Los Angeles
Head Murray Lyrics
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With the man behind a desk
In a motel on some old boulevard
Where the view deserves a rest
Try the phone just one more time
Answering service comes on the line
Will my credentials give me a start
Or if I make a sudden movement
Is it all gonna crack wide apart?
All they ask is my name, will I call back again?
Ooh Los Angeles and your ivy-mantled lawns
Ooh Los Angeles and your candy coated homes
In this smoothest saccharine city
Where there's the sun to say there's a shine
Is it roasting turkeys slowly
On a never ending line
Or blinding ultimatums
While they buy themselves more time
Los Angeles
In the end do your prisoners fail?
Los Angeles
How your guardian angels wail
Los Angeles
How does your garden grow?
Old gold, Los Angeles
Your wrinkles barely show.
The song Los Angeles by Head Murray is a melancholic reflection on the city of Los Angeles. The lyrics speak of a traveler leaving his passport and deposit with a motel desk clerk on an old boulevard, where he can rest and reflect on the view. The repetitive line "Ooh Los Angeles and your ivy-mantled lawns, Ooh Los Angeles and your candy-coated homes" creates a dreamy and nostalgic feel that hints at the city's facade. The traveler wonders if his credentials will be enough to make a start and if his sudden movement will break everything apart. He portrays a sense of insecurity that is present in the city.
The song continues to describe Los Angeles's smooth saccharine city with the sun's shine that roasts turkeys slowly on a never-ending line. The lyrics speak of blinding ultimatums and how the wealthy buy themselves more time. The verses end with questions about the city, portraying a sense of uncertainty, such as "In the end, do your prisoners fail?" and "How does your garden grow?" These lyrics evoke a sense of darkness in the city beneath its superficial facade.
Line by Line Meaning
Leave my passport and deposit
I'm leaving my passport and money with the motel desk clerk.
With the man behind a desk
The desk clerk is the person behind the desk.
In a motel on some old boulevard
The motel is located on an old street.
Where the view deserves a rest
The view is peaceful and calm and can help me relax.
Try the phone just one more time
I'm going to try calling someone one more time.
Answering service comes on the line
I'm redirected to an automatic answering service.
Will my credentials give me a start
Do I have the right qualifications for this job?
Will they warm somebody's heart?
Will someone appreciate my work?
Or if I make a sudden movement
If I do something unexpected, will everything fail?
Is it all gonna crack wide apart?
Will everything fall apart unexpectedly?
All they ask is my name, will I call back again?
The answering service simply asks for my name and whether I will call again later.
Ooh Los Angeles and your ivy-mantled lawns
Los Angeles has beautiful lawns covered in ivy.
Ooh Los Angeles and your candy coated homes
The homes in Los Angeles look like they have candy coating.
In this smoothest saccharine city
Los Angeles seems very smooth and sugary.
Where there's the sun to say there's a shine
The sun is always shining in Los Angeles.
Is it roasting turkeys slowly
Are things happening slowly in Los Angeles?
On a never ending line
Things in Los Angeles seem to go on forever.
Or blinding ultimatums
There are harsh consequences for not following rules in Los Angeles.
While they buy themselves more time
People in Los Angeles are always trying to buy more time.
Los Angeles
Talking about the city Los Angeles.
In the end do your prisoners fail?
Do people who are trapped in Los Angeles fail eventually?
Los Angeles
Talking about the city Los Angeles again.
How your guardian angels wail
People who are supposed to protect the city are crying out in pain.
Los Angeles
Talking about the city Los Angeles again.
How does your garden grow?
How is the city of Los Angeles developing?
Old gold, Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles is both old and valuable.
Your wrinkles barely show.
The problems with the city have not become too visible yet.
Contributed by Cole G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@annelefevre2516
Subllime chanson. Je l'adore ce Monsieur et cette chanson....Celle-ci fait rêver!!!
@spharrison3654
Murray Head, absolutely brilliant, so under-rated..
@thomasvenneker
Great tune, fortunate enough to go round LA county before the pandemic hit. Live thousands of miles away now and am banned from entering the USA, think about the city of angels often.
@moulianeric4238
toujours aussi agreable a ecouter.....meme 40 ans apres...
@jeanpierreechinard3415
Si belle chanson.
@charlietamburelli8008
Magique eeeeeuuuuuuhhhhh
@louisguillot8514
My fave track is this version on youtube, but the version on the album is brilliant too
@DTecksVision
1:22 wow !
@stephrandos1792
C'est la version originale de l'album Between Us de 1979.
@Geemonster69
My fave track on the voices album.