It’s music time! As someone who grew up in LA, specifically The Valley in the 80’s, “The Galleria” means one place and one place only: the Sherman Oaks Galleria. I have many… many memories of the mall. And while I do visit the newer, windier version, it can never replace the galleria in my heart. When I want to see the old galleria I can always watch “Fast Time at Ridgemont High” or “Valley Girl”. But SoCal band Phantom Planet (they wrote the theme to “The OC”) has created the best lament about the loss of this 80s cultural icon.

“The Galleria” by Phantom Planet

I’m gonna miss the Galleria
It was the only place to go this side of town
Goodbye to the Galleria
I just heard today
They’re gonna tear it down
And without the Galleria
Where would all the valley girls go to hang out?

well it’s been around since 1981
And since then that’s where we went to have fun
Well we all took the mall for granted
And they could not pay the bills
And the day it’s not there when I drive by
Well that’s the day the 80’s die

I’m gonna miss the galleria
It was the only place to go this side of town
Goodbye to the galleria
I just heard today they’re going to tear it down
And without the galleria
Where would all the valley girls go to hang out

Well business had been slipping more and more
Since the Northridge quake of 1994
It’s the place where they filmed Valley Girl
And Fast Times at Ridgemont High
And the day it’s not there when i drive by
Well that’s the day the 80’s die

I’m going to miss the galleria
It was the only place to go this side of town
Goodbye to the galleria
I just heard today they’re gonna tear it down
And without the galleria
Where would all the valley girls go to hang out

Where would all the valley girls go to hang out

-Kim