Andy Fuhrman wants to write the Santa Cruz theme song. Technically, he already wrote it, but currently it’s a sort of unofficial local theme song. “Santa Cruz Local” takes the melody and some elements of Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee,” but alters it to be more relatable to Santa Cruz—like the line from the original that says “We don’t smoke marijuana in Muskogee.”
“We’re not living in Muskogee, we’re living in Santa Cruz,” Fuhrman says.
On the contrary, his lyrics center around Santa Cruz’s love of marijuana: “I’m proud to be a Santa Cruz local, the place where we smoke our homegrown weed. We don’t need to go to no dispensary because we grow a whole lot more than we need.”
The song inspires sing-alongs, suggesting it has the popular vote even if it never gets an official nod.
“Everybody loves it,” he says. “There’s no way the Chamber of Commerce is going to take that up, being their song, but just at a grassroots level, I’ve got people singing it,” Fuhrman says.
Fuhrman should know what it means to be a Santa Cruzan. Originally from Coney Island, he moved to Santa Cruz in 1971. He’s played mostly in his room until 2009, when he started playing at Venatella Winery.
Originally, he brought country western covers to the gigs, but his sets have widened to include all sorts of styles. He sometimes even plays with other musicians—he’ll book himself as Andy Fuhrman and his Fabulous Friends.
And then there’s his originals, which are local favorites. He’s even written a few political songs. But as a Brooklyn native, his anti-Trump material is more personal. He recalls all the damage that Fred Trump—Donald’s father—did to his neighborhood when he was growing up.
“It went from a nice lower middle-class neighborhood to a slum just within a decade of my life. Some of it had to do with Fred Trump, with him knocking down existing housing, moving people around,” Fuhrman says. “I guess I have a lot more reason to dislike Trump historically than most people.”
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 7. Michaels on Main, 2591 S. Main St., Soquel. $15. 479-9777
