By Jim Smith

Venice is a beach town

Not a highfalutin suit-and-tie town

The waves come and go ’cause they’re free,

and, yes indeed, so are we.

It’s a pleasure to live by the ocean blue

but that don’t mean you can’t come too.

Our friends drop by when they please

there’s no need to R-S-V-P

Come on down and you shall see

Venice, the greatest place there’ll ever be

It’s goin’ on now, and 24/7

in our little piece of heaven

We’ll make new friends every single day

if we just loosen up and share the right-of-way

Dear neighbors don’t hide behind fences ever so high

Don’t drive away Venetians and visitors between 2 and five.

So visit often and bring your board, or kids,

a picnic lunch, your drum, and a little fizz

Come escape that summer nighttime inner-city heat

Swing shift workers head for the beach, what a treat

Watch that late night Moon over Venice sink into the sea

Sit on the sand while the stars shine oh so bright, whoopee!

Come one, come all, rich and poor, beautiful people of the rainbow,

LBGT and otherly abled, come see Venice before it’s just a fable

We like it all, that’s true, but let me make it very clear

NOPD, We don’t need no stinkin’ OPD permits around here

That dumb old Pay to Park

Just makes me want to barf.