(1) The Hippos were a th… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one band with this name.
(1) The Hippos were a third wave ska-punk band from Southern California. Unlike other typical bands of the genre, The Hippos employed heavy use of a Moog synthesizer.
The Hippos’s first full album release was Forget the World, released in 1996. Interestingly, many of the songs on Forget The World were written when Ariel Rechstaid, the band’s primary songwriter, was only 15 years old. This album employed traditional ska-punk songwriting, including upbeat tempos and heavy brass instrumentation. Additionally, various percussion instruments were used, such as bongos and wood blocks. The next album was Heads Are Gonna Roll, released in 1999. A transitional album, a balance of horns and synthesizers is found on this album. Commercially, this album was the band’s most successful; it is the only album to be fully produced by a large record label and thus is assumedly the most circulated and heard of the three albums.
The Hippos, a self titled final release, was released in 2003 after the band’s break-up. This album completed the gradual transition from traditional ska-punk to the unique, orginal synthpop sound exhibited here. Ties to the ska-punk scene from which they began had been all but completely severed. In fact, only one track from this album uses horns at all, an essential element of ska. Much of the Hippos’s fanbase was initially reluctant at such a different sound, but for the most part, this reluctance gave way to admiration. To many fans, the Hippos’s final album was their best written and most enjoyable, despite its limited commercial success.
(2) The Hippos are a blues band from Sydney, Australia. They enjoyed modest chart success with Dark Age in 1988, from the album Hippocracy.
Los Angeles
The Hippos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've
I've been here too
They said you were clever
Let's see what you can do
Cause I never wanted
Wanted to leave it
Said I can't believe it
(Los Angeles)
Los Angeles
(Yeah I can't believe it)
Los Angeles
(Yeah)
Los Angeles
(Said I...)
Things can't be easy
You're getting older
The pressure's building
Living in Van Nuys
Cal-i-forn-i-a
What else could I say?
Cause I never wanted
Wanted to believe it
Said I can't believe it
Los Angeles
(Los Angeles)
Los Angeles
(Yeah I can't believe it)
Los Angeles
(The west side)
Los Angeles
You said you were leaving
Heading out to the east coast
Cause your heart was bleeding
And people can be so
But you must remember
That it ain't the weather
That's gonna protect you
They will still neglect you
But I'll always love you
Said I've always loved you
(So come on home)
Said I've always loved you
So get back in your car and head west to California
The sun will be shining
And we could be dining by the ocean blue
Cause I never wanted
Wanted to leave
Said I can't believe it
Los Angeles
(Los Angeles)
Los Angeles
(Yeah I can't believe it)
Los Angeles
(Los fues)
Los Angeles
(Said)
Los Angeles
(Said...)
Los Angeles
(Yeah I'll believe it)
Los Angeles
(Yeah)
The Hippos's song Los Angeles is an ode to the city of Los Angeles, sung by a person who has lived there for a long time and loves everything about it, despite its problems. The song starts with an acknowledgment that both the singer and the city have been there forever, and then places a challenge: they have to prove their cleverness. The lyrics then acknowledge that things are not easy, and that the pressure is building, especially if you live in Van Nuys, a notoriously difficult area in Los Angeles. Despite that, the singer still believes in the city, and feels like he could never have wanted to leave it.
Then the focus shifts to a person who is leaving Los Angeles for the East Coast because they say their heart is bleeding and people can be so cruel. The singer issues a warning that people won't be nicer in the East Coast, and urges them to remember that the weather won't protect them. Still, the singer offers love and suggests that they come back to Los Angeles where the sun is shining, the Pacific Ocean is blue, and they could be dining together. The song ends with a final declaration of love for Los Angeles.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been here forever
You have lived in Los Angeles for a long time
I've been here too
I have also lived in Los Angeles for a while
They said you were clever, Let's see what you can do
People say Los Angeles is a tough city, let's see if you can handle it
Cause I never wanted, Wanted to leave it
I never wanted to leave Los Angeles
Said I can't believe it, Los Angeles
I can't believe how much I love Los Angeles
Things can't be easy, You're getting older, The pressure's building, Living in Van Nuys
Life in Los Angeles is not easy, as you get older, the pressure of living in a place like Van Nuys increases
Cal-i-forn-i-a, What else could I say?
What else can one say about California?
You said you were leaving, Heading out to the east coast, Cause your heart was bleeding, And people can be so
You said you were leaving Los Angeles to go to the east coast because of heartbreak caused by people here
But you must remember, That it ain't the weather, That's gonna protect you, They will still neglect you
You must remember that the weather won't protect you from being neglected by people in California
But I'll always love you, Said I've always loved you, So come on home, Said I've always loved you
But I will always love you and want you to come back to Los Angeles
So get back in your car and head west to California, The sun will be shining, And we could be dining by the ocean blue
Come back to Los Angeles, we can enjoy the sunshine and eat by the ocean together
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Los fues, Said, Los Angeles, Said..., Yeah I'll believe it, Los Angeles, Yeah
Repetition of the city's name emphasizing the deep love for Los Angeles
Contributed by Jayce I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.