Can I Use The California California Song Lyrics In A Cover?

I’ve done a few covers and the simplest way to think about it is this: live performance is usually okay because venues have performance licenses, but recording and sharing is a different beast. If you want to record 'California' and put it on Spotify, you need a mechanical license (companies like HFA or services such as DistroKid can help). If you want to post a video with the song, you need a sync license from the publisher — and that one you can’t get automatically in most cases.

Also, changing the lyrics requires permission because it creates a derivative work, and posting the full lyrics in text form usually needs a print license. I learned to always check the publisher via ASCAP/BMI lookup and either use a licensing service or contact the rights holder directly. It’s a few extra steps but way better than losing a video to a copyright claim — and it keeps the original creators happy, which matters to me.

I get excited just thinking about recording covers, so here's how I handle the lyric side of things. If you want to sing the exact words of 'California' (or whatever the official title actually is), you usually can perform it live without chasing the songwriter directly because venues and broadcasters typically have blanket performance licenses with ASCAP/BMI/SESAC. I learned that the hard way the first time I played a coffeehouse gig — the venue had it covered, and I only had to worry about my setlist.

Where it gets trickier is when you record and distribute the cover. For an audio-only release (like Spotify, Bandcamp, or selling downloads), you need a mechanical license — in the U.S. that’s the compulsory license under Section 115, which services like the Harry Fox Agency, Music Reports, or DistroKid’s cover licensing can handle. If you make a video (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok), you’re now dealing with a sync license, which is not compulsory: many publishers either strike deals with YouTube or will negotiate a sync license, and sometimes YouTube’s Content ID will claim the video and split or take revenue. Also, don’t repost the full lyrics in your description or website unless you obtain a print/lyric license — I had a lyric snippet taken down once and it’s a pain to resolve.

My practical tip: find the publisher using the PRO lookup (ASCAP/BMI search), use a cover licensing service for audio, and contact the publisher for sync or printed-lyrics permission. Credit the original songwriter every time — it’s respectful and often required — and expect that royalties will need to be paid. I’ve had covers monetized through revenue-sharing and others I had to take down, so be patient and keep receipts of licenses.

I’m the kind of person who over-checks the details before posting a cover, so here’s the cautious breakdown. If you’re just singing 'California' at an open mic, it’s usually fine because venues carry public performance licenses. Problems arise when you reproduce the lyrics or record and distribute the song.

For a studio-recorded cover that you’ll put up on streaming services or sell, you must secure a mechanical license. In the U.S., that’s typically handled via compulsory licensing (Section 115), and organizations like the Harry Fox Agency or services such as Easy Song Licensing and DistroKid can obtain that for you. Mechanical licenses cover the composition (melody + lyrics) as long as you don’t change them. If you alter lyrics, you need explicit permission because that’s a derivative work.

If you’re planning to make a video, you’ll need a sync license — and that’s negotiated with the rights holder; it’s not something you can automatically get. Platforms sometimes have blanket deals, but Content ID claims and monetization complications are common. Also, posting full lyrics on a website or in a video description generally requires a print license from the publisher.

So, short practical route: identify the publisher via ASCAP/BMI/SESAC lookup, use a cover licensing service for audio, reach out for sync or print permission for video or lyrics, and expect royalty reporting. I’ve gone through this for several covers, and a little paperwork up front saves a lot of headaches later.