Great Songs About Cities

While rocking out to a new Sin City-styled comp of the King, Viva Las Vegas, I got to thinking of all the great songs about cities.

I also got to thinking about the Forever Fiancee berating me last night for constantly blogging about other women.

So in an effort to make everyone happy, I'm putting my chaste energies into the following playlist:

GREAT SONGS ABOUT CITIES VOL. I (not including New York, New York, which kinda annoys me to be honest with you)

10. Anchorage -- Michelle Shocked
9. Tampa to Tulsa -- the Jayhawks
8. Philadelphia Freedom -- Elton John
7. Cleveland Rocks -- Ian Hunter
6. City of New Orleans -- Willie Nelson
5. St. Pete Florida Blues -- Ray Charles
4. L.A. Woman -- the Doors
3. Viva Las Vegas -- Elvis Presley
2. Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway) -- Billy Joel
1. Lodi -- Creedence Clearwater Revival

Comments

[Brad]

200 More Miles - Cowboy Junkies
Memphis, Tennessee - Chuck Berry (although I like the Silicon Teens cover from the "Just Say Yesterday" compilation)
The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace

(Wow, where did that last one come from? I need to go see a neurologist.)

[Vanessa]

Vol. 2 needs to have "Dirty Water" by the Standells, although I personally prefer the Dropkick Murphys version.

[Sherrie]

"Chaste energies"? Forbid the thought, that's not the Sean we've come to know and love!

and..

"Kokomo" by the Beach Boys

though the city portrayed in the song and the actual city of Kokomo, Indiana could not be more different!

[GlennS.]

Take Me Back to Chicago - Chicago
Another Rainy Day In New York City - Chicago
London Loves - Blur
Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins
Salt Lake City - Beach Boys

[Wade Tatangelo]

Interesting list, Sean. Reminds me of the "Top 10: City Songs" I posted Monday.

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/tampacalling/2007/12/03/top-10-city-songs/

[Clark]

It's a terrible, godawful city and the song really has nothing to do with it anyway, but "Benton Harbor Blues" by the Fiery Furnaces is probably the only song that will ever be inspired by my hometown in any way, shape or form.

PS: It's also not even a blues song.

[Tonianne]

Allentown - Billy Joel
Barcelona - Rufus Wainwright
Christmastime in Hollis, Queens - Run DMC
Detroit Rock City - Kiss
Detroit Breakdown - J. Geils Band
Do You Know the Way to San Jose - Dionne Warwick
Girl From Ipanema - Astrud Gilberto
Goin Down Geneva - Van Morrison
Goodnight Saigon - Billy Joel
Guns of Brixton - The Clash
Hollywood - Madonna
Hollywood Nights - Bob Seeger
I Left My Heart in San Francisco - Tony Bennett
Jerusalem - Sinead O'Connor
Kathmandu - Bob Seeger
L.A. Woman - The Doors
Leaving Las Vegas - Cheryl Crow
London Calling - The Clash
Mariposa (en Havana) - Si Se
Memphis Soul Song - Uncle Kracker
Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer
To Live and Die in L.A. - Wang Chung
New Amsterdam - Elvis Costello
No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys
Nutbush City Limits - Ike and Tina Turner
One Night in Bangkok - Murray Head
Rome Wasn't Built in a Day - Berlin
San Francisco Days - Chris Isaak
Say Goodbye to Hollywood - Billy Joel
Summer in Berlin - Alphaville
Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid
Syracuse - Pink Martini
Texarkana - R.E.M.
Una Notte a Napoli - Pink Martini
Vienna - Billy Joel
Walking in Memphis - Marc Cohen
Waterloo - Abba
When Jesus Left Birmingham - John Mellencamp

[Sean Daly]

Good stuff, Wade. (Nice plug, too.) But rest assured, bud, I'm not picking your pocket.

[lockbull]

Don't forget "In Jail in Jacksonville" by Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band.

[DG]

Last Train To Clarksville - The Monkees
Streets of Bakersfield - Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens
Memphis In The Meantime - John Hiatt

[chase]

@#$#@! East Coasters ....

"Get Outta Denver" -- Bob Seger
"Things to do in Denver when you're dead" -- Warren Zevon

both, classics.

[Brett]

Just an FYI:
City of New Orleans, I believe, is originally a John Prine song.

That said, best city songs are:
Take Me Back to New Orleans -- Cowboy Mouth
Lake Charles -- Lucinda Williams
Jackson -- Lucinda Williams
Christmas in El Paso -- Dash Rip Rock
Sweet Home Chicago -- Blues Brothers version

[Guy]

Marina del Rey
Does Ft. Worth Ever Cross Your Mind

George Strait

[Jeff in Cuba]

@#$#@! Continental North Americans...

"Kingston Town" - UB40
"Guantanamera" - Celia Cruz

[Guy]

How could I forget ... Amarillo by Morning, also by King George.

Take me Back to Tulsa - Bob Wills

Dallas - Alan Jackson

[Vanessa]

I have to represent Inland Southern California with Frank Zappa's "San Ber'dino."

[Ron]

I hate to be negative, because I enjoy your blog, but City of New Orleans is about a train, not the city of New Orleans. In fact, it is generally regarded as the best damn train song ever written.
And Brett, it was written by Steve Goodman, not John Prine, although they were close friends and frequently covered each other's material.

[Marissa]

Istanbul (not Constantinople)~ They Might Be Giants (I know other's have done it,but I like this version...so hard core music buffs need not correct me:)lol

The Only Living Boy In New York - Simon and Garfunkle
Galveston - Glenn Campbell
Wichita Linesman - Glenn Campbell
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl
Toledo - John Denver
Durham Town - Roger Whittaker
Rio - Peter Allan
Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon
Streets of London - Ralph McTell

How about a song that covers heaps of cities:
I've Been Everywhere
Original Australian version - Lucky Starr
American version - Hank Snow.

Ron - Surely Chattanooga Choo Choo is the best train song. Although Berlin's "The Metro" is the best song about being on a train.

[Ian from Down Under]

Sorry, that last one was from me.

[David Pagano]

How about "Cities" by Talking Heads?

[Bassnote]

London - The Smiths
Theme From New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
Rio - Michael Nesmith
By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Glen Campbell
Aberdeen - Danny Wilson
Houston - Dean Martin
Philidelphia Freedom - Elton John
Tulsa Time - Eric Clapton
Viva Las Vegas - Bruce Springsteen

Please Come to Boston ~ Dave Loggins
Picture Postcards from LA ~ Joshua Kadison
Memphis city Rain ~ Angie Aparo
Boulder to Birmingham ~ The Hollies
April in Paris ~ it's old, it's been covered plenty
Luckenbach Texas ~ Waylon Jennings

it's late. my brain is shutting down now. Sweet dreams.

[Marissa]

'twas me up yonder. I signed it,but it ignored me. whatever!

[Ian from Down Under]

Been a while since I've been up yonder Marissa. Do you get there often??

[Marissa]

I seem to find myself walking about in yonder. It's when I get to upaways that I get lost.
(I lived in Georgia for 8 years. y'all and yonder slip out from time to time)