— Shreek of the Week of the Day —

Top 40 Castoff from a Record Stand

“Walking in L.A.” by Missing Persons, from the album Spring Session M.
Third week of October, 1982.

Sad to say, the dignified Christopher Walken is not the focus of this song. Nay! Instead with this track, Missing Persons provided the rest of the world with an astute cultural observation that allowed non-Los Angelenos to gleam some information about the City of Angels. Walkin’ in L.A./ Nobody walks in L.A. Well, duh! Los Angeles is the epitome of urban sprawl, so of course nobody walks in L.A. Interestingly enough however, I have walked in L.A. I was working for Deutsch Advertising at the time and was in L.A. on a business trip but was not afforded the luxury of a rental car. If only I had remembered the counsel Missing Persons provided to their adoring fans and me back in 1982. Then I could have campaigned to my employer for car access. I could have even called upon Dale and crew to come in and explain to my bosses the importance of having wheels out West. Needless to say, my lack of foresight left me in a bit of a pickle. I ended up walking my ass off in L.A. So when Dale Bozzio sexily croons “Walking in L.A. / Only a nobody walks in L.A.,” she’s singing the truth. Although I would add an addendum to the song because if you’re in walking distance of an In-N-Out Burger (a mile and half is walking distance when you’re hungry and alone), well then, people will indeed walk in L.A.

Best Moment: Dale Bozzio’s guttural Bette Midler-like growl of the vastly underused phrase “lame jogger.” (@ 0:47)

—N.J.

Also: “Walking in L.A.” (KMFDM Remix)