For me (initially not knowing much about the artists background), this song tells of
the archetypal corruption of the good by the devil (like in Dorian Gray, or Faust)
some coming-of-age situation, the destruction of a childish paradise by reality, which is full of corruption and deceit.
I think limiting the meaning to Smith's opinion of LA / he showbizz is too small a horizon for this text... that would be quite trite, wouldn't it? I'm not saying he might not have been inspired by this, but this song goes much deeper.
Possibly my perception of this song was influenced by the context in which I heard it first - the movie "Paranoid Park" by Gus Van Sant.
For me (initially not knowing much about the artists background), this song tells of
I think limiting the meaning to Smith's opinion of LA / he showbizz is too small a horizon for this text... that would be quite trite, wouldn't it? I'm not saying he might not have been inspired by this, but this song goes much deeper.
Possibly my perception of this song was influenced by the context in which I heard it first - the movie "Paranoid Park" by Gus Van Sant.