I always thought this song was about religion, but it just occurred to me that as Jackson eschews the lifestyle of the rich and famous, the line "all the world was shining from those hills" may refer to Hollywood - most of the song seems to refer to aspects of LA. "Among those there to test their fortunes and their wills/I lost track of the score long ago ..." I suspect Jackson would see the culture of Hollywood and his own view of the world as being diametrically opposed, and that he sees that plastic culture as irredeemable.
I always thought this song was about religion, but it just occurred to me that as Jackson eschews the lifestyle of the rich and famous, the line "all the world was shining from those hills" may refer to Hollywood - most of the song seems to refer to aspects of LA. "Among those there to test their fortunes and their wills/I lost track of the score long ago ..." I suspect Jackson would see the culture of Hollywood and his own view of the world as being diametrically opposed, and that he sees that plastic culture as irredeemable.