Song · Wang Chung
“To Live and Die in L.A.” by Wang Chung
Released 1985
“To Live and Die in L.A.” by Wang Chung appears on 6 radio countdowns from 5 stations between 1985 and 2023. It was first released in 1985. Its best result is #52 on the 91X Top 91 Songs of 1985. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #129 alternative song of 1985 and #3,579 alternative song of all time.
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"To Live and Die in L.A." is the title song Wang Chung wrote for William Friedkin's film, released on Geffen on 25 September 1985, and it almost didn't make the picture. Friedkin said on the DVD commentary that he never wanted a theme song at all, until Jack Hues and Nick Feldman handed him this one anyway; he liked it enough to keep it in the movie and on the soundtrack.
Hues wrote the words and music, Steve Jolley and Tony Swain produced it, and David Motion recorded it. It's pop rock with the neon turned down low, all nighttime atmosphere and slick menace. The album version carries extra lyrics the single cut, and the song later found fresh work as the opening music for John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA and Everybody's Live with John Mulaney.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 52 | 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana | 91X Top 91 Songs of 1985 | 91 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 438 | Q101 | Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) | 1017 |
| 2002 | 1080 | Fred (XM 44) | Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) | 2002 |
| 2003 | 1189 | Fred (XM 44) | Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) | 2044 |
| 2021 | 699 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s | 909 |
| 2023 | 323 | The Colorado Sound | The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places | 800 |
Also listed as: To Live And Die In LA; To Live and Die in LA; To Live and Die In L.A.; To Live And Die In L.A..
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