Album: Trouble In Paradise (1983)

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• Hate New York City
  It's cold and it's damp
  And all the people dressed like monkeys
  Let's leave Chicago to the Eskimos
  That town's a little bit too rugged
  For you and me you bad girl
  
  Rollin' down the Imperial Highway
  With a big nasty redhead at my side
  Santa Ana winds blowing hot from the north
  And we as born to ride
  
  Roll down the window, put down the top
  Crank up the Beach Boys, baby
  Don't let the music stop
  We're gonna ride it till
  We just can't ride it no more
  
  From the South Bay to the Valley
  From the West Side to the East Side
  Everybody's very happy
  'Cause the sun is shining all the time
  Looks like another perfect day
  
  I love L.A. (we love it)
  I love L.A. (we love it)
  We love it
  
  Look at that mountain
  Look at those trees
  Look at that bum over there, man
  He's down on his knees
  Look at these women
  There ain't nothing like 'em nowhere
  
  Century Boulevard (we love it)
  Victory Boulevard (we love it)
  Santa Monica Boulevard (we love it)
  Sixth Street (we love it, we love it)
  We love L.A.
  
  I love L.A. (we love it)
  I love L.A. (we love it)
  I love L.A. (we love it) Writer/s: Randy Newman
  Publisher: Downtown Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

• Dems Destroy Everything from CaPeople don’t have to “get” the song to see LA and CA as they really are, especially now(2026) with the half-wit activists who couldn’t run a lemonade stand unless someone else actually ran it with them keeping the profits. People can apply it however they want to. LA may be a sh thole, but people(yeah yeah homeless blah blah blah like the left actually cares) still love coming there and seeing and experiencing everything it has to offer. Sidestep the homeless(because they don’t want to help themselves anyway), crack the criminal who’s trying to rob you across the face, or shoot them if you carry, stay away from the smelly parts of the city and have a blast.
• Valerie J from CaliforniaA lot of people did not catch on to Newman's sense of irony in this song, just like they never "got" it with "Short People". You'd probably have to live here to know this fact about the street the song leads off with: At the end of Imperial Highway, along with the Pacific Ocean, is the Hyperion treatment plant that processes all of the city's sewage. There is even a nearby surf spot that is nicknamed "S*#t Pipe". LOL!
• Merv Wolf from SeattleI keep thinking there were more lyrics to this. Something about kids in private school?
• Raiderfan from BuckeyeFrank Sinatra was commissioned to produce a song about L.A.. Much anticipated, it flopped. Newman came out with this. Hilarious Hit! I don't love L.A. so much anymore but I still Love I Love L.A.!
• Gary from NySomeone famous was “the bum“ in the video, who was it?
• Mike from West Richland, WaI grew up in Socal and I remember that comercial some what. The only people I remember was
  John McEnroe arguing with a cop over a ticket. (no sound, but it looked like he was arguing with a chair referee at Wimbledon). I also remember Pedro Guerrero, a Dodger player from the ‘80s. He waved at the camera liked he always did, with only the index finger on his right hand.
• Alan from London, United KingdomThe song was featured in the hilarious Leslie Nielsen movie "Naked Gun"
• Rich from La, CaThanks Laura, there's a lot of popular myths out there about Randy Newman's Homage to my hometown. Most were started by folks who hate LA.
  
  And you are right, this is still the first song that plays at the conclusion of all Laker Home Victory's. Its our anthem.
• Mark from Byrdstown, TnWhat the hell ever happened to Newman? Other than the theme song for "Monk" what is he up to these days?
• Laura from Cypress, CaTo my knowledge (I was involved in the making of the music video) Randy did not write "I Love LA" because he had been asked to compose a theme for the 1984 Olympics. The song and video were released in early 1983 at which time, thanks to VH1 and MTV, it received national attention. Within months of its' release, Randy and Laura (the big nasty redhead) promoted the song which became popular with radio stations and their listeners who called for the City of LA to adopt the song as the official city anthem. At the same time, Frank Sinatra released "LA is my Lady", which appealed to a different audience. Although the City of LA did not want to officially adopt either song, they did recognize Randy at a city council meeting in which he received a city proclomation. In 1984, Nike aired a commercial which used the song "I Love LA" and featured a few of the US Olympians. This was the songs only tie to the 1984 Olympics. The Los Angeles Lakers did and quite possibly still do play the song at their games. Another interesting fact...the "I Love LA" video was the only non-Michael Jackson video up for "Best Video" at the 1983 American Video Awards. Unfortunately, it did not win.

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