[Verse 1]
Tell you 'bout a friend of mine that you don't know
He lives way up a road that's lost in time
Don't know his name or where he's coming from
Only thing you know, he's a real gone cat
This friend of mine

[Verse 2]
He don't have no uptown friends or drive a Cadillac
But he's got cool threads and a beat up car
All his downtown friends like me ride around in the back
'Cause he's a real cool cat, yeah he's a real gone cat
This friend of mine

[Pre-Chorus]
La Loma boys will run with you
Do anything that you want them to
If you need a friend 'cause you're feeling blue
Palo Verde girls never let you down

[Chorus]
Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La
Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La

[Verse 3]
Firme guys in their firme cars
Underneath the moon and stars
The city lights way down below
What's that sound? What's that light
Streaking down through the night?
What's it mean?
It's a red cloud over Chávez Ravine
[Bridge]
Oralé, UFO, come gliding low
Se cayó up Chávez Road
Space Vato, square cat
Say, "Caramba, partners, where's the party at?

I heard about the cool jerk, and the alligator
And I heard about Tokay wine, Mary Jane, and Lil' Julian Herrera
I want to learn to dance, make romance
These La Bishop girls might take a chance"

My friend says, "No, be cool, bro
If you want to dance slow
Learn to ask a mi hermana con respeto"

[Verse 4]
UFO's got a radio
Little Julian singing soft and low
Los Angeles down below
DJ says, we got to go
Where? To El Monte, El Monte, El Monte, pa El Monte

[Chorus]
Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La
Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La
Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La
Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La
Na na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La
[Outro]
El Monte, El Monte
Pa El Monte, vamo pa El Monte
On the UFO, car radio
Na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La
Na na na na na na na, living in a poor man's Shangri-La