Songs about upstate NY
February 11, 2009 8:16 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for songs about upstate/western New York or that mention the area. Does anyone know of any?
It's even better if a song specifically references Buffalo, Rochester, or the Adirondacks.
I might be a little embarrassed to know this, but, um, there is possibly a Dar Williams song about western New York state.
posted by pullayup at 8:38 PM on February 11, 2009
posted by pullayup at 8:38 PM on February 11, 2009
There's the leadoff track "Buffalo" from Kathleen Edwards' latest record, "Asking for Flowers". Coincidentally my favorite record of 2008!
posted by harkin banks at 9:04 PM on February 11, 2009
posted by harkin banks at 9:04 PM on February 11, 2009
"The New World," by X, mentions Buffalo in a list.
"Flint, Ford Auto,
Mobile, Alabama
Windshield wiper,
Buffalo, New York."
posted by GaelFC at 9:15 PM on February 11, 2009
"Flint, Ford Auto,
Mobile, Alabama
Windshield wiper,
Buffalo, New York."
posted by GaelFC at 9:15 PM on February 11, 2009
"Truckin, up to Buffalo. Been thinkin, you got to mellow slow
Takes time, you pick a place to go, and just keep truckin on."
Truckin' - Grateful Dead
posted by premortem at 9:29 PM on February 11, 2009
Takes time, you pick a place to go, and just keep truckin on."
Truckin' - Grateful Dead
posted by premortem at 9:29 PM on February 11, 2009
My mom used to listen to a song called "The Ballad of the Adirondacks" I think.
I know its started out with a Loon calling. I remember it being quite catchy.
posted by Jonsnews at 9:45 PM on February 11, 2009
I know its started out with a Loon calling. I remember it being quite catchy.
posted by Jonsnews at 9:45 PM on February 11, 2009
Steely Dan's "Barrytown," off Pretzel Logic, references the tiny Hudson Valley burb near the town of Red Hook.
posted by thejoshu at 10:25 PM on February 11, 2009
posted by thejoshu at 10:25 PM on February 11, 2009
Also, in the song "St. Dominic's Preview" Van Morrison sings "and it's a long way to Buffalo, / it's a long way to Belfast City, too."
posted by thejoshu at 10:39 PM on February 11, 2009
posted by thejoshu at 10:39 PM on February 11, 2009
Pretty much everything by Wide Right is seeped in Buffalo lore, and they come by it honestly.
posted by Scram at 10:41 PM on February 11, 2009
posted by Scram at 10:41 PM on February 11, 2009
Ooh ... the ER-I-EE was risin'
And the gin was gettin’ low
And I scarcely think
We'll get a little drink
'til we get to Buffalo!
also
Get up there mule, here comes a lock,
We'll make Rome 'bout six o'clock.
One more trip and back we'll go,
Right back home to Buffalo.
posted by moonmilk at 11:27 PM on February 11, 2009
And the gin was gettin’ low
And I scarcely think
We'll get a little drink
'til we get to Buffalo!
also
Get up there mule, here comes a lock,
We'll make Rome 'bout six o'clock.
One more trip and back we'll go,
Right back home to Buffalo.
posted by moonmilk at 11:27 PM on February 11, 2009
Cutpaste:
During the 1970s, the Nickel City lost much of its shine. High unemployment, a miserable football team and poorly planned downtown urban renewal projects had Buffalo in the doldrums. To combat the negativity, advertising executive Alden Schutte produced the Talkin’ Proud campaign. Anyone who grew up in Buffalo during that time can remember the chorus of singers dancing through the streets singing loudly, “Buffalo's got a spirit, talkin' proud, talkin' proud!"
Anyway, ">here's my copy of the song, be nice to my webserver :)
posted by Jinkeez at 5:05 AM on February 12, 2009
Steely Dan " My Old School" references Annandale, as in Annandale-on-Hudson, home of Bard College, where they attended.
posted by lobstah at 6:09 AM on February 12, 2009
posted by lobstah at 6:09 AM on February 12, 2009
Ani Difranco must have a song that mentions Buffalo. Let's see...
Could it be that Hello Birmingham is the only one?
posted by booth at 6:55 AM on February 12, 2009
Could it be that Hello Birmingham is the only one?
posted by booth at 6:55 AM on February 12, 2009
There was just an article in the Syracuse newspaper about the song "Sally From Syracuse" by Stu Nunnery.
posted by maurice at 7:49 AM on February 12, 2009
posted by maurice at 7:49 AM on February 12, 2009
Steely Dan " My Old School" references Annandale, as in Annandale-on-Hudson, home of Bard College, where they attended.
