Somewhere high in the desert near a curtain of a blue
St. Anne's skirts are billowing
But down here in the city of the lime lights

The fans of santa ana are withering
And you can't deny that living is easy
If you never look behind the scenery

It's showtime for dry climes
And bedlam is dreaming of rain


When the hills of los angeles are burning
Palm trees are candles in the murder wind
So many lives are on the breeze

Even the stars are ill at ease
And los angeles is burning


This is not a test
Of the emergency broadcast system
Where malibu fires and radio towers

Conspire to dance again
And I cannot believe the media Mecca
They're only trying to peddle reality,

Catch it on prime time, story at nine
The whole world is going insane


When the hills of los angeles are burning
Palm trees are candles in the murder wind
So many lives are on the breeze

Even the stars are ill at ease
And los angeles is burning


A placard reads
"the end of days"
Jacaranda boughs are bending in the haze


More a question than a curse
How could hell be any worse?


The flames are stunning
The cameras running

So take warning

When the hills of los angeles are burnin

Palm trees are candles in the murder wind
So many lives are on the breeze
Even the stars are ill at ease

And los angeles is burning