Songs About Los Angeles: A Wrap Up
From Beck to X. From Jan and Dean to Guns N Roses. From Joni Mitchell to NWA.
Thanks to the ever amazing LA Metblog writers who wrote over thirty posts on music about LA that meant something to each of them. I had a little idea for a series and they all knocked out of the stratosphere. Thank you, I am inspired by you all!
Our series of Songs about LA has come to an end (though a few more posts may trickle in) so I’ll leave you with a surreal (to me) version of the song that sums it up: I Love LA by Randy Newman.
To see the GLORIOUS 80’s version of I Love LA, please click here.
For the full list of posts from the series, sing through the jump.
Here’s the complete list:
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:
Where is he playing? And where did the "Dusk of the Dead" audience members come from?
It said "Stuttgart Jazz Open 2006"….
Great find, I’ve never seen that version of the song. My mind always flashed back to the original MTV version.
The series was brilliant and was glad to be a part of it. What a great and diverse view of the city in music over the years.
Agree with fraz. Thanks for organizing, Julia!
Wow. No one can deny that Randy Newman can write a catchy hook, but…just, wow.
I would agree with those above me. Great series. It was a lot of fun reading all of the posts and getting everyone’s take on songs about my home town that have all meant something to me. Thanks, Julia and everybody.
Awesome series. I’m sorry I missed reading it until just now.
Two songs that capture L.A. for me, both (respectively) growing up and working there are I See Hawks in L.A.’s "California Country" and Flying Burrito Brothers’ "Sin City":
http://www.last.fm/music/I+See+Hawks+in+L.A./_/California+Country?autostart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCqxq6xqoXI
By the way, J, Randy Newman is introducing How Green Was My Valley at the Skirball next Tuesday. I’ll be there, hanky in hand.
Thanks for herding the cats for the great series!
[...] to think of it, I wonder why this tune didn’t appear on our recent Songs about Los Angeles [...]