This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Down on the West Coast they got a saying
"If you're not drinking then you're not playing"
But you've got the music, you've got the music in you, don't you?
Down on the West Coast I get this feeling like
It all could happen that's why I'm leaving you for the music
You for the music it's true, it's true
I push it hard, you pull away, I'm feeling hotter than fire
I'm feeling like there's no one else that brings me higher than higher
Te deseo, cariño, boy it's you I desire
Your love, your love, your love
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh baby, ooh baby, I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y Cubano como yo, la la
On the balcony and I'm sayin
Move baby, move baby, I'm in love
I'm in love, I'm in love (I'm in love, I'm in love)
Down on the West Coast, they got their icons
Their silver starlets, their queens of Saigons
But you've got the music, you've got the music in you
Don't you
You pull me close, I push away, I'm feeling hot to the touch
You say you miss me and I wanna say I miss you so much
But something keeps me really quiet, I'm alive, I'm a lush
Hold me close and you say, hush baby, hush
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh baby, ooh baby. I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y Cubano como yo, la la
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move baby, move baby, I'm in love
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh baby, ooh baby, I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y Cubano como yo, la la
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move baby, move baby, I'm in love
I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love
"If you're not drinking then you're not playing"
But you've got the music, you've got the music in you, don't you?
Down on the West Coast I get this feeling like
It all could happen that's why I'm leaving you for the music
You for the music it's true, it's true
I push it hard, you pull away, I'm feeling hotter than fire
I'm feeling like there's no one else that brings me higher than higher
Te deseo, cariño, boy it's you I desire
Your love, your love, your love
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh baby, ooh baby, I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y Cubano como yo, la la
On the balcony and I'm sayin
Move baby, move baby, I'm in love
I'm in love, I'm in love (I'm in love, I'm in love)
Down on the West Coast, they got their icons
Their silver starlets, their queens of Saigons
But you've got the music, you've got the music in you
Don't you
You pull me close, I push away, I'm feeling hot to the touch
You say you miss me and I wanna say I miss you so much
But something keeps me really quiet, I'm alive, I'm a lush
Hold me close and you say, hush baby, hush
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh baby, ooh baby. I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y Cubano como yo, la la
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move baby, move baby, I'm in love
I can see my baby swinging
His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh baby, ooh baby, I'm in love
I can see my sweet boy swaying
He's crazy y Cubano como yo, la la
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move baby, move baby, I'm in love
I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love
Lyrics submitted by iholdher, edited by toadling17, whittneydoll, ichigurl, tulipsareblue, BiancaJanelle, JellyKane
West Coast Lyrics as written by Rick Nowels Elizabeth Grant
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I have listened to this song over and over again without caring much about the meaning, until one day, a concept washed over me. To me it's like loving an idol. Being infatuated with a rock god and knowing that every other girl in every crowd he sings to feels the same way- sort of a nod to 70s Californian groupies "down on the west coast". These musicians are "golden gods", unattainable, inspire the awe-struck sexuality and bluntness of lyrics where she describes him dancing and feeling only a physical connection. It's a feral kind of passion hazed with drink and drugs (totally Lana), and despite such deep adoration its not reciprocated, she can only watch him and his music and pour her heart out. The last few lines "on the balcony and I'm saying, move, baby, move, I'm in love. I'm in love.", is like her being in a crowd and pushing past others to get a glimpse of her idol.