"Arizona" is a song written by
Kenny Young and recorded in 1969 by
Mark Lindsay, a solo effort while still lead singer for
Paul Revere and the Raiders. Lindsay was backed by L.A. session musicians from the
Wrecking Crew.[1] The single peaked at number 10 on the
Billboard Hot 100 chart on 14 February 1970 and was awarded a RlAA Gold Disc in April 1970.[2] A version by the British band
The Family Dogg was also released in 1969.
Overview
The song's title, "Arizona", refers to the singer's girlfriend, whom he considers innocent and naïve. The singer wistfully describes Arizona's idealism and lifestyle, which he considers absurd and immature ("you're acting like a
teeny bopper runaway child"). He then urges Arizona to discard her
hippie trappings, including "hobo shoes", "rainbow shades", and "Indian braids", and view the world through more realistic eyes. However, even as he exhorts Arizona to become more worldly, the singer continues to praise her, describing Arizona as "a little-town saint". In the end, his love for Arizona and what she represents to him overcomes his cynicism, and the singer decides to follow her example, adopting her view of the world, instead of expecting her to accept his.[3]