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.
I'm in Los Angeles today
It smells like an airport runway
Jet fuel stench is in the cabin
And lights flickering at random
I'm in Los Angeles today
Garbage cans comprise the medians
Of freeways always creeping
Even when the population's sleeping
And I can't see why you'd want to live here
I'm in Los Angeles today
Asked a gas station employee
If he ever had trouble breathing
And he said "It varies from season to season, kid"
It's where our best are on display
Motion picture actors' houses maps
Are never ever current
So save your film and fifteen dollars
And I can't see why you'd want to live here
Billboards reach past the tallest buildings
We are not perfect, but we sure try
As UV rays degradate our youth with time
The vessel keeps pumping us through this entropic place
In the belly of the beast that is Californ-I-A
I drank from a faucet, and I kept my receipt
For when they weigh me on my way out, here nothing is free
But the Greyhounds keep coming dumping locusts into the streets
'Til the gutters overflow and Los Angeles thinks
I might explode
Someday soon
And it's a lovely summer's day
I can almost see a skyline
Through a thickening shroud of egos
Is this the city of angels or demons?
And here the names are what remain
Stars encapsulate the golden lane
And they need constant cleaning
For when the tourists begin salivating
And I can't see why you'd want to live here
Billboards reach past the tallest buildings
You can't swim in a town this shallow
As you will most assuredly drown tomorrow
It smells like an airport runway
Jet fuel stench is in the cabin
And lights flickering at random
I'm in Los Angeles today
Garbage cans comprise the medians
Of freeways always creeping
Even when the population's sleeping
And I can't see why you'd want to live here
I'm in Los Angeles today
Asked a gas station employee
If he ever had trouble breathing
And he said "It varies from season to season, kid"
It's where our best are on display
Motion picture actors' houses maps
Are never ever current
So save your film and fifteen dollars
And I can't see why you'd want to live here
Billboards reach past the tallest buildings
We are not perfect, but we sure try
As UV rays degradate our youth with time
The vessel keeps pumping us through this entropic place
In the belly of the beast that is Californ-I-A
I drank from a faucet, and I kept my receipt
For when they weigh me on my way out, here nothing is free
But the Greyhounds keep coming dumping locusts into the streets
'Til the gutters overflow and Los Angeles thinks
I might explode
Someday soon
And it's a lovely summer's day
I can almost see a skyline
Through a thickening shroud of egos
Is this the city of angels or demons?
And here the names are what remain
Stars encapsulate the golden lane
And they need constant cleaning
For when the tourists begin salivating
And I can't see why you'd want to live here
Billboards reach past the tallest buildings
You can't swim in a town this shallow
As you will most assuredly drown tomorrow
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regardless of if it's about him hating LA or not, he found enough reasons to make it seem as though he detests LA, and it's pretty darn convincing.
either way it's a great song