Songs With Location Names: Classic or Dud?

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I just realized that almost every song I've written (what few I've actually finished) has at least one specific real-life location in it. Furthermore, I'm a sucker for songs that take place in specific cities, towns or landmarks. Mind you, I'm not talking about just MENTIONING these places, which means that Huey Lewis' "Heart of Rock & Roll" doesn't make the cut. I'm talking about giving a song an actual sense of place.

Think of the Mountain Goats' "New Star Song," for instance. The narrator finds himself in a specific town (Redding), sits in a specific place (a sheet music store - I love that), waits for a specific train (the Coast Starlight), and observes specific stoner kids in the parking lot. So much specific detail. I love that.

What do others think of this songwriting approach? John Darnielle is welcome to participate but ineligible to actually pick C or D, since I think we know how he'd vote...

― mike a (mike a), Friday, 20 December 2002 03:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom Waits - Johannanberg, IL = classic

also whoever did Pico and Sepulveda = dud because that shit gets stuck in my head whenever i pass by there.

― chaki (chaki), Friday, 20 December 2002 03:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, Tom Waits once said that he gives every song "a location and a place to eat, in case you get hungry" (I'm paraphrasing here).

― mike a (mike a), Friday, 20 December 2002 03:49 (twenty-two years ago)

MacArthur Park...classic all the way. (raspberrys to the max)

― Helltime Producto (Pavlik), Friday, 20 December 2002 03:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Memphis Tennesee by Chuck Berry = Classic

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Friday, 20 December 2002 04:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Girl From Ipanema = The most classic of the classic

― paul cox (paul cox), Friday, 20 December 2002 06:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Winesburg, Ohio = The most classic of the classic

― gabbneb, Friday, 20 December 2002 10:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Dayton, Ohio - 1903, Randy Newman. It's sweet. Probably best known from a lemonade commercial. Classic w/3 exclamation points.

― weatheringdaleson (weatheringdaleson), Friday, 20 December 2002 11:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Victoria: the title of more than one song.

For a while, I thought you were saying that you were the author of Huey Lewis' back catalogue; was disappointed to be disillusioned.

― the pinefox, Friday, 20 December 2002 11:02 (twenty-two years ago)

classic: "by the time i get to phoenix" and "wichita lineman" glenn campbell, "the beach at redpoint" boards of canada, "london nights" the london boys.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, 20 December 2002 11:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I bought Pod by the Breeders a couple of weeks ago.

On the day I bought it, as I listened to it for the 2nd or third time on my discman, I noticed that Kim Deal was singing "...in a Limehouse, we're in a Limehouse" just as I stepped off the DLR onto the platform of Limehouse station!

Wicked happenstance.

― meirion john lewis (mei), Friday, 20 December 2002 11:09 (twenty-two years ago)

This is such an insanely specific question.

― David Allen, Saturday, 21 December 2002 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with Mike A and find it incredibly hard not to be suckered by songs featuring actual places. They so often seem to imply that the song you're hearing is somehow more authentic and real. I guess this isn't much different than putting 'based on a true story' on a video box, but it seems to get me every time. Gram Parsons singing 'streets of baltimore' springs to mind.

Thinking about it wouldn't 'The Streets of Baltimore' make an excellent Maryland based Brum-rap covers band?

― wagstaff, Saturday, 21 December 2002 21:25 (twenty-two years ago)

classic all the way. thank you for the opportunity to mention the two best songwriters ever at doing it:

stew (negro problem)
scott miller (loud family)

― dan (dan), Saturday, 21 December 2002 21:36 (twenty-two years ago)

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