Olympic opening cermony

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Olympic opening cermony

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Rather than starting a new thread to celebrate the London Olympics 2012 does anyone have any favourite songs about london?

My left field choice is Shaftesbury Avenue by Momus (1987) If Martin Amis had been a songwriter he would have been Momus- just check to lyric to confirm!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1pGthFVPxw

http://www.phespirit.info/momus/20030209.htm

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

noelindublin wrote:
Rather than starting a new thread to celebrate the London Olympics 2012 does anyone have any favourite songs about london?

Probably quite predictable choices but I love Waterloo Sunset and Baker Street.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Yes both are very good. Funnily Ray Davies originally wrote Waterloo Sunset as Liverpool Sunset as a homage to Liverpool during the sixties so it could have been Liverpool Sunset.

London is a great city and so has loads of song written about it, either directly or sometimes songs like Down In The Tubestation at Midnight , which allude to living there.

Belle and Sebastions Dog On Wheels(1996) reminds me of the crusties I used to see with their skinny guard dogs around Turnpike Lane and Wood Green. So many indirect songs which remind me of London. One Band of Holy Joy song mentions 'There's a gory moon over Centrepoint tonight'- basically about running away to London and being lost in the metropolis without any money or friends.

XTC's Towers of London is brilliant.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Oh and of course there's Electric Avenue, as well as London's Calling and a couple by Bowie - London Boys and Maid of Bond Street.

suss · In the Long Grass

Many many favourites, possibly because of subject matter and my affinity for London.

London Calling is an anthem, but for Clash would add White Man in Hammersmith Palais and London's Burning (always played when Palace visit Cardiff for some reason).

Can't argue with Waterloo Sunset, a true classic, but never knew that about Liverpool. Kinks always had a London bias in songs.

Madness had various titles - Primrose Hill and Victoria Gardens spring to mind as well as a strong London theme and references in many other tracks. Suggs did Camden Town later.

Tube Station is a particular Jam favourite, along with A Bomb in Wardour Street and Strange Town.

Pogues - Transmetropolitan, Dark Streets of London, The Old Main Drag, Lullaby of London, Misty Morning Albert Bridge, Rainy Night in Soho.

Carter - Twenty Four Minutes from Tulse Hill, The Taking of Peckham 123, The Only Living Boy in New Cross.

Streets of London is a great song whether Mctell or Anti-Nowhere League.

The Greatest ****ney Rip Off is defiant at least smile .

I'm sure there are more I've loved but overlooked....

noelindublin · Loudmouth

They could do the synchronised swimming to Like Clockwork and the beach volleyball to Living On An Island. Usain Bolt might have Go Man Go on his mp3 player (unlikely I Know)

Most of the sports could be soundtracked to Sleep. Apart from some of the track and field there are few proper sports, most are minority interest. Who actually likes dressage? BBC 5 Live had a brilliant commentary on a canoe race last time out. Victoria Derbyshire was bowled over.

The modern pentathlon is not as good as the older version! Still the opening ceremony should be good. Hope it's some good old fashioned morris dancing.

Keep It Up should be the marathon soundtrack.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Tuesday 24th of July 2012 03:31:16 PM

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Good choices there Suss. How about Pulp's Mile End. Great lyrics but not very endearing to the London Tourist Board. Just some quotes from Jarvis about Mile End

'just like heaven if it didn't look like hell'

'Oh it's a mess alright, yes it Mile End'

'The Pearly King of the Isle of dogs/ feels up children in the bogs/ down by the playing fields/ someone's set a car on fire.....'

Two more songs just came to mind Chris Difford's Trafalgar Square and The Ruts West one (Shine On Me).

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

How about The Elephant's (and Castle) Graveyard?

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Whitehal 1212?? Maybe not ... Or there's Mary(lebone) of the 4th Form

suss · In the Long Grass

noelindublin wrote:
Good choices there Suss.....
Two more songs just came to mind Chris Difford's Trafalgar Square and The Ruts West one (Shine On Me).

Cheers. Don't know the Difford track, but you reminded me of Up the Junction which was clearly aimed at Clapham.

As for West One - my favourite Ruts track so thanks for reminder. Not because of subject matter, just a fantastic song. Way better than Babylon's Burning and Rude Boys.

Remembered Guns of Brixton (Clash) too, with the much sampled bass line (Just/Dub be Good to Me).

The Men They Couldn't Hang had a good track Going Back To Coventry with numerous London references. Well worth a listen.

And who could forget the Splodge epic, 'I fell in love with a female plumber from Harlesden NW10'? Less than could remember it I daresay.

Lisa, like your puns by the way smile .

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Trafalgar Square by Chris Difford is fairly recent. It was on one of the Uncut free cd's from Diffords solo career circa 2006/7. Pretty good song. I only know the Ruts from their 'greatest hits' compilation. Their outstanding song for me is In A Rut. Love the ambiguity of the lyrics 'If you're in a rut/ you got to get out of it'.

Solitary Confinement by The Members is a great song about London. I would imagine there are hundreds of songs written about London either directly or indirectly. Who remembers Davy by Danny Wilson (the Dundee band not the ex Luton Town footballer!?)

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

I have a new (latest?) CD by Chris Difford - Cashmere if you Can. It's brilliant! But not sure if there are any London themed songs on it .... but well worth a listen.