Useless in L.A.
Laura Dawn Lyrics


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it was me
that hung on every syllable you said
and it was me
that threw a fully loaded book straight at your head
but you gotta hold on
to the things you love
and ignore what they feed
yeah, ya gotta hold on
cause no one's quite the sum
of all their deeds

and it's useless in l.a.
no one's been forgiven yet
and if i knew what to say
then i'd say it
and you'd somehow forget

it was me
that warned you 'bout the point of no return
and it was me
that stared in fascination while you burned
but you gotta hold on
to the things you love
and ignore what they feed
yeah, ya gotta hold on
cause no one's quite the sum
of all their deeds

and it's useless in l.a.
no one's been forgiven yet
and if i knew what to say
then i'd say it
and you'd somehow forget
and if i knew what to say
then i'd say it
and you'd somehow forget

but you gotta hold on
don't let your head get damaged by this scene
yeah, ya gotta hold on
cause no one's quite the sum of all their deeds

and it's useless in l.a.
no one's been forgiven yet
and if i knew what to say then i'd say it
and you'd somehow forget

the difference between what i do
and what i mean
and if i knew what to say
then i'd say it
and we could get away clean




we could get away clean
we could get away clean

Overall Meaning

The song "Useless in L.A." by Laura Dawn is a poignant reflection on love, forgiveness, and the struggles of living in a place like Los Angeles where no one seems to be able to escape their past. The first verse captures the singer's intense fascination with someone else - someone who they hung on every word of, even while fighting a temptation to throw a book at their head. This push-pull dynamic reflects the complexities of human relationships - how we can be simultaneously drawn to and frustrated by the people we care about.


The second verse echoes this sentiment, with the singer warning the other person about the "point of no return" and yet being unable to look away as they burn. Again, we see the contradictory nature of love - how it can inspire us to seek to protect those we care about and yet also make us feel helpless in the face of their struggles. The chorus drives home the sense of futility in the city of LA, where no one seems to be able to move past their mistakes and find true forgiveness. The repeated refrain of "if I knew what to say then I'd say it / and you'd somehow forget" further underscores the idea that language and communication are often insufficient tools for healing.


In the final verse, the singer exhorts the other person to hold on to what they love and not let the superficiality of LA damage them, while acknowledging the gap between what people do and what they mean. The song ends on a note of hope - "we could get away clean" - that suggests that despite all the struggles, the human spirit is resilient and capable of change.


Line by Line Meaning

it was me
I was the one who did something in this situation


that hung on every syllable you said
I paid close attention to everything you said


that threw a fully loaded book straight at your head
I was upset and threw a book at you


but you gotta hold on
You need to stay strong


to the things you love
Focus on the things that matter to you


and ignore what they feed
Don't let others influence you with their negativity


yeah, ya gotta hold on
You really need to stay strong


cause no one's quite the sum
No one can be judged solely on their actions


of all their deeds
All of the things they have done in their life


and it's useless in l.a.
It's hopeless in Los Angeles


no one's been forgiven yet
People are still bearing grudges


and if i knew what to say
If I had the right words to say


then i'd say it
I would say those words


and you'd somehow forget
You would somehow forget about the situation


that warned you 'bout the point of no return
I cautioned you about going too far


that stared in fascination while you burned
I watched in curiosity as something negative happened to you


don't let your head get damaged by this scene
Don't let this situation affect you mentally


the difference between what i do
The contrast between my actions


and what i mean
And what I actually want to convey


and we could get away clean
We could leave this situation behind without any negative effects


we could get away clean
We could leave without any repercussions


we could get away clean
We could depart without any consequences




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

F. D. R. / F. D. R.

When you have stars as Vanna & Pat with all the accolades they've created it's undisputed
any team following these two winners will be hard to beat. After more than 30 years fans
can't help but rate the new host & co-host. There's no doubt that the show has been and
certainly is a huge success then isn't it time to move on. All writers and creators of many
successful shows have seen their triumphs come and go. So... doesn't it make a certain
amount of sense to just let go? Show people behind the scenes earn big paychecks too.
For the big money that's paid it's just time to get together put thinking caps in place and
be big time creative once again. No modern short cuts. The making of an award winning
game show or any show for that matter requires no short cuts. All details that were used
in the making of a 30 show was just that, 30 years ago. Just follow the floor plans of the
best of the best as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and other winners had and earn those
gorgeous salaries. No fluff. It has to be a work of art to follow the best it has to be the
best. Anything second rate will cost you sponsors and some salaries. It is clearly
understandable there is no crystal ball as to what will and what will not succeed. But hey
it could be with serious and too not so serious focusing the better than best is in your
future and the future of the viewers. Then history can and will repeat itself.



All comments from YouTube:

Anthony Freeman

Pat & Vanna have been a much loved & appreciated couple of host for WOF. I love the show. I remember seeing Vanna come through the show’s curtain when she first joined the show. I have loved her ever since.

Joseph Joe

I don't want them to leave because they are what makes the show so great and beloved

salsaghoul688

Vanna White has been my favorite celebrity since i was a kid. I watched it in m early years on tv. It's hard for me to believe why they would leave the show considering that their contract expires this year. i just hope they stay on the show cause i'm actually their biggest fan and i'm an expert puzzle solver. It's really unfair that they both would want to leave the show for whatever reason. i would love to get to know Vanna in person. Then again she might try hosting the price is right considering that she was on that show back in 1980. Any thoughts on this?

Rebelmacdaddy07

Vanna White has been my favorite celebrity since i was a kid. I watched it in m early years on tv. It's hard for me to believe why they would leave the show considering that their contract expires this year. i just hope they stay on the show cause i'm actually their biggest fan and i'm an expert puzzle solver. It's really unfair that they both would want to leave the show for whatever reason. i would love to get to know them in person. Then again she might try hosting the price is right considering that she was on that show back in 1980 and it would be my ultimate dream of hosting WOF!

Joe Scott

No one can replace them. They have become American icons. Without them the show will experience a major dw turn. It is due to their level of skill at entertaining.

Rick King

The only reason the show would experience a major down turn is because people would miss them as they have been doing it forever. It has nothing to do with skill. Anyone can do what they do.

1 More Replies...

F. D. R. / F. D. R.

When you have stars as Vanna & Pat with all the accolades they've created it's undisputed
any team following these two winners will be hard to beat. After more than 30 years fans
can't help but rate the new host & co-host. There's no doubt that the show has been and
certainly is a huge success then isn't it time to move on. All writers and creators of many
successful shows have seen their triumphs come and go. So... doesn't it make a certain
amount of sense to just let go? Show people behind the scenes earn big paychecks too.
For the big money that's paid it's just time to get together put thinking caps in place and
be big time creative once again. No modern short cuts. The making of an award winning
game show or any show for that matter requires no short cuts. All details that were used
in the making of a 30 show was just that, 30 years ago. Just follow the floor plans of the
best of the best as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and other winners had and earn those
gorgeous salaries. No fluff. It has to be a work of art to follow the best it has to be the
best. Anything second rate will cost you sponsors and some salaries. It is clearly
understandable there is no crystal ball as to what will and what will not succeed. But hey
it could be with serious and too not so serious focusing the better than best is in your
future and the future of the viewers. Then history can and will repeat itself.

My Cat Alby

No one could take their place. It wouldn’t be the same with someone else. 💜

Maurice Rivers

They said the same about "The Price Is Right", and look what happened: it's still going. There's no denying that they will be missed, but the the franchise is far bigger than them and WILL continue when they're gone.

Plant Based

Vanna is never leaving. She's made a fortune on "Wheel Of Fortune."

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