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