Songs about English place names

[Lootman]

Almost any American town works well as a place name in a song. Even places that are rubbish, like Chattanooga, Amarillo and Tulsa, all of which I have been to and which are utter crap.

But no British song would be called "24 hours from Totnes", "Do you know the way to Solihull" or "Last train to Clacton".

Nor could Simon and Garfunkel have written:

""Kathy", I said as we boarded a National Express bus in Plymouth
"Manchester seems like a dream to me now"
It took me four days to hitchhike from Salford Docks
I've gone to look for England"

Honourable exception for Stainsby Girls by Chris Rea. But any other exceptions?

[servodude]

Seeing as Simon and Garfunkel have already been mentioned "Scarborough Fair" would appear an obvious choice?

Less twee would be "I don't want to got to Chelsea" , "Guns of Brixton" "London Calling" or Waterloo Sunset"

Getting outside the capital you can go to "Brighton Rock" or "Solsbury Hill"

if you want to go a bit leftfield you can turn to Half Man Half Biscuit ("I left my heat in Papworth General", "Trumpton Riots" ) or the Fall ("Birmingham School of Business School") to probably cover a good portion of the country

I'm sure there are many more in folky circles - but strangely I can't seem to think of anything beyond "Cropredy Badger " (which aint a song) at the moment

[vandefrosty]

Southampton Dock by Pink Floyd. Quite sombre, but I've always felt moved by the emotion in the lyrics.

It's a road, not a town so maybe doesn't count. Portobello Belle by Dire Straits.

[JohnB]

The Slow Train. Flanders and Swann

[Urbandreamer]

How about

The leaving of Liverpool?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Leaving_of_Liverpool

[james51]

How about a Welsh one: Marty Wilde ABERGAVENNY.

[Dicky99]

Almost any American town works well as a place name in a song. Even places that are rubbish, like Chattanooga, Amarillo and Tulsa, all of which I have been to and which are utter crap.

But no British song would be called "24 hours from Totnes", "Do you know the way to Solihull" or "Last train to Clacton".

Nor could Simon and Garfunkel have written:

""Kathy", I said as we boarded a National Express bus in Plymouth
"Manchester seems like a dream to me now"
It took me four days to hitchhike from Salford Docks
I've gone to look for England"

Honourable exception for Stainsby Girls by Chris Rea. But any other exceptions?

On Ilkley Moor Bar T'at...

[mc2fool]

There's zillions just about London: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_London

And even more outside of it: https://www.google.com/search?q=songs+about+english+towns

You can even buy a map of them:


https://www.wearedorothy.com/products/u-k-song-map-open-edition

[Urbandreamer]

Almost any American town works well as a place name in a song. Even places that are rubbish, like Chattanooga, Amarillo and Tulsa, all of which I have been to and which are utter crap.

You know that we can't just let that bald statement go don't you?
Let's face it there are some pretty strange names in all countries.

I'm not sure that a song about Placentia California, would ever catch on.
A song about Boring Oregon, or Dull Ohio, might not grab the attention either.

As for places that are rubbish, you do have to wonder what Satan's Kingdom Massachusetts, is like. or Foul Rift New Jersey.

The less said about Booger Hole West Virginia, probably the better. Look it up if you really are interested in places you might not want to visit.

[Charlottesquare]

The Slow Train. Flanders and Swann

So good I will add a U Tube link.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OHD2uCpfU

[gvonge]

Not actually a title, but Billy Bragg's "A13, Trunk Road to the Sea" manages to cram in a few.

https://youtu.be/T-avoh5Xj9s?si=KvzeiIhtwHvotDjr

[Imbiber]

This mentions a few

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOMP_nenahc

[Stompa]

Slough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mlevv9oFuA

[BullDog]

Penny Lane.

Strawberry Fields.

[ReformedCharacter]

Clifton in the Rain - Al Stewart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDBoOgkesPE

RC
(born in Clifton, probably in the rain but I don't remember).

[Lootman]

There's zillions just about London: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_London

And even more outside of it: https://www.google.com/search?q=songs+about+english+towns

You can even buy a map of them:


https://www.wearedorothy.com/products/u-k-song-map-open-edition

I have a map a bit like that on my wall. It is ostensibly a London street map (A to Z style). Although many of the street/song names are American e.g. Positively 4th Street, Bleeker Street, Route 66.

[Leothebear]

I think Lootman has a valid point. I think it's part of the massive Americana is cool phenomenon inadvertantly started by Holywood and others yonks ago. Their place names just sound more exciting. "Sweet home Bognor Regis" does not work. Nor does "24 hours from Luton". New Orleans sounds much cooler than Newcastle. Ditto Buffalo v Basingstoke.

Leo

[Charlottesquare]

I think Lootman has a valid point. I think it's part of the massive Americana is cool phenomenon inadvertantly started by Holywood and others yonks ago. Their place names just sound more exciting. "Sweet home Bognor Regis" does not work. Nor does "24 hours from Luton". New Orleans sounds much cooler than Newcastle. Ditto Buffalo v Basingstoke.

Leo

Do the ones they stole from us then become cooler within the UK as the USA now has them, like Rochester?

What about our theft of their names, e.g. California in Scotland, has coolness been imparted near Falkirk?

[bungeejumper]

I'm sure there are many more in folky circles - but strangely I can't seem to think of anything beyond "Cropredy Badger " (which aint a song) at the moment

Hundreds of them in folkie circles. "Going up Camborne Hill Coming Down" is one that comes to mind. (Good song, BTW.) Durham Town, a little less so, though I'm not sure which Durham that was. Bredon Hill, of course.

They tell me there's something called Dicky of Taunton Deane. Although I'd probably prefer to hear Billericay Dickie.

Not forgetting Finchley Central, Winchester Cathedral, the Lambeth Walk, Grantchester Meadows.....

Has anybody mentioned Luton Airport yet? They tell me that Stacey Dooley started her career there. Worse luck, she didn't stay.

BJ

[Lootman]

I think Lootman has a valid point. I think it's part of the massive Americana is cool phenomenon inadvertantly started by Holywood and others yonks ago. Their place names just sound more exciting. "Sweet home Bognor Regis" does not work. Nor does "24 hours from Luton". New Orleans sounds much cooler than Newcastle. Ditto Buffalo v Basingstoke.

Do the ones they stole from us then become cooler within the UK as the USA now has them, like Rochester?

Ah, but which Rochester? There is probably a Rochester in many States. But the two main ones I know of are Rochester, Minnesota (home of the Mayo Clinic) and Rochester, NY, home of Eastman-Kodak and Susan B. Anthony.

I have not been to either, but the first is a nice place and the latter is not, I have heard.

The more romantic sounding places often have non-English roots such as American Indian (Weehawken, Ho-Ho-Kus), Spanish (Santa Fe, San Jose) or French (Baton Rouge, Fond-du-Lac).

Any songs about Milton Keynes? Bletchley on my mind? Midnight train to Bletchley?