Watch me now

Waitress all dressed like nurses in bondage
Brought me the check, said "I want you to sign this"
Union boy standing next to the rastas
"There's gonna be a strike and you ain't gonna stop us"
Three men standing and they love what they do
You won't see it coming, cause they wanna surprise you
Consider it done, they're gonna stand right by you
American punks don't care about you
Hollywood what you gonna do?

[Chorus]
Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you don't understand, this is California Babylon, my man

Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you don't understand, this is California Babylon, my man

Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you can't understand, this is California Babylon, my man

You can take away the nights with sights of bright lights
Sheiks still ride, engage in street fights
Two to the head, pull around, he's dead
Suspect fled, caught up with bloodshed
No sign of hope, we fight and sling dope
Junkies to our left, no fix, they can't cope
Violence won't cease, hand me the chrome piece
No peace or sleep, we fight with police

This is the city that'll make all your dreams come true
So pay attention

[Chorus]

At last she had arrived, we turned in exhausted
Cocaine in her pocket, she can get busted
Once again she passes, now she's gone
Now she's with her friend, her beautiful young
She showed up on the scene, she was 17
Now she's 21, she does some more coke, she does some more coke
She drinks some whiskey and she smokes some dope
She thinks she's a star
Do you know who you are?


Lyrics submitted by element_X

California Babylon Lyrics as written by Rob Aston Timothy Armstrong

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

California Babylon song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

9 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    About moral decadence on the West Coast?

    Thunderbolton April 11, 2004   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.