MeFi US Tour '07

March 15, 2007 6:45 AM

MixCDFilter: I need songs that have names of american cities or states in the title. Would prefer cities though.

Working on a theme for a mix CD, and would love to do a "tour" of the us. I have a pretty good list now, just seeing if I missed any. Rock/alt genre preferred but am open to anything.

posted by ShawnString to media & arts (90 comments total)

Come back from San Francisco-- Magnetic Fields
posted by paddingtonb at 6:58 AM on March 15, 2007

A few of my favorites:

Omaha by Counting Crows
Raining in Baltimore by Counting Crows
Goodnight LA by (guess?, yep) Counting Crows
Frankie Miller goes to Hollywood by Counting Crows

New York, New York by Ryan Adams
posted by griffey at 7:00 AM on March 15, 2007

Please come to Boston
Detroit Rock City
Philadelphia Freedom
Dirty Water (Boston, but not in the title)
The night Chicago Died
posted by Gungho at 7:06 AM on March 15, 2007

Do You Know th way to San Jose - Burt Bacharat
Wichita Lineman - Jimmy Webb
Albuquerque - Neil Young
LA Women -The Doors
Boston Rag -Steely Dan
By The Time I get to Phoenix -Jimmy Webb
Battle of New Orleans - Johhny Horton
New Orleans is Sinking - The Tragically Hip
San Francisco (be Sure to Wear Some Flowers) - Scott McKenzie
posted by Neiltupper at 7:08 AM on March 15, 2007

Jefferson Starship, "Stairway to Cleveland"
Michelle Shocked, "Anchorage"
The Thrills, "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)"
posted by kirkaracha at 7:11 AM on March 15, 2007

Washington Bullets by the Clash
Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn
Lubbock or Leave It by the Dixie Chicks
posted by craichead at 7:11 AM on March 15, 2007

New Orleans by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (originally by Gary US Bonds)

San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie

Don't Go Back to Rockville by R.E.M.

Memphis, Tennessee by Chuck Berry

Los Angeles by Frank Black

San Francisco Days by Chris Isaac
posted by 4ster at 7:12 AM on March 15, 2007

Half of Sufjan Stevens catalog:

Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois
Jacksonville
Decatur, Or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! -
Chicago
Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid) -
For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti -
Holland
Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!)
Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou)
posted by kimdog at 7:15 AM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

By the Magnetic Fields:
Washington DC
Come back to San Francisco

John Linnell has a limited release called "State Songs" that had 5 or so state songs on it.
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:16 AM on March 15, 2007

Oh, also
"Lowell, MA" by Death Cab for Cutie
"N.Y." by Doves
"Santa Monica" by Everclear
"Walking in L.A." by Missing Persons
posted by craichead at 7:18 AM on March 15, 2007

Alkaline Trio has a couple, namely "F*ck you Aurora" and "San Francisco."
posted by radioamy at 7:21 AM on March 15, 2007

Put Your Hands Up for Detroit - Fedde Le Grand
Angel of Harlem - U2
Beverley Hills - Weezer

And it's a bit of a push, but A New England - Billy Bragg
posted by jontyjago at 7:22 AM on March 15, 2007

baltimore - randy newman
toledo - elvis costello
posted by pj_rivera at 7:22 AM on March 15, 2007

The "Going to..." songs of the Mountain Goats.
posted by OmieWise at 7:24 AM on March 15, 2007

Los Angeles, I'm Yours by The Decemberists
posted by amarynth at 7:24 AM on March 15, 2007

R.E.M., All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)"
R.E.M., "Leaving New York"
Cheryl Crow, "Leaving Las Vegas"
Elvis Presley, "Viva Las Vegas"

And it's a bit of a push, but A New England - Billy Bragg
It's not about New England. "I'm not looking for a new England/I'm just looking for another girl."
posted by kirkaracha at 7:27 AM on March 15, 2007

London, by the Smiths
posted by 4ster at 7:28 AM on March 15, 2007

Santa Fe - from the Rent soundtrack
Jackson - by Johnny Cash
Moon over Miami
Do You Know the Way to San Jose? - Burt Bacharach
Gary, Indiana - from the Music Man
By the Time I Get To Phoenix - Glen Campbell
Streets of Philadelphia - Springsteen
One Night in Bangkok
posted by FlamingBore at 7:28 AM on March 15, 2007

