The Ballad of King Coyote - Johnathan Rice

Flyin' in a helicopter

Watering the wildfire

And watching the coyotes running for the hills

Driving down the 405 now

Dead coyotes on the roadside

While the king stands watchin' from the shelter of the tree

Give Coldwater Canyon back to the coyotes

Twirling past the gay bars and markets

Past dealerships and pizza parlors

Past domesticated dogs that are choking on the leash

A big bad German Shepherd

The coyotes got him surrounded

And they tore that big dog into little bitty pieces

Give Coldwater Canyon back to the coyotes

Last night in Benedict Canyon

Coyote in a governor’s mansion

Standing in the middle of the big man’s living room

The Governor could not reach his shotgun

He offered King Coyote a pension

And the king tore the man’s heart right out of his chest

Give Coldwater Canyon back to the coyotes

Now the streets are empty

And the beach fronts and the studio lots

Forest grows over the freeway

And the vines cover whole city blocks

And all you can hear is that high and lonesome sound

Give Coldwater Canyon back to the coyotes

Give Las Vegas, Nevada back to the lions