Released: September 13, 1985
Songwriter: Stevie Wonder
Producer: Stevie Wonder
[Verse 1]
You were brought up in a small town
Where everyone greeted with a morning smile
I mean the place was so free from crime
You could leave your front door open
And if your eyes were drawn from a lack of food
Or your pockets were short on cash
There was always someone close at hand
That you could always run to
You could have been a doctor
And you could have been a nurse
But these things weren't good enough for you
So you decided to pack up all you own
And get a one-way ticket there
To a place where all the successful people went
In order for them to do
[Chorus]
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
Land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
The land of la la
[Verse 2]
You get off the bus, pick up a paper
And look through the classified
So that you might find a place
Suitable for you to move into
Then you turn around to pick up the duffle bag
That you brought along
But much to your surprise you find
Your bag has taken off walking
You dig in your wallet
To get your last dime
But then recall you just spent your last dime on the newspaper
You're much too prideful
But pride has no defense
When all you've got in your possession
Is the wallet in your hands
[Chorus]
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
Land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
Living in the land of la la
[Repeated refrain]
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey, living in the land of la la
[Outro over refrain]
You might get everything you want
But not want everything you get
Being in la la land is like nowhere else
Living in the land, one hell of a land, a land full of lost angels
Movie stars and great big cars and Perrier and fun all day
And that's enough to make anybody go wild
In the land of la la
He's a big boy now, she's a strong girl
But only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
You were brought up in a small town
Where everyone greeted with a morning smile
I mean the place was so free from crime
You could leave your front door open
And if your eyes were drawn from a lack of food
Or your pockets were short on cash
There was always someone close at hand
That you could always run to
You could have been a doctor
And you could have been a nurse
But these things weren't good enough for you
So you decided to pack up all you own
And get a one-way ticket there
To a place where all the successful people went
In order for them to do
[Chorus]
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
Land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
The land of la la
[Verse 2]
You get off the bus, pick up a paper
And look through the classified
So that you might find a place
Suitable for you to move into
Then you turn around to pick up the duffle bag
That you brought along
But much to your surprise you find
Your bag has taken off walking
You dig in your wallet
To get your last dime
But then recall you just spent your last dime on the newspaper
You're much too prideful
But pride has no defense
When all you've got in your possession
Is the wallet in your hands
[Chorus]
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Remember only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
I'm a big boy now, she's a strong girl
Only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
Land of la la
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey
Living in the land of la la
[Repeated refrain]
L.A., L.A., la la, la la, L.A., hey hey, living in the land of la la
[Outro over refrain]
You might get everything you want
But not want everything you get
Being in la la land is like nowhere else
Living in the land, one hell of a land, a land full of lost angels
Movie stars and great big cars and Perrier and fun all day
And that's enough to make anybody go wild
In the land of la la
He's a big boy now, she's a strong girl
But only the strong can survive
Living in the land of la la
more tracks from the album
From the album
- In Square Circle (1985)
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- As
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- Isn’t She Lovely?
- I Just Called to Say I Love You
- Sir Duke
- I Wish
- Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing
- Living for the City
- Higher Ground
- Happy Birthday
- Master Blaster (Jammin’)
- Ribbon in the Sky
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours
- All I Do
- Overjoyed
- Faith
- Part-Time Lover
- My Cherie Amour
- Love’s in Need of Love Today
- Do I Do
- For Once in My Life
- Knocks Me Off My Feet
- Pastime Paradise
- Lately