Soul Coughing: Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago
Soul Coughing: True Dreams of Wichita
Soul Coughing: Houston
Soul Coughing: Pensacola
posted by zebra3 at 7:29 AM on March 15, 2007

Yes, yes I did actually put Bangkok in there. It's early for me. Shut up!
posted by FlamingBore at 7:30 AM on March 15, 2007

cleveland rocks
posted by cosmicbandito at 7:32 AM on March 15, 2007

Heads Carolina, Tails California - Joe Dee Messina
Rhode Island Is Famous For You - Michael Feinstein sings it on his Algonquin album, but there's more at the original musical's soundtrack - Inside USA, 1948
posted by AnyGuelmann at 7:36 AM on March 15, 2007

Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again - Dylan.
posted by teleskiving at 7:38 AM on March 15, 2007

Straight Outta Compton / N.W.A.
posted by mattbucher at 7:39 AM on March 15, 2007

I Left My Heart in San Francisco - Tony Bennet
City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
posted by postergeist at 7:40 AM on March 15, 2007

excellent....keep em coming
posted by ShawnString at 7:46 AM on March 15, 2007

Jackson by Johnny Cash and June Carter
I Left My Wallet in El Segundo by A Tribe Called Quest
Moon Over Goldsboro by The Mountain Goats
In Corolla by The Mountain Goats
The District Sleeps Alone Tonight by The Postal Service
Alameda by Elliott Smith
An Open Letter to NYC and No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn by The Beastie Boys
Birmingham 1982 by Maria Taylor
El Paso by Old 97s
Marching Bands of Manhattan by Death Cab for Cutie
Portland, Oregon by Loretta Lynn
posted by amarynth at 7:48 AM on March 15, 2007

omaha stylee - 311
no sleep till brooklyn - beastie boys
an open letter to nyc - beastie boys
miami 2017 (i've seen the lights go out on broadway) - billy joel
allentown - billy joel
drinking in l.a. - bran van 3000
the ice of boston - the dismemberment plan
posted by antitext at 7:49 AM on March 15, 2007

Baby Don't You Go (to Goleta)
posted by mcstayinskool at 7:51 AM on March 15, 2007

Providence by Sonic Youth
El Lay by Nofx
posted by knave at 7:52 AM on March 15, 2007

It's not about New England. "I'm not looking for a new England/I'm just looking for another girl."

Um, yes I am aware of that - the question didn't ask for songs about... it asked for names in the title.

Anyway, some more:

Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC
Coney Island - Death Cab for Cutie
Coney Island Girl - Fun Lovin' Criminals
Drinking in LA - Van Bran 3000
posted by jontyjago at 7:54 AM on March 15, 2007

Tennessee Plates - John Hiatt
St. Louis Blues -(many people but I'm partial to) Merle Haggard
Little Feat's "Willin'" doesn't have a city name in the title, but it does name drop a bunch.
posted by notsnot at 7:56 AM on March 15, 2007

New York Cops - Strokes
Johnny Go To New York - Bedouin Soundclash
New York Times Song - Ben Folds

Los Angeles Waltz - Razorlight

Fake Tales of San Francisco - Arctic Monkeys

Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John

Boston - Augustana

Memphis Skyline - Rufus Wainwright
Memphis Bells - The Prodigy
posted by philsi at 7:57 AM on March 15, 2007

I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo (most often attributed to Glenn Miller)
posted by hsoltz at 7:59 AM on March 15, 2007

New York City - Cub/They Might Be Giants
Only Living Boy In New York - Simon & Garfunkel
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
Coming Into Los Angeles - Arlo Guthrie
Letter to Memphis - The Pixies
Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead - Warren Zevon
posted by zamboni at 8:00 AM on March 15, 2007

San Diego Serenade - Tom Waits

Detroit Rock City - KISS
posted by Atom12 at 8:01 AM on March 15, 2007

Oh, and "The Streets of Baltimore" -- I have a cover by Evan Dando, I'm not sure who did it originally, and "Lady Came from Baltimore" -- I heard Okkervil River attempt it at a show, but I think it was by Tim Hardin.

