Taking a break from the politics for a quiet Friday evening in.
I think for me, it's a close run thing between Waterloo Sunset and Baker Street, but Waterloo Sunset wins out as it's a tiny bit more optimistic.
As long as I gaze at Waterloo Sunset, I am in paradise…
What's your song, r/london?
I'll make a playlist of all your suggestions later.
by ianjm
32 comments
Pulp – Mile End
Up the Junction from the squeeze
Kano – T-Shirt Weather In The Manor
Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon
London calling – the clash
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Fans by Kings of Leon. It’s a bit of a stretch but it mentions London and it’s my favourite KoL song so I’m counting it lol
Florence + The Machine – South London Forever
>When I go home alone
I drive past the place where I was born
And the places that I used to drink
Young and drunk and stumbling in the street
Outside the Joiners Arms like foals unsteady on their feet
With the art students and the boys in bands
High on E and holding hands with someone that I just met
Devlin – London City. https://youtu.be/HwoxiZ0yfUs?si=g1XtsqNpeiJPi79n
Saint Etienne London belongs to me
I’m a jazz man so Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square will always be a favourite. Also see A Foggy Day.
Ewan MacColl’s Sweet Thames Flow Softly.
Down in the tube station at midnight – the jam
Actually no, London Underground by the Amateur Transplants is a much better song about the underground.
Werewolves of London
Aaaaoooooo
For Tomorrow by Blur.
“Take a drive to Primrose Hill, it’s windy there and the views so nice”
[Soho Square – Kirtsy MacColl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thaiW9bfBM4)
Edit: Just listened to it right now, and I’m sad 🙁
Carter USM – The taking of Peckham 123
Down in the Tube Station at Midnight – Jam
Itchycoo Park – Small Faces
Streets of London – Ralph McTell
West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
I have to admit I found some of my inspiration on this list from Time Out – [https://www.timeout.com/music/the-100-best-london-songs](https://www.timeout.com/music/the-100-best-london-songs) though I don’t actually know half that list.
…but they missed one of my personal favourites – London Boys – David Bowie [https://youtu.be/sTCYXCfhhjE](https://youtu.be/sTCYXCfhhjE) [not the same song as the Marc Bolan one]
Waterloo Sunset. It was the first dance of some of my closest friends and now I get teary eyed when I listen to it 🥲
[Trouble on Oxford Street ](https://youtu.be/AB3ew6BZiv0)- Skinny Lister
[Polaroid Picture ](https://youtu.be/Rw9UwJr5f8I)- Frank Turner (not strictly about London but one verse is – the rest could be about anywhere really but I grew up in London so the whole thing feels like a London song to me)
Lullabye Of London by the Pogues
Roots Manuva/Skitz – Where my mind is at
I think you have probably picked the best two already, but I do also like…
London by Noonday Underground
Rainy Night in Soho by the Pogues
London City by Foy Vance – especially the 2017 live in london version and sung after Closed Hand Full of Friends
London’s Brilliant – Wendy James (written by Elvis Costello I think?)
https://youtu.be/eQSou0xt5I4?si=5foAgDIGnRYVwZjj
Not a song per se but I experienced a semi religious moment listening to Burial – Untrue while walking home from Waterloo to battersea at 6am one morning and it remains the soundtrack to London for me.
London Is The Place For Me by Lord Kitchener.
The Streets Of London – Ralph McTell
Lullaby Of London – The Pogues
__Calling England Home__ by Anthony Joseph
Lovely bit of spoken word jazz, paints very vivid pictures.
When I was a kid I used to go to Billingsgate fish market with my dad to work. There used to be a guy there who used to do odd jobs for the traders like get em a cup of tea breakfast or newspapers something like that. He was always there. He had worn out boots and his clothes were a bit of a mess and he also wore war ribbons. I asked my dad once who he was and that was the day I found out about homeless people. He was a nice guy and a lot of people let him do stuff for them to help him out. Ralph McTell’s streets of London always hits hard for me and every time I listen to it (I have it on rotation on my phone) I always think of this guy. It brings back happy memories that are underlined with sadness.
Not necessarily absolute favourites, but as not mentioned:
* Pentonville – Babyshambles
* Feltham is Singing Out – Hard-Fi
* Lovestruck – Madness (…. 🎵For now it’s heaven in deepest Tottenham🎵
Take me home (piss off) by Snuff