Hey L.A
Smash Mouth Lyrics

There's an automatic teller machine in the emergency room
In L.A., you can find an ATM even in the most unexpected places like a hospital emergency room.

There's a meter maid she arrives by broom
A traffic warden comes in unique ways, like flying on a broom. Still, they will find you wherever you park, even in L.A.

There's a bear in the air with a lullaby
There is wildlife in L.A., from bears, cougars, and other creatures, but even at night, your mind can hear a lullaby, a product of a distracted mind.

And a big brown coat to keep you warm at night
L.A. climate can get chilly too; warm clothes will be enough to keep you comfortable at night.

There's a money tree
Money, it grows on trees in L.A., but the downside is it's hard to climb to harvest the fruits, and that's where people get creative.

And the ladder leans up against the trunk
A ladder lies next to the tree, waiting for the next daring soul ready to climb and reach for the riches.

But the steps are greased
One could slide or slip on their way up, thus making it more challenging to get the bounty.

Where you from
The singer asks the listeners where they come from.

Where have you gone now
The singer asks where the listener went to, as if looking for answers.

Well, it looks like someone's spaceship crashed in Babylon
L.A. is also home to creative people, and so the singer paints a picture of a spaceship crashing in Babylon, a creative spin to a bizarre narrative.

There's a plastic man with a plastic knife
In this line, the singer is likely referring to the fake people in L.A. that he/she met, like a plastic warrior holding a plastic sword.

In a rubber hand at a drastic price
The plastic man has a rubber hand, making it ironic and not able to walk the talk. But still demands a high price for his/ her service.

Don't miss this show you will be amazed
According to the singer, tourists and newcomers should brace themselves for amazing and unexplainable things. They can witness a side show and be spellbound by it.

You're a shining star, a needle in the haze
L.A. hides away precious gems, like diamonds in the rough, needles in a haystack, and the amazingly talented people from around the world.

There's a man upstairs with the fire below
Penthouse fires, apartment fireplaces, and other combustions all happen in L.A., and people live with it.

There's the elevator and away you go
Despite the fire threats, people have their options and choose to reside there, and once done, they enter the elevator and leave unscathed.

There's a smooth operator
L.A. has its smooth operators, people skilled in their game, and work rumors and deals like magic.

There's a famous Governator
L.A. has a notable politician and actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who's as popular as Hollywood's A-listers.

Everybody walks in L.A. on a backward escalator
People in L.A. don't want to be left behind, and so you'll find people walking on escalators, just to get ahead, sometimes backwards.

It's a soul terminator
Terminator movie was shot in L.A., and the singer refers to L.A. as the soul terminator. Maybe because of its fast-paced life that could lifeless and lacks soul.

It's a sea of alligators
L.A. is a shark tank, and people navigate it like swimming through a sea of alligators, with predators that could harm or bring them down.

On each and every corner there's a broken-hearted waiter
L.A. has a lot of talented people waiting for their light to shine, but because of its competitive and challenging nature, some of them become heartbroken with unfulfilled dreams.