roger mcguinn • tom petty
A cooperation between Roger McGuinn and Tom Petty, writing and performing as a duet (whose voices are quite equal), the song was written sometimes in 1987. An early take didn't catch much interest, but in -91 they recorded it over again, released it as a video and single (yup; those still were the days) and it fronted McGuinn's LP "Back from Rio".
The lyrics have been an object for interpretations, but both authors have stated that they wrote it with John Phillips in mind, after both had been reading his autobiography "Papa John"; Petty the first one. Papa John was the leader of the vocal group "the Mamas and the Papas", and gradually became a heavy drug addict, as well as his daughter Laura Mackenzie. This makes it all clear: "the green gucci bag" contains his needles and dope, the "she" who follows him down is Laura and the "white blinding light" is the drug vision. Reflected that he mingled with the high society in his prime time, the lyrics are no longer a mystery.
And, agaist all odds: both father and daughter recovered from their addiction. John maintained his musical career until he died from a heart attack in 2001, and Mackenzie is - at the time of writing, October 2022 - still an actress and singer.
LA's asleep • you roll up your window
the night air is cold • the freeway is clear
in a green Gucci bag are your prized posessions
the jewels of your mind to hold back the fear
the driveway is long • your princess is lovely
your servants all wait for your knock on the door
how many years will you crawl through this castle
so satisfied and still wanting more
the guest have arrived with all the right faces
but you missed the ball in that room down the hall
it's sunrise again • the driveway is empty
the crystal is cracked • there's blood on the wall
and when Monday comes around
there's a high lonesome sound
and she follows you down for the kill
and a white blinding light
makes it all seem so right
and you feel like a king of the hill
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
A C#M LA's asleep you roll up your window D Bm D E the night air is cold the freeway is clear A C#m in a green gucci bag are your prized possessions D Bm D E the jewels of your mind to hold back the fear F#m and when Monday comes around A there's a high lonesome sound Bm D F#m and she follows you down for the kill and a white blinding light A makes it all seem so right Bm D F#m and you feel like a king of the hill
