I'm writing California English history

Now it's "Open your books to page twenty-three”
Instead of "Who's bringing beer down to the creek?"
I’m grading papers, singing songs after school
And every Friday let the kids bend one rule

They think I'm cool 'cause I say "surf's up"
And draw little sunshine faces on their stuff

Chorus:

California called my name
I finally quit fighting the wind and rain
Now I've got twenty little voices singing along
Making every hard day feel like my favorite song

Back where the palm trees sway
Teaching little dreamers every single day
I found out life ain't always what you think it'll be.

Sometimes the road leads right where you need.
Back to the place where your roots run deep

I went looking for a southern good time...
Found myself in a California teacher’s lunch line!

Yeah, I came back home smiling...
California English History

With a chalkboard, a classroom...
California English History

A southern California Lesson in get-on-back-home plain English,
is where I’ll tend to shine.