And here's a previous AskMe asking for songs about DC and LA, many of which have the names of the cities in the title.
posted by amarynth at 8:02 AM on March 15, 2007

"Allentown," Billy Joel
posted by itchie at 8:02 AM on March 15, 2007

Dean Martin -- Houston
Robert Earl Keen -- Hello New Orleans, Amarillo Highway, Corpus Christi Bay
Bruce Springsteen -- Galveston Bay, Atlantic City, Matamoros Banks (not precisely US, but just across the river from Brownsville)
Billy Joel -- Allentown, Say Goodbye to Hollywood, New York State of Mind
James McMurtry -- Levelland
Lyle Lovett -- I've Been to Memphis, Baltimore
Kinky Friedman -- Men's Room LA, Nashville Casualty and Life, Asshole from El Paso
posted by katemonster at 8:10 AM on March 15, 2007

R.E.M., "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville"
R.E.M., "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1"
R.E.M., "I Remember California"
Joni Mitchell, "California"
Wilco, "Via Chicago"
Uncle Tupelo, "Chicamauga"
Pixies, "Motorway to Roswell"
Nirvana, "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"
U2, "Angel of Harlem"
Liz Phair, "Nashville"
Liz Phair, "Dogs of LA"
Pavement, "Newark, Wilder"

-- and don't forget everything on John Linnell's album State Songs.
posted by aught at 8:10 AM on March 15, 2007

Surprise, AZ - Richard Buckner
posted by notsnot at 8:13 AM on March 15, 2007

I've been Everywhere

Daytona Nights HA!
posted by LoriFLA at 8:15 AM on March 15, 2007

Without resorting to looking things up, the best songs I can think of with cities in the titles are:

Superchunk's "Detroit Has a Skyline"
The Mountain Goats "Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton"
Nothing Painted Blue's "Up with Upland"
Discothe-Q's "(There is No Joy in) Irvine"
Hello Saferide's "San Francisco"
posted by 23skidoo at 8:15 AM on March 15, 2007

St. Augustine - Band of Horses
posted by nulledge at 8:18 AM on March 15, 2007

Richard Buckner - Hutchinson (Kansas)
posted by mezzanayne at 8:19 AM on March 15, 2007

Moon Over Marin - Dead Kennedys
Mount Pleasant - Piebald
Ohio - Modest Mouse
Bullet Train to Vegas - Drive Like Jehu
Hollywood Babylon - The Misfits
Jack Bailey vs. Mt. Airy, North Carolina - Twelve Hour Turn
posted by saladin at 8:21 AM on March 15, 2007

“EZ L.A.” by Folk Implosion
posted by arco at 8:21 AM on March 15, 2007

The Hold Steady - "Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night"
Spoon - "Chicago at Night"
that dog. - "Minneapolis"
Art Brut - "Moving to L.A."
Daft Punk - "Phoenix"
Mobius Band - "Philadelphia"
Pinback - "Syracuse"
Built to Spill - "Twin Falls"
Cocteau Twins - "Heaven or Las Vegas"
posted by zadermatermorts at 8:23 AM on March 15, 2007

"Johnsburg, Illinois" - Tom Waits
"I'll Take New York" - Tom Waits
"New York" - The Sex Pistols
"Los Angeles" - X
"Jackson" - Johnny Cash and June Carter
"New Mexico" - Johnny Cash
"Memphis Soul Stew" - King Curtis
"The Memphis Train" - Rufus Thomas
"Panic in Detroit" - David Bowie
"Michigan Girls" - Califone
"Nevada, California" - The Jayhawks
"Tampa to Tulsa" - The Jayhawks
"California Stars" - Billy Bragg & Wilco
"California Man" - Cheap Trick
"California Uber Alles" - Dead Kennedys
"Goodbye California" - Jolie Holland
"Monterey Honey" - Cotton Mather
"Hackensack" - Fountains of Wayne
"Bethlehem Steel" - Grant Lee Buffalo
"Fort Worth and Dallas Blues" - Lead Belly
"Alabama Song" - the Doors, Bowie, etc.
"Last Train to Clarksville" - The Monkees [Clarksville, TN]
"Mendocino County Line" - Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack
"Three Miles from Talent" - Number One Cup [Talent, OR]
"Bunker Hill" - Michael Penn [actually refers to a neighborhood in L.A., but you could fudge it]
"Ohio" - Crosby Stills Nash & Young
"Youngstown" - Bruce Springsteen [Youngstown, OH]
"Hotel Arizona" - Wilco
posted by scody at 8:41 AM on March 15, 2007

American Princes, "Providence, RI"
The Nields, "Nebraska"
Stroke 9, "California"
posted by bassjump at 8:49 AM on March 15, 2007

