Tori Kelly Wikia

"California Lovers" is the twelfth track from Tori Kelly's debut album, Unbreakable Smile. It was released on June 23, 2015 through Capitol Records.

Background[]

The first, and so far only, collaboration between LL Cool J and Tori Kelly, this is an album track (although some outlets reported it as a single) laced with Californian imagery and the feeling of chasing the summer on another coast, a summer love. The two played the song live on more than one occasion.

Tori Kelly did an interview with Project U on the collab:

"With that song we all felt like it needed that throwback, ’90s feel on it, and he came in and wrote out his lyrics on a handwritten piece of paper! It was awesome, he brought that ’90s vibe perfectly."

Lyrics[]

[Intro: LL Cool J]
California lovers
Tori Kelly
LL Cool J

[Verse 1: Tori Kelly]
Dancing in the sand at the bonfire
We jamming out to Marley at night, uh
Staying up to watch every sunrise
Just living like we ain't gonna die, uh
Everybody said I was crazy
Yeah, everybody said you'd be gone, uh-uh
I know that I'm supposed to forget you
And boy, you know I moved on, but

[Pre-Chorus: Tori Kelly]
Every time I'm driving with the top down, baby
I remember sneaking out in your car (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh)
Jumped into the ocean while the sun kissed on me
Was a sucker for them boys with a wild heart

[Chorus: Tori Kelly]
I'll be cool with it, done with it
You're never on my mind
Til I feel the heat of you and me; it hits me every summer
Remember when no one else could make me feel alive?
We were young and free, 17, just California lovers
Mmm, yeah

[Verse 2: Tori Kelly]
Teaching me to skate down the boardwalk
I'm crashing into you like a wave, uh
Even if it was only small talk
You always knew the right thing to say, uh
Maybe I was just being stupid
For thinking that my first love would last, uh-uh
Even though it ended in heartache
Sometimes I wanna go back

[Pre-Chorus: Tori Kelly]
Every time I'm driving with the top down, baby
I remember sneaking out in your car (oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh)
Jumped into the ocean while the sun kissed on me
Was a sucker for them boys with wild hearts

[Chorus: Tori Kelly (LL Cool J)]
I'll be cool with it, done with it
You're never on my mind
Til I feel the heat of you and me; it hits me every summer
Remember when no one else could make me feel alive? (yeah)
We were young and free (young and free), 17 (17), just California lovers

[Verse 3: LL Cool J]
Reminiscin', what a vision
Lips kissing, seats christened
Bob Marley twisting, top down, Pacific Highway
Black Sinatra remix, I did it my way
Your legs deserve they own day of the week, Th-Th-Thighday
Mark your calendars, the love champ's back
I make your memories challenger, Venice in the gondola
You can have a sip of whatever you want a bottle of
Life's a sportscar, baby, you gotta throttle 'er
We just trippin', cord flippin' for club pickin'
Clock tickin', we still kickin' it all weekend
I was your Legend, you was my Chrissy Teigen - glory!
You're the reason that summer's my favorite season

[Chorus: Tori Kelly (LL Cool J)]
I'll be cool with it, done with it
You're never on my mind
Til I feel the heat of you and me; it hits me every summer
Remember when (yeah) no one else (no one else) could make me feel alive? (make me feel alive)
We were young and free, 17 (17), just California lovers
Cool with it, done with it
You're never on my mind (never on my mind)
Til I feel the heat of you and me; it hits me every summer
Remember when no one else could make me feel alive?
We were young and free, 17, just California lovers

[Outro: LL Cool J]
(Lovers)
Yeah
(Make me feel alive, make me feel alive, make me feel alive)
California lovers
(California lovers)