The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
There is a city by the sea
A gentle company
I don't suppose you want to?
And as it tells its sorry tale
In harrowing detail
Its hollowness will haunt you
Its streets and boulevards
Orphans and oligarchs
And here's a plaintive melody
A truncated symphony.
An ocean's garbled vomit on the shore:
Los Angeles, I'm yours
O ladies, pleasant and demure
Hollow-cheek'd and sure
I can see your undies)
And all the boys you drag about
On empty, fallow fount
From Saturdays to Mondays.
You bridge and tunnel crowd
Hanging your trousers down at heel.
This is the realest thing
As ancient choirs sing
A rushing rabble revels from above
Los Angeles, my love.
O what a rush of ripe elan!
Languor on divans
Dalliant and dainty!
But the smell of burnt cocaine,
The dolor and the drain
It only makes me cranky
O great calamity,
Den of iniquity and tears
How I abhor this place
Its sweet and bitter taste
Has left me wretched, wretching on all fours
Los Angeles, I'm yours
A gentle company
I don't suppose you want to?
And as it tells its sorry tale
In harrowing detail
Its hollowness will haunt you
Its streets and boulevards
Orphans and oligarchs
And here's a plaintive melody
A truncated symphony.
An ocean's garbled vomit on the shore:
Los Angeles, I'm yours
O ladies, pleasant and demure
Hollow-cheek'd and sure
I can see your undies)
And all the boys you drag about
On empty, fallow fount
From Saturdays to Mondays.
You bridge and tunnel crowd
Hanging your trousers down at heel.
This is the realest thing
As ancient choirs sing
A rushing rabble revels from above
Los Angeles, my love.
O what a rush of ripe elan!
Languor on divans
Dalliant and dainty!
But the smell of burnt cocaine,
The dolor and the drain
It only makes me cranky
O great calamity,
Den of iniquity and tears
How I abhor this place
Its sweet and bitter taste
Has left me wretched, wretching on all fours
Los Angeles, I'm yours
Lyrics submitted by ADimeADexter
Los Angeles, I'm Yours Lyrics as written by Colin Meloy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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Lord have mercy, this is one of the reason I don't like the Decemberists new fan-base, some of you understand the song, and props to you guys, but you pseudo-hipsters, are digging irony out of places where it doesn't exist. This song is purely a love song about Los Angeles. If there is one thing you have to catch from Decemberists songs, it's their love for the noire. They appreciate the down-trodden, seemingly evil refuge for the lower-ends of society. Colin is singing about the beautiful disaster the city is, how he sees the most amazing and awe-inspiring decay of the norms of society, yet the root of the society(human interaction) is stronger then any other city in the world. He's saying that Los Angeles doesn't have any of the superficial norms society thinks it has, and instead, has things that mainstream society sees as repulsive, like drugs, hookers, pollution, huge class-divide, etc. Yet, the people are happy to live in their filth, and appreciate all the real things the society has to offer, that other cities, which maybe look for beautiful, and do not have these "social no-nos" ever will. I think Colin wrote this song, and if he did, he is talking about how much he loves Los Angeles, how it brings him to his knees, and how much beauty, most don't realize this wretched society actually has, to those who keep their eyes open.
"how i ABHOR this place... leaves me wretched, RETCHING on all fours"<br /> <br /> <br /> Definition of abhor (in case you didnt know)<br /> <br /> expressing feelings of repugnance<br /> loathing<br /> <br /> it never mentions anyone being happy, excluding the line "los angeles, my love" which is sarcastic. Its not a love song, or even a love/hate song. He's seen los angeles and is repulsed, hense the retching, but surrenders, gives in to the inevitable defeat. "los angeles, im yours."
I think this song is about loving and hating somewhere at the same time. I pointed out Moz but another person notorious for loving somewhere and hating it at the same time was Baudelaire about 19th Century Paris. I'd not be surprised if this song was a conscious reference to Baudelaire.
I was at the Decemberists' show on October 21st at the Wiltern Theatre here in LA, and I have to say that when they started this song, people went CRAZY. My sister and I both live here in Los Angeles and we were right up against the stage going crazy with everyone else. The thing about Los Angeles is that, yes, it's dirty, fake, crowded, hot, and the traffic sucks, but none of us would trade it for the world. And, yes, we both CHOSE to move here, thank you very much... ;^)
I'm really hoping this song is exactly how OneEye explained,
because they seem to take every single stereotype ever stated about los angeles and seemed to squeeze it into one song. As if you can't find hookers, drugs and pollution in any other major city?
You have to know the city to understand it, and since many don't, they take it for face value or with preconceptions. So while this song's writing is actually really creative, its content is not.
Yes! Thank you! I've just recently started listening to The Decemberists, and I was disappointed that this song wasn't added. A week later, here it is. Perfect timing, albeit a bit eerie.
As for the song, it sounds like it's addressing the things LA is notorious for.
Slutty girls "Oh ladies, pleasant and demure Sallow-cheeked and sure I can see your undies And all the boys you drag about An empty fellow found From Saturdays to Mondays"
Drug dealers "But oh, the smell of burnt cocaine "
As the song progresses, it sounds like he's getting more and more sick of LA. Especially the line "How I abhor this place".
Note: The opinions expressed in this comment do not necessarily reflect my opinion of, or people from, LA.:-D
Yeah... just came across how amazing these guys were... and was dissapointed it wasnt on here either so I found it on some other site, Thanx Man. You're Welcome... and I agree with your opinion of what this song means also...
I was playing this album (Her Majesty) for a friend of mine and when this song started she said "why does LA have so many songs written about how great it is" and after the first verse she said "oh... nevermind."
That seems to be most people's reaction to it. I'd love to be at an LA show when they play this song.
I think it's 'rush of ripe élan' on the last verse.
Anyway... this is one of my favorite Decemberists songs. I've always liked art dealing with the love hate relationship with a town, and this song is no exception. I sent this to a friend from LA who has the same sentiment about the place as the song expresses.
Where is the love part? Or are you unfamiliar with irony?
I agree with the love/hate theory but I just have to say that I love the line "an ocean's garbled vomit on the shore." Quite beautiful and definately original!
The last verse is so wonderful :)
My fav decemberist song
amazing, i guess when you have a great english and writing background you use it to write the most fucking brilliant songs. the best song by the most creative band. rock on.