Playlist: Grand Canyon paint their own vision of Los Angeles

Welcome to Playlists, a series where we turn over the reigns to artists to curate the next big playlist

Los Angeles spreads out as a blanket of stars, literal and metaphorical. Glowing orbs tumble and roll in clusters, often drawing upon the warmth and energy of each other to propel forward. But most of the time, they fade into cold hard balls of rock, devoid of spirit and charm. Such is the Hollywood machine, spewing out souls on a conveyor belt, and no matter how much you toil, the barriers to entry get narrower and narrower by the day. Rock ‘n roll outfit Grand Canyon wage war against traditions and have drawn a clear line in the sand, recalling the rebellious spirit of the ’60s and ’70s.

So, it only makes sense that the band have envisioned a shimmering west coast haven beholden to its rich, vast and rabble-rousing roots. From the likes of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Jack Jones and Chuck Berry, the band paint a flashy and lush cityscape (that’s as equally soul-crushing) with a brand new playlist, a B-Sides & Badlands exclusive. The accompanying playlist also features such trailblazing names as Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, Steve Goodman and Guy Clark.

Below, Grand Canyon walk us through their cinematic picks, and you don’t be able to put this one down.

“L.A. Breakdown (And Take Me In)” by Jack Jones 

“L.A. breakdown and take me in, I’m so lost and on my own, L.A. breakdown and take me in, It’s my last chance I’m coming home,” croons Jack Jones on this 1968 classic. In a city made up of so many transplants looking for a new beginning, myself included, this song and its lyrics may hit a little too close to home.

“California” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t all wish Tom Petty was still among us. The Gainesville-native came to embody the spirit of California. The name California comes from the Spanish conquistadors who named the land after Califa, a mythical island paradise. It’s a magical place, and we all hope it never falls into the sea.

“Lawless Avenues” by Jackson Browne 

You can’t get much more Los Angeles than Jackson Browne. Here we find a very ’80s version of the man singing about one of the hippest neighborhoods in the world, Highland Park. Back in the ’80s, Highland Park was not the place to find a craft cocktail, fancy espresso or a boutique selling crystals. In the 1980s, you would have been dodging bullets most likely fired by the Avenues, a ruthless street gang that controlled the area. With characters like “Silent Joe” and “Manuelito’s sister Rosa,” who ran away with a surfer from Hermosa, we find Jackson at his storytelling best.

“Desperados Under the Eaves” by Warren Zevon

There are lots of recurring themes here, and this song, which also happens to be one of my favorites about Los Angeles, is no exception. The Zevon classic deals with the darker side of the city, incorporating great lines like, “And if California slides into the ocean / Like the mystics and statistics say it will / I predict this motel will be standing until I pay my bill” and imagery like the iconic Mexican fan palms, synonymous with L.A., looking like “crucified thieves.” The man was truly a master at his craft; let’s drink all the salty margaritas in Los Angeles!

“Blue Jay Way” by The Beatles

No list of songs would be complete without including a Beatles song, right? Yes, even the Beatles wrote about this city. “Blue Jay Way” was written by George on his infamous visit to the west coast during the summer of love in 1967. The jet-lagged Beatle was waiting for his publicist Derek Taylor to pick him up in the house that he rented on Blue Jay Way, soaked in the June gloom fog. Later, on that same trip in San Francisco, Harrison, expecting to find a hippie paradise, was disgusted by all the kids on drugs. Upon his return to England, the Beatles denounced the use of LSD in favor of meditation. You’ll find a lot of people in L.A. still meditating and not doing LSD, so I guess in many ways the Beatles still have an influence on Los Angeles.

“Route 66” by Chuck Berry

This rhythm and blues classic penned by Bobby Troup and sung here by Chuck Berry is a great song about moving to California. During the depression, my family packed up their lives in Toledo, Ohio and moved to Eagle Rock. I often think of my great grandfather, whose 1939 Gibson guitar I still have, making the long trek to Los Angeles via Route 66 to seek a better and much sunnier life.

“California Promises” by Steve Goodman

One of my favorite singer songwriters of all time, Steve Goodman penned hits like “City of New Orleans” for Arlo Guthrie and also wrote the Chicago Cubs victory song “Go Cubs Go.” A Chicago native, Goodman was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1968. He spent his entire career dealing with the disease until his death in 1984. With his song “California Promises,” you can’t help but feel for a man who knows he’s living on borrowed time.

“L.A. Freeway” by Guy Clark

Leaving Los Angeles is another popular theme in songs about the city. Guy Clark had a falling out with his landlord in L.A., inspiring him to write this song and move to Nashville. He sings: “If I can just get off of this L.A. freeway / Without getting killed or caught / I’d be down that road in a cloud of smoke / For some land that I ain’t bought, bought, bought.” We’ve all been there.

“Shangri-La La Land” by Grand Canyon

Paradise is not always what it seems to be. Some strange Cajun voodoo spirit seems to invade the body and soul of Casey when we play this live. He’s been known to dance across bar tops, slink across the floor like a snake, maybe break a chair or two, steal margaritas from nice young women and, my personal favorite, be banned permanently from fine establishments. All I’ll say is hold on to your drink and enjoy the performance art that’s about to ensue. You have been warned.

“Kings Highway” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Finally a song of hope ⏤ and another Petty song! This song has always embodied the hope and wide open nature of this west coast city and state. The Kings Highway, El Camino Real, or the 101 as it’s known today, was originally a road connecting all 21 of California’s missions. It’s a great song to play out on the open road, stereo cranked up while stopping at In-N-Out, and thinking of the good fortune that’s going to come our way. We love you, Tom!

Photo Credit: Amanda Rowan

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