So L.A.
The Motels Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Walk of the town on a sun burned night
Keep in mind the dream so nice
Walk of the night that seemed so new
All of it is up to you

Jimmy cracked when he came out her
Precious dream never seemed so clear
Now he practiced a thousand times
The city that should have been his that night

And the man on the corner got something new
And something new is good for you tonight
Oh, oh, it's so L.A.

Walk of the woman that came to say
She come and walk there every day
He speciality was you, and she
Dream the same but incomplete

And the man on the corner got something new
And something new is good for you tonight
Oh, oh, it's so L.A.

Walk of time as time goes on
Walk of pain as pains prolonged
And the dream and the woman and the time and you
Are all very welcome to Hollywood

And the man on the corner got something new




And something new is good for you tonight
Oh, oh, it's so L.A.

Overall Meaning

The Motels’ song “So L.A.” is a nostalgic ode to the City of Angels. Lead vocalist Martha Davis sings of the city’s dreamlike quality, capturing the essence of Los Angeles in the ‘80s. The lyrics make several references to a dream, and how nothing is as it seems. Davis talks of walking in the city on a night burned by the sun, and how everything can change in the blink of an eye. The lyrics suggest that the city is full of promise and potential, but at the same time, it can be a place of broken dreams.


The song also tells the story of Jimmy, a man who dreams of making it big in the city but ultimately fails. The woman who walks every day is also mentioned, who has her own dreams but is incomplete without someone to share them with. The lyrics suggest that the city is full of people chasing their dreams, but not all of them will succeed, leaving them feeling incomplete and unfulfilled.


Line by Line Meaning

Walk of the town on a sun burned night
Taking a stroll around the city on a hot, humid night


Keep in mind the dream so nice
Remembering a fond dream


Walk of the night that seemed so new
Exploring new areas of the city at night


All of it is up to you
You have the freedom to do what you want in the city


Jimmy cracked when he came out her
Jimmy fell apart when he saw her


Precious dream never seemed so clear
A cherished dream becoming more defined and attainable


Now he practiced a thousand times
Rehearsing and perfecting a plan of action


The city that should have been his that night
A fleeting opportunity in the city that he missed out on


And the man on the corner got something new
A person on the street with something new to offer


And something new is good for you tonight
Embracing new experiences in the city


Oh, oh, it's so L.A.
Expressing the uniqueness of the city


Walk of the woman that came to say
A woman walking to express herself


She come and walk there every day
Making a habit of walking in the city


He speciality was you, and she
She had a knack for understanding and serving him


Dream the same but incomplete
Sharing the same aspirations, but facing obstacles


Walk of time as time goes on
The passing of time through continued walking


Walk of pain as pains prolonged
Experiencing physical or emotional discomfort during walking


And the dream and the woman and the time and you
The city is a place of hopes, relationships, and progress


Are all very welcome to Hollywood
The glamour and excitement of Hollywood




Contributed by Lillian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

johnny zell

Walk of the town on a sun burned night
Keep in mind the dream so nice
Walk of the night that seemed so new
All of it is up to you

Jimmy cracked when he came out her
Precious dream never seemed so clear
Now he practiced a thousand times
The city that should have been his that night

And the man on the corner got something new
And something new is good for you tonight
Oh, oh, it's so L.A.

Walk of the woman that came to say
She come and walk there every day
He speciality was you, and she
Dream the same but incomplete

And the man on the corner got something new
And something new is good for you tonight
Oh, oh, it's so L.A.

Walk of time as time goes on
Walk of pain as pains prolonged
And the dream and the woman and the time and you
Are all very welcome to Hollywood

And the man on the corner got something new
And something new is good for you tonight
Oh, oh, it's so L.A.



All comments from YouTube:

Joshua Yeager

I heard this on a internet radio station I play at my store the other day. Fell in love with it. My new favorite from The Motels!

Salmon Whisperer

What station?

Thomas L

The Motels perfectly captured LA, and Hollywood, in that era, in my experience. This album was their high point, IMHO.

Brad Frischkorn

This was the de facto LA theme song during the punk/new wave movement of the 80s. The Motels with Martha Davis were simply cool.

followtruth

80s memories in Southern California... still sounds great!

Mike Simonian

wow, a forgotten gem from the 80s

viddyo

This entire album is great!

derek orford

When bands ruled the earth! This music only works with the integrity and chemistry of it's protagonists. Great songs, singing, arranging, playing, with such a fund of space to let the lyric breathe. This LP is a study!

pumasgoya

My favorite Motels song. Those keyboards give such a feeling of nostalgia.

AJ Constantine

Only KROQ in LA played this KILLER track. And WHY ain’t it (or this ALBUM) on Spot?!!

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