Huh. Given the bits about William and Mary, I'd always assumed it was Annandale VA.
I came in to mention the Dar Williams song as well.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:04 AM on February 12, 2009
Huh. Given the bits about William and Mary, I'd always assumed it was Annandale VA.
I came in to mention the Dar Williams song as well.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:04 AM on February 12, 2009
Chris Trapper - Boston Girl
"Well, Albany's so fun I spent a month there one day
But Buffalo is cool so I can't stay away"
Friends of mine from upstate wrote a song called Elmira, but I don't think the town is mentioned by name in the lyrics, at least according to my quick listen now. Would this still fit? I can see if they're okay with distribution.
posted by knile at 9:40 AM on February 12, 2009
"Well, Albany's so fun I spent a month there one day
But Buffalo is cool so I can't stay away"
Friends of mine from upstate wrote a song called Elmira, but I don't think the town is mentioned by name in the lyrics, at least according to my quick listen now. Would this still fit? I can see if they're okay with distribution.
posted by knile at 9:40 AM on February 12, 2009
Ani Difranco must have a song that mentions Buffalo.
You're thinking of Lullaby.
I live in New York New York the city that never shuts up
in the daylight everything is so gory
you can hear snatches of stranger's sorry stories
and I moved there from Buffalo but that's nothing
the TRICO plant moved to Mexico
left my uncle standing out in the cold
said there's your last paycheck have fun growing old
posted by Muffy at 10:11 AM on February 12, 2009
You're thinking of Lullaby.
I live in New York New York the city that never shuts up
in the daylight everything is so gory
you can hear snatches of stranger's sorry stories
and I moved there from Buffalo but that's nothing
the TRICO plant moved to Mexico
left my uncle standing out in the cold
said there's your last paycheck have fun growing old
posted by Muffy at 10:11 AM on February 12, 2009
@ ROU_Xenophobe,
The Wolverine was (is) a train that used to run from NY-Boston-Detroit-Chicago, and had a stop near A on H. Now I think it just goes back and forth from MI to IL. I have a buddy who went to Bard, who taught me all this important stuff !
posted by lobstah at 11:02 AM on February 12, 2009
The Wolverine was (is) a train that used to run from NY-Boston-Detroit-Chicago, and had a stop near A on H. Now I think it just goes back and forth from MI to IL. I have a buddy who went to Bard, who taught me all this important stuff !
posted by lobstah at 11:02 AM on February 12, 2009
Bard alum here, can confirm the Steely Dan connection. Not to derail or anything...
posted by thejoshu at 12:49 PM on February 12, 2009
posted by thejoshu at 12:49 PM on February 12, 2009
There's a track called Upstate here, from Rochester rapper L.I.
I KNOW I've heard another track on college radio here that mentions Charlotte beach and a bunch of other Rochester area spots... will keep looking for it.
posted by chr1sb0y at 1:42 PM on February 12, 2009
I KNOW I've heard another track on college radio here that mentions Charlotte beach and a bunch of other Rochester area spots... will keep looking for it.
posted by chr1sb0y at 1:42 PM on February 12, 2009
Greg Klyma's "Two Degrees in Buffalo."
Ani's earliest songs (1985 demos) have more Buffalo mentions, but aren't widely available.
Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" mentions Buffalo in a list.
posted by Riverine at 6:41 PM on February 12, 2009
Ani's earliest songs (1985 demos) have more Buffalo mentions, but aren't widely available.
Johnny Cash's "I've Been Everywhere" mentions Buffalo in a list.
posted by Riverine at 6:41 PM on February 12, 2009
Here's another hip-hop track called 585 by Emilio Rojas - about Rochester. On a quick listen I heard him mention Clinton, St. Paul, Krudco skate shop, Java Joe's, Kodak, Midtown Plaza, ice, rain and sleet, and Charlotte Beach.
posted by chr1sb0y at 11:40 AM on February 14, 2009
posted by chr1sb0y at 11:40 AM on February 14, 2009
And in a different genre, Peter Hughes, (aka Peter Peter Hughes) who is generally considered to be the bass player for The Mountain Goats, has a song called "We'll always have Rochester", which is available free online.
posted by chr1sb0y at 2:15 PM on February 14, 2009
posted by chr1sb0y at 2:15 PM on February 14, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
Buffalo Gals, of course. And "The Erie Canal" for Rochester, Albany, and Buffalo. Some other Erie Canal songs here.
posted by Miko at 8:22 PM on February 11, 2009