I love the freeways
I love the muscle cars
I love the Getty
I love (most of) the stars
I love to thrift-shop
And swim on New Year’s Day
Boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada…
I love TJ’s
I love dispensaries
I love the food trucks
I love KABC
I love the Valley Se habla Espanol
Boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada…
I love test screenings
I love the Chinese Mann
I love free t-shirts
I love my union man
I love the studios
From Fox to Paramount
Boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada, boom de yada…
I love the brown air,
I love the traffic,
I love the crime rate,
I love the wild fires,
I love the MPAA,
And all their Senators,
Boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada…
I’ve only been to L.A, once (when I was 7 doesn’t count). Meh, it was okay. But every now and then I’d pass a street sign which would get that song running through my head.
I love LA too - it’s an awesome city with tons of things to do.
The family and I flew in last weekend for Gallifrey 23 (a Doctor Who convention) and I told my wife: “You and Sophie are going to the convention, but I’m going to Los Angeles…” and that’s what I did. I only had 2 days but got to see Venice Beach, Marina Del Rey, Anaheim, Hollywood, H. Hills (and the sign) and had fun driving on the freeways (I’m one of those who likes to drive.)
I kept telling them that LA is a large city and while they believed me, it wasn’t until we flew in Friday afternoon that they understood what I meant - the plane pretty much followed I-10 from Indio into LAX, taking about 20+ minutes to do so, and Sophie at one time cried out “Dad! Los Angeles is huge! There must be a billion people living there!” (Sophie is a highly-excitable 10, so exaggeration is expected.) Even Laura was a bit overwhelmed by the size of the metro area even before we landed.
I kind of blew Laura’s mind when, while going north on the 405, I told her “You know, we’re only 2 right turns and 1 left turn from being home…” and then proved it to her: Right onto I-10, take it all the way into San Antonio, right onto De Zevala road in SA, left from DZ rd onto our street. (This ignores any stops that would have to be made - if I included those, I wouldn’t be able to show how clever I was being! )
But, yeah: it’s a great city, definitely world-class, and one of the few cities to receive two mentions in Sir Peter Hall’s Cities in Civilization, a survey of 29 (iirc) cities and their periods of highest worldwide intellectual/artistic/economic influence. One of my favorite books.
Actually, I don’t like the Randy Newman song. Calling out street names is about the only L.A.-specific part of it. “Look at those mountains, look at those trees” could just as easily apply to Colorado. Did he write it for the '84 Olympics? If he wrote it on request, that could explain why it sounds so thrown together.
Derleth: Well, there are things I don’t like too. And some I’m meh on. Palm trees, for instance. But there are just as many that I like that I had to leave out, such as being in the audience for talk shows. And I had to choose the Getty over LACMA, because to me, one of the most beautiful things at the Getty is not in the building. If you’re there after dark, go out to the patio that overlooks the 405. Traffic will probably be bumper to bumper. Too bad for them, but look to your right, and you’ll see a mile of red taillights. To your left, a mile of white headlights, like the world’s largest ruby-and-diamond bracelet. Museum exhibits come and go, but barring unforseen circumstances, that view will be there for a long time.
A lot of Newman’s early work, songs like Short People and Political Science (“drop the big one”), had a strong trend toward sarcasm. And I used to not like I Love L.A. (but for the opposite reason from you) until I considered it among his other songs. If I remember correctly, during the video when he sings “look at those mountains”, we see the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland. But I don’t think the song is entirely a put on, either. I think he does love L.A., and he does so in spite of, or maybe even because of, all the things other people dismiss about it. He’s just not the kind of guy who could write an uncritical city anthem like New York, New York or Chicago (That Toddlin’ Town).
Plus, I heard somewhere that he got residuals for years when I Love L.A. was played at Dodgers games. I don’t know if Dodger fans recognize the sense of self-mocking in the song. I think Newman was misunderstood and underappreciated for years. so it’s nice to see him be misunderstood and rich.
I love the way it starts:
Rollin’ down the Imperial Highway
With a big nasty redhead at my side
Santa Ana winds blowin’ hot from the north
And we was born to ride
You live in my parents’ neighborhood! They live at Vance Jackson and DZ.
I went to LA last year and still wasn’t impressed. I’m a native Angeleno who escaped. Every time I go back, it gets a little dirtier, a little less organized, and a little more like somewhere I’m glad I left. Fortunately, I don’t have very many reasons to go back that often.
I actually love LA’s grit. It’s part of its charm. But you know what I hate about that place? Those #%$@ing Sit N Sleep commercials. “You’re killing me, Larry.” Oh dear lords, I hate those commercials with enough passion to make me want to stay in the cold, miserable Midwest forever.
I love the tar pits
I love the dry bars
I love Mulholland Drive
I love the sidewalk stars
I love West Hollywood
With its leather boys and Russian bubbies
Boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada … .
I love Curry House
I love The Apple Pan
I love Giant Robot
I love my winter tan
I love the valet parking
At my grocery store
Boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada, boom-de-yada … .
I like LA. I’ve been there a few times, and there’s always lots to see and do.
I did manage to make it a few times to Stern’s Famous BBQ in Culver City–technically, not LA proper perhaps, but close enough. Best BBQ’ed beef ever! Stern’s is long closed, as I understand, but gosh, was it ever good. I well remember a few great meals there.
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