Another previously, for songs about the Midwest.
posted by sarahnade at 8:51 AM on March 15, 2007

Village of the Sun- Frank Zappa

Okay, technically the place it's about is called Sun Village. It's "out in back of Palmdale/Where the turkey farmers run". Zappa described this as just about the only sentimental song in his catalog.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 8:54 AM on March 15, 2007

Knoxville Girl
posted by fourcheesemac at 8:55 AM on March 15, 2007

private idaho - b52s
the little old lady from pasadena - jan and dean/beach boys
beverly hills - circle jerks
new york's alright if you like saxophones - fear
posted by malocchio at 9:00 AM on March 15, 2007

Regionally:

Galveston - Glen Campbell
San Antonio Stroll - Tanya Tucker
Amarillo By Morning - George Strait
Lubbock in my Rearview Mirror - Mac Davis
Luckenbach, Texas - Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings
Little Rock - Reba Mackentire
Maybe It Was Memphis - Pam Tillis

I'm sure I can think of more, but I have to get to work.
posted by Robert Angelo at 9:08 AM on March 15, 2007

If you want a New England song, then you should really use "New England" by Jonathan Richman.
posted by mckenney at 9:19 AM on March 15, 2007

"The Great Salt Lake" - Band of Horses (Only soft of a city, but a place, nonetheless)
"Piazza, New York Catcher" - Belle & Sebastian
"Canada vs. America" - Broken Social Scene (If you want to go for the big picture)
"My Oklahoma Home" & "Erie Canal" both appear on Springsteen's We Shall Overcome
Similarly, "Atlanta Twilight," "Tishomingo Blues," & "My Minnesota Home" all appear on the Prairie Home Companion soundtract
"NYC" - Interpol
"Sodom, South Georgia" - Iron & Wine
"Bear Creek Blues" - John Prine
"First We Take Manhattan" - Leonard Cohen
"California" - Low
"In Blue Hawaii" - Brian Wilson
"Blame it on the Tetons" - Modest Mouse (Another non-city, but real place)
"Come Back to Camden" - Morrisey (which isn't actually referring to a Camden in the US, but whatever, there are several)
"Graceland" - Paul Simon (and yet another)
"How Can You Live In The Northeast" - Paul Simon
"Palo Alto" - Radiohead (from the Airbag EP, which might be hard to find)
"Louisiana 1927" - Randy Newman
"Avalon" - Sigur Ros

Also, there are tons of old tradition songs like the "Tennesee Waltz," "Blue Moon of Kentucky," etc. If you're looking to fill in gaps, look at old folk tunes.
posted by dseaton at 9:19 AM on March 15, 2007

"Memphis Exorcism" -- Squirrel Nut Zippers
"L.A." -- Elliott Smith
"Vegas" -- Fuck
"Twilight in Boston" -- Jonathan Richman
"Early Chicago" -- The Sea and Cake
"On a Freezing Chicago Street" -- Margot & the Nuclear So and So's
"New York Groove" -- Ace Frehley
"Girl From NYC (Named Julia)" -- Of Montreal
"The Chapter in Your Life Entitled San Francisco" -- The Lucksmiths
"California" -- The Aislers Set
posted by JT at 9:37 AM on March 15, 2007

also: "Drivin' on 9" by the Breeders is good for a mix such as this, if you want to stray a tad from the cities/states in titles thing.
posted by JT at 9:45 AM on March 15, 2007

"Iowa" by Dar Williams
"Kenworth of my Dreams" by Richard Shindell (no cities in the title, but cities are named in the song)
"Heart of Rock 'n Roll" by Huey Lewis & the News
posted by parilous at 10:07 AM on March 15, 2007

"Saginaw Michigan" by Lefty Frizzell
posted by rfs at 10:17 AM on March 15, 2007

On the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe

(seemed like the indie rock had been covered already)
posted by sleepy pete at 10:23 AM on March 15, 2007

May be able to find some from this previous AskMe on Songs about Western and Midwestern States
posted by terrapin at 11:08 AM on March 15, 2007

Di I really have to be the person who brings up "Hotel California"?
posted by arco at 11:14 AM on March 15, 2007

"Flower Mound" by Drain (Flower Mound is a town in Texas).

