Leo drives his Mustang along ocean Boulevard
He works hard for his money
Spent it all on his car
Rents a one-room apartment that no one's ever seen
But he makes love on the back seat
To the girl of his dreams
She wears high heels and lycra
Shows off her curves
She did aerobics and surgery
Keep 'em well preserved
She thinks, this guy, Leo
Seems like he's got it all
He's got a job in the business
He says he'll make a few calls
He's got friends in high places
All he has to do is phone
She bites her lips as he takes her
He makes love like he's alone
Break the bad news to the angel in the morning
He takes the car to the car wash
When the shine goes away
He leaves her smudge-eyed and stranded
It's a beautiful day
There's a man in the valley
He met on Ocean Way
He's got everything Leo dreams
He's got a yacht in the bay
Leo drives down to see him
With an idea or two
'Could make him big in the business
Turn the lies into truths
But the car don't mean nothin
Cause the man's worldly wise
He sees the white teeth and the sun tan
With nobody inside
I'm a guest of this city
I'm by the pool on the roof
Poolside is pretty
You can feel the earth move
This is a town full of Leos
The sun shines on the cars
And the buses of tourists do the homes of the stars
'Hotel California' goes around in my head
And the folks who are loaded keep a gun by the bed
But you can't help but notice
The poor wind up dead
And the kids on the east side watch the cars going by
They never could have if they worked all their lives
Take a gun and go shopping
Take a drug for the pain
And the pain goes away
It's a beautiful day
God bless these star-worn streets
Shine on these perfect days
Stretch out on Venice Beach
Can we dream better dreams than these?