LA Metblog Series: Songs About Los Angeles
LA Metblogs will begin a series of posts on Monday called “Songs About Los Angeles.” It will last about three weeks. But this is no Top Ten or Best Of series.
This is personal.
We will share the song (or songs) about LA that meant something significant to each of us. Los Angeles is a strange and wonderful city and has inspired some strange and wonderful music. We will delve into songs that had impact on us, songs that represent certain periods and places in our lives within this city we may (or may not) call home.
We look forward to your input as well.
UPDATE: Click past the jump for a compilation of the posts in the series as they unfold.
(Photo used with permission by Mike Smith, 2006. See the photo in his flickr stream here.)
Songs About Los Angeles:
“Los Angeles” by Frank Black (David Markland)
“Beverly Hills” by Circle Jerks (Sean Bonner)
“In California” by Lisa Marr (Lucinda Michele)
“Los Angeles” by X (Travis Koplow)
“Los Angeles” by X (Julia Frey)
“Southern California” by Wax (Sean Bonner)
“Los Angeles I’m Yours” by the Decemberists (Queequeg)
“Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N Roses (Matt Mason)
“Valley Girl” by Frank and Moon Unit Zappa (Jodi Kurland)
“Little Old Lady From Pasadena” by Jan and Dean (Frazgo)
“Fuck Tha Police” by NWA (Lulu of the Lotus-Eaters, aka David Mertz)
“Straight Outta Compton” by NWA (Sean Bonner)
“California” by Joni Mitchell (Chal Pivik)
“People Of The Sun” by Rage Against The Machine (Mike Winder)
“Under The Bridge” by Red Hot Chili Peppers (Julia Frey)
“Moving to LA” by Art Brut (Travis Koplow)
“Los Angeles” by X (Burns!)
“Can’t Take This Town” by Colin Hay (Jodi Kurland)
“Beverly Hills” by Weezer (Sean Bonner)
“Sunset People” by Donna Summer (Chal Pivik)
“California Dreamin’” by The Mamas and The Papas (Frazgo)
“Que Honda Guero” by Beck (Mike Winder)
“Rooming House on Venice Beach” by Jonathan Richman (Lulu of the Lotus Eaters)
“The New Year’s Flood” by Woody Guthrie (Will Campbell)
“Cruisin’ (Lucy and Ramona and Sunset Sam)” by Michael Nesmith (Will Campbell)
“Electrolite” by REM (Jodi Kurland)
“Pico and Sepulveda” by Felix Figueroa and His Orchestra (Will Campbell)
“LA” by Neil Young (Chal Pivik)
“MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer (Chal Pivik)
“Blue Jay Way” by The Beatles (Chal Pivik)
“LA Woman” by The Doors (Chal Pivik)
Related posts:
For Los Angeles,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAzF8iJ0gMw&feature=related
This one’s an automatic – I love LA by Randy Newman
I would say Long December would qualify
Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan
Drive west on sunset
To the sea
Turn that jungle music down
Just until were out of town
This is no one night stand
Its a real occasion
Close your eyes and you’ll be there
Its everything they say
The end of a perfect day
Distant lights from across the bay
Babylon sisters shake it
Babylon sisters shake it
So fine so young
Tell me I’m the only one
Here come those Santa Ana winds again
Well jog with show folk on the sand
Drink kirschwasser from a shell
San Francisco show and tell
Well I should know by now
That its just a spasm
Like a Sunday in T.J.
That its cheap but its not free
That Im not what I used to be
And that loves not a game for three
Babylon sisters shake it
Babylon sisters shake it
So fine so young
Tell me Im the only one
My friends say no don’t go
For that cotton candy
Son you’re playing with fire
The kid will live and learn
As he watches his bridges burn
From the point of no return
Babylon sisters shake it
Babylon sisters shake it
So fine so young
Tell me I’m the only one
TOOL’s Aenema
fsharp: YES
anything by Steely Dan, really. They get the threat of all this beauty.
The Doors, if they hadn’t been stoned all the time, if they had really seen the place.
Joni Mitchell…The Beach Boys… and I hate to suggest it, but…The Eagles ‘Life In The Fast Lane’?
Los Angels by X
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Moving to LA, by Art Brut.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OIzJQyq3WA&feature=related
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Andres by L7
April 29, 1992 by Sublime
Beverly Hills by Weezer, Los Angeles by Sugarcult, Los Angeles is Burning by Bad Religion, Out in L.A.by Red Hot Chili Peppers (i’m sure this is not the only peppers song about LA)… so many others…Paradise City by Guns N’ Roses and the ever so funny Born in East L.A. by Cheech and Chong…
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I’d thought about doing "Ventura Highway" by America. It’s not *really* about L.A. though, but I love blasting when taking the 101 out to the canyons to cross over to Malibu.
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Cruiser by Red House Painters