"Lost in Boston" by the Walkmen.
posted by mds35 at 11:15 AM on March 15, 2007

Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” has three verses like this one:

I’ve been to Pittsburgh, Parkersburg, Gravelbourg, Colorado, Ellensburg, Rexburg, Vicksburg, Eldorado, Larimore, Adimore, Haverstraw, Chatanika, Shasta, Nebraska, Alaska, Opalacka, Baraboo, Waterloo, Kalamazoo, Kansas City, Sioux City, Cedar City, Dodge City.

Almost seventy locations in one song!
posted by partner at 11:42 AM on March 15, 2007

Sorry, make that four verses in "I've Been Everywhere." This brings the count up to about ninety locations.
posted by partner at 11:52 AM on March 15, 2007

"Michigan" by Ambulance, LTD.
posted by zombiebunny at 11:58 AM on March 15, 2007

(I Love) Detroit 3:38 25 Suaves Bulb Singles
Cedar Point '76 2:12 The Dirtbombs If You Don't Already Have A Look (Disc One)
washDC 2:23 Animal Sawn Creator
California Bird Worshippers 1:54 Christal Methodists Satanic Ritual Abuse
Rose Of Jericho 3:42 Eleventh Dream Day Lived To Tell
I-94 3:36 Radio Birdman The Essential Radio Birdman
Harlem 6:34 Suicide Suicide
Yeah! New York 2:05 Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever To Tell
Coney Island Whitefish 3:35 Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Fetish
queen of detroit 3:54 +/-
Detroit 442 2:28 Blondie The Platinum Collection
New Detroit 2:50 Neon Blonde Chandeliers in the Savannah
La To Detroit 1:20 Jaylib Champion Sound
Detroit palmtrees 4:47 The Frenchies Lola-Cola
Texas Never Whispers 3:08 Pavement Watery, Domestic
texas 3:29 + Die Doraus und die Marinas die doraus & die marinas geben offenherzige antworten auf brennende fragen
Chicago-Rillas (Feat. Mikkey & Bump J) 4:27 Rhymefest Blue Collar
Chicago Now 5:35 The Fall The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004
Manhattan 4:10 Alec Berlin MeFi Music
Manhattan 3:02 Debris' Static Disposal
A Night in New York 5:37 Elbow Bones & the Racketeers New York At Dawn
New York's Alright (If You Like Saxophones) 2:59 Fear Live On SNL
The Boy From New York City 2:59 Ad Libs
Down and Out In New York City 5:24 James Brown Make It Funky - The Big Payback
New York, New York 5:51 Grand Master Flash & the Furious Five The Best of Sugar Hill Records
New York City 4:46 Gil Scott-Heron Glory
New York City 3:22 Village People The Best of Village People
Walkin' in New York 4:23 Brenda Russell
Un Verano en New York 4:56 El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico 30 Aniversario
Brooklyn Zoo 3:40 Ol' Dirty Bastard Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Verson
began ceckic - trans brooklyn express (burning hot) 6:03 began ceckic BC records 12"
Brooklyn-Queens 3:37 3rd Bass The Cactus Album (The Cactus Cee/D)
We Live in Brooklyn, Baby 2:11 Roy Ayers Shining Symbol: The Ultimate Collection
Atlantic City 4:00 Bruce Springsteen Nebraska
Spanish Harlem 2:55 Ben E. King Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974, Vol. 4 (1958-1962)
On Broadway 3:02 Drifters Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974, Vol. 5 (1962-1966)
Nights on Broadway 4:36 Bee Gees Main Course
Broadway 2:38 Hank Ballard & the Midnighters
Broadway Rhythm 2:39 Kid Creole & the Coconuts Doppelganger
On Broadway (Live) 4:46 Gary Numan the Pleasure Principle
Broadway Magic 1:17 Jem and the Holograms Jem
Wall Street 3:32 Jackie Mittoo These Eyes - 12"
Across 110th Street 3:50 Bobby Womack & Peace Pimps, Players & Private Eyes
12th Street 4:08 Voice Farm Film Noir American Style Cassette, Tape 1: American Contributions
Strings of Nashville 3:49 Pavement Gold Soundz
The Memphis Train 2:34 Rufus Thomas Stax-Volt Soul Singles - Vol.1-Disc 9 - 59-68
All the Way from Memphis 4:58 Mott the Hoople Mott
Rose of Los Angeles 4:09 Angels Of Light
Los Angeles 2:25 X Los Angeles
Lost Angeles 2:44 Giorgio Moroder From Here to Eternity
I Left My Heart in San Francisco 1:04 Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Gorilla
San Francisco Fan 5:31 J9 Mish Mash Mush vol 2
Till San Francisco 4:07 Tanakh Dream Magazine CD
Cleveland Heights 1:59 Timothy Monger Summer Cherry Ghosts
Cleveland, Shake 4:21 Girl Talk Unstoppable
01 - Mississippi Murderer 5:09 Amboy Dukes Journey To The Center Of The Mind
Mississippi Boweavil (Boll Weevil) Blues 3:09 Masked Marvel Anthology Of American Folk Music, Vol. 1: Ballads
Missisippi Kid 3:55 Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd
Louisiana Blues 1:38 The Guano Brothers Muncie Sampler I
Louisiana 1927 2:58 Randy Newman Good Old Boys (Disc 1)
Harlem River Drive 4:05 Eddie Palmieri Blue Juice Volume3
Harlem Shuffle 2:53 Bob & Earl Groove 'N' Grind: '50s and '60s Dance Hits
Harlem River Drive Interlude 0:32 Yesterdays New Quintet Peanut Butter Wolf's Jukebox 45s
Harlem 3:21 Bill Withers Best of Bill Withers (1971-1985)
Ain't It Hell Up in Harlem 2:40 Edwin Starr
The Man From Harlem 3:05 Cab Calloway
Harlem Nocturne 3:10 Johnny Otis Big Band Rites of Rhythm & Blues - Volume 2
Forward LA 2:49 I Roy Hell And Sorrow
Philadelphia Freedom (Bonus Tr 5:21 Elton John Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
Philadelphia 4:08 Magazine The Correct Use Of Soap
Witchita Lineman 2:59 The Meters Struttin
Twenty-Two In Cincinnati 4:16 Martha And The Muffins This Is The Ice Age (1981)
Georgia Stomp 2:47 Andrew & Jim Baxter Anthology Of American Folk Music, Vol. 2: Social Music
California Flash 3:34 Attila (feat. Billy Joel) Attila
California, Norfolk 3:19 Tim Bowness Dream Magazine CD
California dreamin'
posted by klangklangston at 12:00 PM on March 15, 2007

