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I Love L.A. Lyrics

Let it printed, let it be known
I'm leaving you, I'm going home
And all you can do is just watch me go

I've put you down, talked you up, defended your honor
Then packed it in and picked it up
And all you can do is just watch me go

From the eastern seaboard, the landlocked midwest
The Keys, the Alps, the Black Hills, and Budapest
With my heart in a sling, tail between my legs a-swinging
I'm sorry for leaving

But when the palm trees bow their heads
No matter how cruel I've been
L.A., you always let me back in

And you can bury me when my body breaks
In the earth that created me, in the golden state
By my mama and her brother, and their mama, too

Because I had a dream I was carried on backs
Of a thousand green birds
And they carried me to a place without words
And there was nothing, but there was everything

But when the palm trees bow their heads
No matter how wrong I've been
L.A., you always let me back in
And when the palm trees bow their heads
No matter how cruel I've been
L.A. you always let me back in, in
Oh, back in, in, oh, back in, in
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Cover art for I Love L.A. lyrics by Rilo Kiley

wow......this song is incredible...I first heard when I was watching Rilo Kiley on Austin City Limits. Clearly, it's about L.A, maybe something else under the surface of the lyrics as well

Cover art for I Love L.A. lyrics by Rilo Kiley

This song is about the unconditional love that lead singer Jenny Lewis receives from her hometown, Los Angeles. :}

Cover art for I Love L.A. lyrics by Rilo Kiley

"And you can bury me when my body breaks In the earth that created me, in the golden state By my mama and her brother, and their mama, too"

I think this verse is absolutely beautiful. I love the idea of a place you can always return to, that will always be your home, and will ultimately welcome you into the earth along with those who came before you. It looks like Jenny Lewis feels the same! :)

Cover art for I Love L.A. lyrics by Rilo Kiley

I agree that this song is about Jenny's love for L.A. , but I always thought that it talked about leaving L.A. -maybe for touring- and knowing that L.A. would still be there as her home when she's back. Therefore the "you" would be L.A. However, she starts saying "i'm leaving you, I'm going home", and for that reason I think that maybe this is about the end of a relationship -and the "you" would be another person- and that once the relationship ends and she is heartbroken ("With my heart in a sling, tail between my legs a-swinging") and goes back to the city that can heal her.

My Interpretation
 
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