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Ten Songs About London

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Last week we gave you ten songs about LA. Well it's time to bring it home - here's ten about good old London Town....

 

London Calling – The Clash

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Title track from The Clash's definitive 1979 album. The politically charged anthem takes its title from the BBC World Service's station-identifying “This Is London Calling” catchphrase.

 

Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks

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Ray Davies' 1967 hymn to the sun going down over the river Thames as seen from Waterloo Bridge. The characters Terry and Julie mentioned in the lyrics are Terrance Stamp and Julie Christie, who were rumoured to be having a romance at the time.

 

Streets of London – Ralph McTell

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1974 smash hit for the English folkie. At it's peak it was rumoured to be shifting a staggering 90,000 copies a day. Good name for a pub, too.

 

Baker Street – Gerry Rafferty

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This transatlantic hit from 1978 which nods its head to Sherlock Holmes' old patch is known for its world famous sax riff.

 

Abbey Road – The Beatles

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Ok, so not a song, but it had to make the list on account of the fact that it's the title of one of the most famous albums ever comitted to tape. The 1969 classic is famed for its cover which shows the Fab Four crossing the road outside the famous Abbey Road recording studios where the record was made.

 

Cemeteries of London – Coldplay

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Album track from Coldplay's uber smash album Viva La Vida, which topped the charts around the world in 2008.

 

Midnight in Chelsea – Jon Bon Jovi

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1997 solo hit from the JBJ. The video is shot in Chelsea, Manhattan and features the legendary Chelsea Hotel, even though the song was inspired by the posh London 'hood from which the New York district took its name.

 

Northern Line – Jamie T

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The Wimbledon-born singer pays tribute to falling asleep after a night on the tiles on his favourite tube line – which is odd considering that its's the District Line that goes to Wimbledon.

 

Rainy Night in Soho – The Pogues

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Another slice of Shane McGowan's poetic genius from 1985's Rum, Sodomy and the Lash. The song has been covered by many artists including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

 

Warwick Avenue – Duffy

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One of the Bernard Butler produces tunes that brought the Welsh diva to mainstream attention. The song is about Duffy's local tube station while she was staying in London making the record.

 

West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys

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This synth pop anthem was a Number one for Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe in 1985. It was inspired by T.S. Elliot's poem The Waste Land

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