Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
I'm leaving tonight
Down the same dirt road
A million times
I've driven just to get home
And I ain't ever looking back
For nothing
Headed for the coast
Looking for the high life
Everybody knows
It's nothing but a good time
And I sold everything I had
For something
I can't seem to find
So this is the life they talk about
This is the I can't live without
When the real world crashes down
Oh if they could see me now
When all the dreams are all your own
Turn to nightmares all alone
It hits you right between the eyes
This is the life
This is the life
These four walls feel more like a prison
Instead of pure highs
I couldn't wait to live in
So I just drink myself to sleep
Again
Can't escape my mind
This ain't like a movie
It's getting hard to hide
The more it's doin' to me
Don't know how long I can keep
I'm going
Crazy all the time
So this is the life they talk about
This is the life I can't live without
When the real world crashes down
Oh if they could see me now
When all the dreams are all your own
Turn to nightmares all alone
It hits you right between the eyes
This is the life
This is the life
Nothings ever what it seems
Maybe that grass ain't so green
Nothings ever out of reach
When you're seventeen
So this is the life they talked about
This is the I can't live without
When the real world crashes down
Oh if they could see me now
When all the dreams are all your own
Turn to nightmares all alone
It hits you right between the eyes
And this is the life
This is the life
Yeah
Down the same dirt road
A million times
I've driven just to get home
And I ain't ever looking back
For nothing
Headed for the coast
Looking for the high life
Everybody knows
It's nothing but a good time
And I sold everything I had
For something
I can't seem to find
So this is the life they talk about
This is the I can't live without
When the real world crashes down
Oh if they could see me now
When all the dreams are all your own
Turn to nightmares all alone
It hits you right between the eyes
This is the life
This is the life
These four walls feel more like a prison
Instead of pure highs
I couldn't wait to live in
So I just drink myself to sleep
Again
Can't escape my mind
This ain't like a movie
It's getting hard to hide
The more it's doin' to me
Don't know how long I can keep
I'm going
Crazy all the time
So this is the life they talk about
This is the life I can't live without
When the real world crashes down
Oh if they could see me now
When all the dreams are all your own
Turn to nightmares all alone
It hits you right between the eyes
This is the life
This is the life
Nothings ever what it seems
Maybe that grass ain't so green
Nothings ever out of reach
When you're seventeen
So this is the life they talked about
This is the I can't live without
When the real world crashes down
Oh if they could see me now
When all the dreams are all your own
Turn to nightmares all alone
It hits you right between the eyes
And this is the life
This is the life
Yeah
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I think all the previous comments are all very good interpretations. Mine is pretty much the same. I believe it's about having that dream as a teenager of becoming a rock star. You pack up everything and head to California "the coast". You make it, you are touring the world but it's everything you always dreamt it would be bit you don't realize the toll it takes. Just my opinion. Gr8 song