When I was young, my mama told me
She said child, take your time
Don't fall in love too quickly before you know your mind
She held me round the shoulders
In a voice so soft and kind
She said love can make you happy and love can rob you blind

Here in California
Fruit hangs heavy on the vine
There's no gold-I thought I'd warn ya
And the hills turn brown in the summertime

Now I may learn to love you
But I can't say when
This morning we were strangers, and tonight we're only friends
I'll take my time to know you, I'll take my time to see
There's nothing I won't show you if you take your time with me

Here in California
Fruit hangs heavy on the vine
There's no gold-I thought I'd warn ya
And the hills turn brown in the summertime

It's an old, familiar story, an old, familiar rhyme
To everything there is a season, to every purpose there's a time
A time to love and come together, a time we look long for a mate
A time for questions we can't answer, though we ask them just the same
Here in California
Fruit hangs heavy on the vine
There's no gold-I thought I'd warn ya
And the hills turn brown in the summertime