Randall RobertsThere's a song for every neighborhood in this sprawling octopus of a metropolis. The psychedlic folk of Topanga Canyon, the booty droppin' bass of Compton, and lonesome gristle of Silver Lake. This week, as a sonic portrait of Los Angeles, West Coast Sound presents: Songs for our City.
In the golden days of Los Angeles punk, no band epitomized the manic, DIY style of the emerging art form better than X. The crass lyrics, wailing of Exene Cervenka, crunchy guitar lines of Billy Zoom provided the soundtrack for the musical and cultural environments of 1980's Los Angeles.
They were perched at the precipice of the Reagan era, tumultuous racial tensions, and the peak of Hollywood drug addiction. But they loved the city anyway. Mired in the morass of absurdist and satirical lyrics of “Los Angeles,” is a bittersweet love note to the city.
She had to leave
Los Angeles
she found it hard to say goodbye to her own best friend
she bought a clock on Hollywood Blvd the day she left
it felt sad
it felt sad
it felt sad
Whether they knew it or not, X captured the codependent relationship with this city that people love to hate, but hate to leave.
Previously on Songs for Our City:
Monday: Elliott Smith on Alameda Street
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.