Songs About Your City

Rate Guide Rating_5_0 (3)
3456294898880

Chances are, your city has a song written about it. Maybe it's a good one, maybe it's a really really bad one. Maybe it's one that actually captures something you love about your city. Let's celebrate the songs about your city and see how many cities we can collect!!

San Francisco

"San Francisco" Scott McKenzie

“If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair . . . "

This song blows. Is it ever going to go away? I think this might be the worst song written about my beautiful city ever.

Which this youtube user conveniently coupled with the raddest music video ever. Enjoy!

"San Francisco Days, San Francisco Nights"

A mid-level SF song. Made me like Mr. Chris Isaac a little bit more. So, a general thumbs up!

"Hazy SF" Six Organs of Admiitance

The lyrics being:

“San Francisco mornings can be so hazy. Everyone waking up drunk and lazy.”

LA

"Lights"

“When the lights, go down, in the city. And the sun shines on . . . LA” !?!

WTF? I know. I have unwittingly uncovered a horrible fact in putting this guide together.

I mean, this is the only Journey song I can still listen to, because I THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO!!

’Tis true: wikipedia says), the song was originally intended for Los Angeles.

**ck you, Steve Perry!

615773258
by hi_liner  06/11/2009

If this is true I am going to punch every member of Journey so hard in the face that they re-write this song for SF. But I’m pretty sure the lyric is "And the sun shines on the bay.”

3456290272460
by karey_ann  09/18/2009

The lyrics are “sun shines on the Bay” but what did they used to be?? “Sun shines on LA”!! Let me know how that Journey-face-punching goes!

Default_author_xsmall
by mckallx2  08/14/2011

he thought that he could get his foot in the music door by writing jingles. he wrote the tune to the song and the words were ‘’when the sun shines on la’’ he was going to sell it as a local news jingle

"Aenema" Tool

LA, you might win for the most hateful song category.

I think Maynard Keenen captures something subtle in this song. Something like, “I hate this area so much that I would blow it up if I didn’t think a massive earthquake was going to demolish it anyway.”

Um, don’t take it personally?

"Why You'd Want To Live Here" - Death Cab for Cutie

To keep going with the L.A. hate I give you Death Cab.

added by Hi Liner 06/11/2009

Honolulu

Elvis Presley – Rock a Hula Baby! This song talks about the town I was born in….Honolulu!!!

added by TacoStomps 06/12/2009

Memphis

Don’t love this song. But have to love his shirt.

added by TacoStomps 06/12/2009

Chicago & New Orleans

“Jesus Just Left Chicago” by ZZ Top. The “rocker-knee” makes this video worth it alone.

added by TacoStomps 06/12/2009

Detroit

Detroit Rock City by KISS

added by TacoStomps 06/12/2009

Toledo, Ohio

‘Not sure why Excelninja used a state for John Denver, doesn’t mention a song, and says that he doesn’t mention cities in his song….but this one is called “Saturday Night In Toledo Ohio” from the album An Evening with John Denver.

added by TacoStomps 06/12/2009

Seattle

"Francis Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"

So Nirvana.

Does anyone know whether she has yet?

"Seattle" Perry Cuomo

Wow. Seattle, you may win in the dorkiest city song category! And we thought you were so cool!

Chicago

"Chicago" Sufjan Stevens

Chicago the winner for most poignant?

I can’t wait until S. Stevens makes his way to California . . . in year 2072.

Denver?

Denver

Widget_d43lx6iybhpzzmkjdv-_rs

Granted, he rarely mentions the city in his songs, but, who else could possibly compete for Denver than John Denver.

added by Excelninja 06/11/2009

Pittsburgh?

"America" by Simon & Garfunkel

Okay, there may be songs about Pittsburgh, but I don’t know them. However! One of my favorite “bands”, Simon & Garfunkel, sings a little ditty called America, actually one of my fave songs and the word Pittsburgh is in it! Granted it’s referring to getting a Greyhound in Pittsburgh (ick bus station), but still.

added by aliciak 06/11/2009

Miami

"Miami" - Will Smith

Widget_d9bgaddenmlrmcdkssobx9

I’ve been told that my anti-Will Smith rant can be frightening. I don’t care. Why is everyone afraid of true emotion?

Anyway, just listen to this damned song. Sorry, Miami. It’s Will’s fault that all of the West Coast thinks of this song when we think about your city.

Omaha

Love this song.

added by TacoStomps 06/12/2009

Lodi, CA

Great song. Horrible town. I know them both. Gotta love Creedence Clearwater Revival.

added by TacoStomps 06/12/2009

New York

added by Matt Fried 08/19/2009

"Because The Night" by Patti Smith

I would like to think that this song will always be about night partying in downtown New York.

added by Matt Fried 08/19/2009

Waco, Tx

It’s about Texas in general (where I’m obviously from lol..) but towards the end he mentions Waco. :P

added by pixie_styx 09/08/2009
Share on StumbleUpon Share on Facebook Tweet this Guide! Share on Digg Share on Reddit Add to del.icio.us

Discussions

Default_author_xsmall

great guide, thx! :)