The Last Resort
Stereophonics Lyrics

She came from Providence, one in Rhode Island
The girl in the story is from Providence, which is a city located in Rhode Island.

Where the old world shadows hang, heavy in the air
The place where she came from is very old and traditional.

She packed her hopes and dreams, like a refugee
The girl left her home in search of a better life, hoping to fulfill her dreams.

Just as her father came, across the sea.
Her father also came to this place, but from a different country across the sea.

She heard about a place, people were smiling
She learned about a place where people were happy and content with their lives.

Spoke about the red man's way, how they loved the land
She heard about the Native American culture and their deep connection with the land.

They came from everywhere, to the Great Divide
People from all over the world came to this particular place, which is known as the Great Divide.

Seeking a place to stay, or a place to hide.
They came to settle down or to escape from their problems, looking for a new home.

Down in the crowded bars, out for a good time
People would often go out to bars and clubs to have fun and socialize.

Can't wait to tell you all, what it's like up there
They are excited to share their experiences of this place with others who haven't been there yet.

They call it Paradise, I don't know why
The place is often referred to as Paradise, although it is unclear why.

Somebody laid the mountains low, while the town got high.
The town expanded and grew as the mountains around it were destroyed.

Then the chilly winds blew down, across the desert
The cold winds blew across the desert and towards the coast.

Through the canyons of the coast, to the Malibu
The winds traveled through the canyons of the coastal mountains and reached Malibu.

Where the pretty people play, hungry for power
Malibu is a place where rich and famous people gather, always seeking for more power.

Too light their neon ways, give 'em things to do
They had to entertain themselves by lighting up the town with bright neon lights and creating various attractions.

Some rich man came and raped the land, Nobody caught him
A wealthy individual came and destroyed the environment for his own gain, and he got away with it without being held accountable.

Put up a bunch of ugly boxes, and Jesus people bought 'em
Although the constructions that emerged after the destruction were ugly, people still bought them with their religious beliefs in mind.

The place to be
It is a desirable place to live.

They watched the hazy sun, sinking in the sea
People would often watch the beautiful sunsets over the ocean from this place.

You can leave it all behind and sail to Lahaina
People have the option to leave this place behind and move to a different location called Lahaina.

Just like the missionaries did, so many years ago
The same way the missionaries came to this place many years ago, people still arrive there today.

They even brought a neon sign, Jesus is coming
Even the religious signs were made to be flashy with the use of neon lights.

The white man's burden
The colonizers' belief that it is their duty to spread their religion and culture to the rest of the world.

Who will provide the grand design, what is yours and what is mine
It is unclear who has the right and power to create the plan for this place or decide what belongs to whom.

'Cause there is no more new frontier,
There is no longer any untouched land or territory to explore and conquer.

We have got to make it here, To satisfy our endless needs
The people here have to work towards fulfilling their never-ending desires and wants.

And justify our bloody deeds
Their actions that resulted in destruction of the environment and other harmful consequences need to be justified.

In the name of destiny, In the name of God
The colonizers believe that their actions are justified by God and hope to fulfill their destiny in doing so.

And you can see them there, on a Sunday morning
People go to church on Sunday mornings in this place.

Stand up and sing about, what it's like up there
They sing and express their beliefs and experiences of the place people call Paradise.

Call some place Paradise, Kiss it goodbye
Despite being called Paradise, it is time to say goodbye to this place as it is no longer the same beautiful place it once was.