| From Wikipedia: This song is an example of Newman's ambivalence toward the American Dream, as it celebrates living the dream ("look at that mountain, look at those trees"), while giving a nod to those who have been unable to fulfill the dream ("look at that bum... he's down on his knees"). Newman also presents this dichotomy by incorporating the names of LA's Century Boulevard, Victory Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Imperial Highway and 6th Street into the lyrics of the song. Traversing any one of these roadways from end to end will reveal some of the wealthiest and some of the poorest areas of the city. In the video, after Newman says the name of each street, a crowd shouts "We love it!" Notwithstanding the arguably satiric message of the song, Newman confessed an affection for Los Angeles: referencing more of the song's lyrics in a 2001 interview, he explained, "There's some kind of ignorance LA has that I'm proud of. The open car and the redhead, the Beach Boys... that sounds really good to me |