The 1970 Hit Song Mill Valley, by Miss Abrams and the Strawberry Point 4th Grade Class
posted by trip and a half at 12:04 PM on March 15, 2007

My favorite song about my town is 'Portland' by The Replacements.
posted by sharkweek at 12:42 PM on March 15, 2007

Sweet Home Alabama
I Love LA - Randy Newman

Oh, and not what you asked for, but Route 66 is a nice tour of the US song. (Super fun to play while driving on it.)
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 12:52 PM on March 15, 2007

Bad Brains - Banned in D.C.
Nina Simone - One More Sunday in Savannah
Spyder D - Big Apple Rappin
Prince Buster - Cincinatti Kid
Yo La Tengo - Night Falls on Hoboken
Bobby Bare Jr. - Flat Chested Girl from Maynardville
Palace - Gulf Shores
Palace - West Palm Beach
Luna - Kalamazoo
Bob Wills - New San Antonio Rose
Bob Wills - Take Me Back to Tulsa
Tom Brosseau - Grafton
The Fiery Furnaces - Benton Harbor Blues Again
The Skatalites - Phoenix City
Mike Watt - Drove Up from Pedro
Devendra Banhart - Poughkeepsie
Brian Wilson - Roll Plymouth Rock
The 6ths - San Diego Zoo
Half Japanese - Daytona Beach
Joanna Newsom - Swansea
Elvis Costello - (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea (if you allow for the handful of US towns with that name)
posted by hydrophonic at 1:15 PM on March 15, 2007

R.E.M. - Cuyahoga (okay, it's about the river, but it's close enough to Cuyahoga Falls...)
Ryan Adams - My Blue Manhattan
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 2:05 PM on March 15, 2007

The Wiki list of songs about Noo Yawk mentions such gems as:
Bronx Keep Creating It - Fat Joe
Crooklyn - The Crooklyn Dodgers
Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More - Steely Dan
Echoes of Harlem - Duke Ellington
Englishman in New York - Sting
I Happen to Like New York - Cole Porter
Meet the Mets (organ version) - Jane Jarvis
New York Shit - Busta Rhymes
Tarzan of Harlem - Cab Calloway
posted by rob511 at 2:27 PM on March 15, 2007

Alison Krauss & Union Station - Oh, Atlanta
posted by somanyamys at 2:27 PM on March 15, 2007

