A Great City Playlist

Introduction

I was listening to "True Stories" by The Talking Heads and the song "City of Dreams" is absolutely gorgeous. Then I started thinking that would be a great theme for a playlist and losts of songs popped into my head that are about cities or reference cities.

As usual I will probably miss lots that you think should be in here, but here are the ones that did it for me.

"City of Dreams" by Talking Heads from "True Stories"

The words and the whole feel of this is beautifully ethereal, some amazing lyrics from David Byrne in here:

The Indians had a legend

The Spaniards lived for gold

The white man came and killed them

But they haven't really gone

"London" by Thea Gilmore from "Don't Stop Singing"

We tragically lost Sandy Denny but Thea Gilmore took her words and created this beautiful love song and this reminds me of a great friend of mine in another London. The song pulls at my heart strings every time I listen to it.

"Theme For Great Cities" by Simple Minds from "Sons and Fascination"

Simple Minds with their pretentious as hell song titles still managing to sound amazing with this driving intrumental.

"Atlantic City" by Bruce Springsteen from "Nebraska"

"Nebraska" is probably Springsteen's darkest and most depressing album but it is close to my favourites with it's completely stripped back instrumentation. It is a darkness that is worth slipping into every now and then and "Atlantic City" is full of darkness with the odd flicker of hope.

"City of the Dead" by The Clash from "Black Market Clash"

This is just a wonderful Clash song, I think originally a single or "B" side but found it's way on to "Black Market Clash" and many other compilations.

"Heart as Big As Liverpool" by The Mighty Wah! (Pete Wylie)

John Peel and I think that this along with "Does This Train Stop On Merseyside?" by Ian Prowse ( next up) are the best two songs about Liverpool ever. I have tried to cover both of them on my Youtube channel if you want to hear my efforts.

"Does This Train Stop On Merseyside" by Ian Prowse

An incredibly emotional solo brief history of Liverpool from Liverpool Cathedral. If you check my story about this there is a ten minute YouTube documentary there explaining this song.

"Belfast" by Boney M

Complete contrast to the previous songs, kitsch energetic disco vaguely addressing "The Troubles" in Ireland, but a great performance nonetheless.

"Things to Do In Denver When You're Dead" by Warren Zevon

Warren Zevon is one of my favourite lyricists, and this is very darkly funny but it does refer to Denver and the title spawned a film as well. Warren Zevon could always do that with his words.

"Get Out Of Denver" by Eddie and the Hot Rods from "At The Sound Of Speed"

A cover of a great Bob Seger song but this was the first time I heard it on "The sound of Speed" EP , a full throttle cover.

"In The City" but The Jam

I think this was their debut single, full on energy and that descending riff with som incendiary guitar from Paul Weller.

"In The City" by Madness

This was done for an adverts for a a Honda car model, but if it had been released as a single it would have been a massive hit. Absolutely brilliant song, as usual from Madness.

"London Calling" by The Clash

An aggressive anthemic opener to the Clash’s seminal album from Joe Strummer and Co, I remember staying in the Hilton in Paddington when working down there for EE, looking down on The Westway and this song streaming into my head every time I did that. I know this is the second song to feature the place, and London UK is not my favourite place at all, but the song is brilliant.