Songs of the City

September 17, 2009 11:29 AM

I think my question might be too vague to google properly, so I turn to you. I'm looking for a wide variety of songs about cities. Not necessarily about a specific city, but in general. A couple of examples of the type of song I'm looking for is Dread the Day (Ghosts of Lemora) and Take Back the City (Snow Patrol). I don't care about musical genre. I'll listen to just about anything. :)
posted by sandraregina to media & arts (47 comments total)

Stevie Wonder: Living for the City
posted by Think_Long at 11:31 AM on September 17

"I Am the City" by Abba
posted by Melismata at 11:32 AM on September 17

Some Cities, by Doves?

A couple of songs about a specific city that maybe qualify are Doves' NYC and Jason Falkner's NYC.
posted by troywestfield at 11:32 AM on September 17

Taking Heads, Cities.
posted by fixedgear at 11:34 AM on September 17

Fear's "I Love Livin' in the City!"

Journey's "Lights" (when the lights go down in the city)
posted by bunny hugger at 11:36 AM on September 17

downtown by petula clark?
posted by lester at 11:37 AM on September 17 [1 favorite]

The Fall "LA".
posted by Burhanistan at 11:38 AM on September 17

Living in the City by Des'ree
posted by zizzle at 11:39 AM on September 17

The Fall - Bourgeois Town
posted by Burhanistan at 11:39 AM on September 17

"Southern California Wants to Be Western New York" by Dar Williams. Very specific.

"Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens. So pretty.
posted by sabotagerabbit at 11:42 AM on September 17

the Jam -- In the City
posted by Potomac Avenue at 11:42 AM on September 17

The Futureheads - The City Is Here For You To Use
Operation Ivy - Big City
Modest Mouse - A Different City
Aesop Rock - 6B Panorama
posted by burnmp3s at 11:43 AM on September 17

"Summer in the City," Lovin' Spoonful
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:43 AM on September 17

The Go-Betweens - Here Comes a City
posted by dayintoday at 11:43 AM on September 17

14 comments and no one's mentioned "We Built This City"?
posted by oinopaponton at 11:45 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]

Ghost Town?
posted by gregjones at 11:45 AM on September 17

Come Dancing, (Kinks) is about land use succession
My City was Gone (Pretenders) is actually about Akron, but is pretty generic.
Don't Worry About the Government, (Talking Heads)
Summer in the City (Lovin Spoonful)

This Wikipedia List of songs about specific cities may interest you.
posted by carmicha at 11:46 AM on September 17

Jane's Addiction - City
posted by K.P. at 11:46 AM on September 17

Talking Heads - City of Dreams
Pogues - Dirty Old Town
Starship - Built This City
New York, New York
Huey Lewis and the News - Heart of Rock and Roll
Isle of Lesbos Sountrack - Bumfuck, Arkensas

Off the top of my head.
posted by idiopath at 11:47 AM on September 17

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge

Mentions "the city of Angel" but otherwise generic.
posted by owtytrof at 11:50 AM on September 17

LCD Sound System - New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down
posted by FatherDagon at 11:51 AM on September 17

Uptown Girl?
posted by alona at 11:51 AM on September 17

Jim Carroll Band - City Drops into the Night
posted by fire&wings at 11:56 AM on September 17

Useful link.
posted by fire&wings at 11:57 AM on September 17

M. Ward - Helicopter
Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running
posted by carbide at 12:01 PM on September 17

And AskMe comes through again. Half an hour and there are 26 replies. Lots to go over... and while a few are of the 'why didn't I think of that' variety, there's a lot of new (to me) stuff in here too. Awesome!
posted by sandraregina at 12:05 PM on September 17

Electric Wizard - Funeralopolis
posted by The Straightener at 12:05 PM on September 17

Although it was created for Miami Vice, Miami isn't mentioned in Glenn Frey's "You Belong to the City".
posted by five toed sloth at 12:06 PM on September 17

Nick Gilder - Hot Child In The City
Parliament - Chocolate City
Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues
James Brown - Kansas City
Steely Dan - Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More
Willie Hutch - Life's No Fun Living In The Ghetto
posted by well_balanced at 12:18 PM on September 17

My unhelpful answer btw is Dead Milkmen - Tiny Town
posted by well_balanced at 12:27 PM on September 17

They Might Be Giants - 'New York City'
Barenaked Ladies - 'Hello City' is much more generic.
posted by spamguy at 12:38 PM on September 17

What More Do I Need could work:

"Once I hated this city,
Now it can't get me down.
Slushy, humid and gritty,
What a pretty town.

What, thought I, could be duller,
More depressing, less gay.
Now my favourite colour
Is grey."

I think it's by Sondheim. Apparently Sarah Brightman has recorded it; so has Dawn Upshaw (she's also sung with the Met, although she has a lighter voice than most opera sopranos), and that's the version I've heard.
posted by amtho at 12:40 PM on September 17

outside the city - Young Galaxy
posted by gursky at 12:50 PM on September 17

You Belong to the City by Glenn Frey
posted by Spyder's Game at 12:54 PM on September 17

U2 - City of Blinding Lights

Can't believe no one's mentioned this yet!
posted by relucent at 1:08 PM on September 17

At the Chime of a City Clock by the great late Nick Drake
posted by Substrata at 1:10 PM on September 17

a little bit of 80's fun, good song though:

The Fixx - Less Cities, More Moving People
posted by Substrata at 1:18 PM on September 17

love the question, so one more song, this time about Berlin:

Peter Fox - Scwarz zu Blau
posted by Substrata at 1:25 PM on September 17

"Street in the City" - Pete Townshend, off the album - Rough Mix

In the City - Joe Walsh
posted by storybored at 1:57 PM on September 17

"memphis" by 8ball and MJG
posted by a.steele at 2:00 PM on September 17

City vs. Country by Jonathan Richman

The City by The Dismemberment Plan
posted by backwards guitar at 2:42 PM on September 17

Another ABBA song: Summer Night City
posted by megatherium at 3:08 PM on September 17

Simple Minds, Theme for Great Cities.
posted by matthewr at 3:40 PM on September 17

spamguy: Barenaked Ladies - 'Hello City' is much more generic.

Hardly! Hello City is about Halifax, Nova Scotia - it mentions several Halifax locales (The Palace, Barrington Street), and was inspired by an early visit there by the band. See this FAQ for details.
posted by oulipian at 3:58 PM on September 17

The Delgados The City Consumes Us

I was convinced in my mind I was not of this kind

Faced with banality, I choose calamity.

See us, watch how the city consumes us, watch how the city destroys us, prices I'm happy to pay.
posted by ambient2 at 5:35 PM on September 17

The Whitlams - "You Gotta Love This City"
posted by trialex at 6:37 PM on September 17

City Song by Luscious Jackson
posted by shannonm at 2:12 PM on September 28