Some more:

Mississippi - Bob Dylan (from Love and Theft)
Woodstock - CSNY
Tennessee Flat-Top Box - J Cash
Rock Island Line - Leadbelly
Arkansas Traveler - Michelle Shocked
Memories of East Texas - Michelle Shocked
(Making the Run to) Gladewater - Michelle Shocked
Redondo Beach - Patti Smith
A Heart in New York - Simon & Garfunkel
Losing California - Sloan
New Madrid - Uncle Tupelo
posted by mikel at 2:38 PM on March 15, 2007

"Duluth" by Mason Jennings
"Barrytown" by Steely Dan
posted by flod logic at 3:10 PM on March 15, 2007

Lo-Fi Tennessee Mountain Angel -- Whiskeytown
Honolulu City Lights -- Keola and Kapono Beamer
The Denver Grab -- 16 Horsepower
Join Me In L.A. -- Warren Zevon
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis -- Tom Waits
Olympia -- Hole
Birmingham Shadows -- Bruce Cockburn
South Pennsylvania Waltz -- 16 Horsepower
Lights of Cheyenne -- James McMurtry
Hele On To Kaua'i -- Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Oklahoma -- Whiskeytown
Look At Miss Ohio -- Gillian Welch
Hollywood Ending -- Sleater-Kinney
Rolling Down To Old Maui -- Stan Rogers
New York Girls -- Oysterband
Sunrise On The Mississippi -- Bruce Cockburn
Macon, Georgia County Line -- Whiskeytown
Malibu -- Hole
Ghost of a Texas Ladies' Man -- Concrete Blonde
Hoover Dam -- Sugar
Pocatello -- James McMurtry
Lahaina -- Loggins and Messina
Tennessee Square -- Whiskeytown
Rapid City, South Dakota -- Kinky Friedman
Brasilia Crossed With Trenton -- Bob Mould
posted by Smilla's Sense of Snark at 4:27 PM on March 15, 2007

Miami - U2
posted by zouhair at 6:21 PM on March 15, 2007

"Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans"--Harry Connick Jr.

"Walking to New Orleans" -- Fats Domino
posted by JujuB at 8:06 PM on March 15, 2007

p.s. new york is burning - jawbreaker
posted by eyeballkid at 8:08 PM on March 15, 2007

-"Pensacola" - Joan Osborne (entirely different song than the one by Soul Coughing)
-"Jacksonville Skyline" - Whiskeytown
-"Montgomery In The Rain" - written by Steve Young, covered by several people, including Hank Williams Jr.
-"Angel From Montgomery" - written by John Prine, covered by damn near everyone.
-"Levelland" by James McMutry (about Levelland, TX)
-"Brownsville Girl" - Bob Dylan
-"Talco Girl" - Steve James (Talco, TX)

And if it were me, I'd have to include James McMurtry's "I'm Not From Here." In the same way that all of these songs are odes to their eponymous towns, "I'm Not From Here," is an ode to every town.
posted by Clay201 at 12:09 AM on March 16, 2007

Oh, hey...

To Live And Die In L.A. - Wang Chung
posted by Clay201 at 12:12 AM on March 16, 2007

"Streets of Bakersfield" - Merle Haggard
"I Wish I could See Bakersfield" - Craig Morgan
"Bar in Bakersfield" - Michael Chain
posted by planetkyoto at 3:05 AM on March 16, 2007

If you manage to find 100 Flowers' "California's Falling Into the Ocean", you'll never get it out of your head. Water levels rising rising...

And "Death in Barstow" by the Residents.
posted by crinklebat at 6:48 PM on March 16, 2007

pittsburgh's hottest babes - the karl hendricks trio
chicago - sufjan stevens
posted by ifjuly at 9:00 PM on March 16, 2007

michigan - red house painters
posted by ifjuly at 9:00 PM on March 16, 2007

"Big Beaver" by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys is an instrumental, but the title is a reference to a town in Oklahoma or North Texas which has long been annexed to another town. I forget which one.
posted by mds35 at 6:50 AM on March 21, 2007

Since there is a Paris, TX and Parises in many other states, let me plug "Paris is On" by my pal, Paul Brill. You can watch the Joel Russel video (same guy who did M. Ward's "Chinese Translations") for the Jason Forrest (Cock Rock Disco) remix on his home page.
posted by mds35 at 7:03 AM on March 21, 2007