[Verse 1]
There was a California earthquake, in the year of '83
It shook the living daylights out of the Owens County Seat
Not a building was still standing when the dust had cleared away
And there was a rumble in the distance all the way to San Andrea

[Verse 2]
Sherman Buck was driving his old mule into town
When a big one came and shook so hard, that it knocked him to the ground
Lord there opened up a hole so big, he thought his time was up
And it swallowed up that poor old mule and it just missed Sherman Buck

[Chorus]
California earthquake you just don't know what you've done
We may fall off in the ocean, but you'll never make us run
You're a partner to the devil, but we ain't afraid of him
We'll build ourselves another town so you can tear it down again

[Verse 3]
Then came the quake of '99 that levelled Mission Creek
The earth was like an ocean churning, with waves of twenty feet
Lord it sounded like a thousand trains were screaming underground
All the way to San Joachim they heard that mournful sound

[Chorus]
[Verse 4]
Then came one day the holocaust on San Franciso Bay
Miles of walls came down like old Jericho that day
Might near everything the earthquake missed, a holy fire consumed
And left 'em smoke and the ashes of the dreams that can't be ruined

[Chorus]

[Outro]
Build ourselves another town so you can tear it down again