“Redondo Beach” recounts a story of a girl who drowned after she left her beachside hotel because of an argument with her friend.
[Verse 1]
Late afternoon, dreaming hotel
We just had the quarrel that sent you away
I was looking for you
Are you gone, gone?
[Verse 2]
Called you on the phone, another dimension
Well you never returned, oh, you know what I mean
I went looking for you
Are you gone, gone?
[Chorus]
Down by the ocean it was so dismal
Women all standing with shock on their faces
Sad description, oh, I was looking for you
[Verse 3]
Everyone was singing, girl is washed up
On Redondo Beach and everyone is so sad
I was looking for you
Are you gone, gone?
[Verse 4]
Pretty little girl everyone cried
She was the victim of sweet suicide
I went looking for you
Are you gone, gone?
[Chorus]
Down by the ocean it was so dismal
Women all standing with shock on their faces
Sad description, oh, I was looking for you
[Verse 5]
Desk clerk told me girl was washed up
Was small and angel with apple blonde hair now
I went looking for you
Are you gone, gone?
[Verse 6]
Picked up my key, didn't reply
Went to my room started to cry
You were small and angel
Are you gone, gone?
[Chorus]
Down by the ocean it was so dismal
I was just standing with shock on my face
The hearse pulled away
The girl that had died, it was you
[Outro]
You'll never return into my arms
'Cause you are gone, gone
Never return into my arms
Cause you are gone, gone
Gone, gone
Gone, gone
Good-bye
Redondo Beach was written by Patti Smith & Lenny Kaye & Richard Sohl.
Redondo Beach was produced by John Cale.
Patti Smith released Redondo Beach on Sat Dec 13 1975.
In her lyric collection Complete, Smith writes:
The words for ‘Redondo Beach’ were written in 1971. I was sharing a space near the Chelsea Hotel with Robert [Mapplethorpe] and my sister Linda. One afternoon I had a rare argument with my sister and she left. She didn’t return and by nightfall I was...