City Songs Saturday - Freedom Edition

July 4, 2011 - The 235th birthday of the most incredible, liberty-filled, freedom-rich nation on the earth. I'm immensely grateful to the founding fathers, the Continental Army, and the military branches of the United States for visioning it, declaring it, earning it, and defending it.

This week's City Songs Saturday focuses on some of the key cities at the flashpoint of the revolution then and at the epicenter of government today. As has been the pattern, I've included 5 songs. But to be honest, it was a bit of stretch to go with five and still cover multiple cities. Songwriters haven't exactly been forthcoming with songs about places like Lexington, Concord, Saratoga, and Valley Forge. Perhaps I could have included one about Quebec, but I've tried to focus this series on U.S. cities. So away we go...

I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys - I'll lead with this one because (1) the song is short but fun to scream and (2) I'm giving a nod to fellow blogger - the music diggin', straight shootin' Rockstar_Aimz - who currently claims Boston as home.

I'm a sailor peg / And I lost my leg
Climbing up the top sails / I lost my leg!

I need to create a "to do" to blast this song later this September on Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Brasilia Crossed With Trenton - Bob Mould - I have no idea if Mould's Trenton is meant to be about the New Jersey city. But in this case, I'm going to make it so.

I see buildings / With laundry hanging out of the window
Never in my wildest dreams would I think I'd see
Brasilia crossed with Trenton

Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen

Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John

The Ghost of Old D.C. - J.B. Beverly & The Wayward Drifters - This one was a stretch for me. I didn't have what I believed to be a blog-worthy song title about Washington, DC. But in searching around for one, I found this band. From what I've heard of this video and other song samples, I'll be listening to them more ... a lot more.

...well, there is a patch of train tracks outside of Silver Spring
it used to be the freight line right into old DC...

Happy Independence Day folks. Never - ever - take your freedoms for granted.

TMC

City Songs Saturday - Border State Cities

Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. That should be plenty of territory of border states to explore a few city songs. Right?

Spokane Motel Blues - Tom T. Hall

El Paso - Marty Robbins

Saginaw, Michigan - Lefty Frizell

Brownsville Girl - Bob Dylan

Helena, Montana - Terry Allen - Strong song...even if the video isn't

TMC

City Songs Saturday - A States

Without a logical theme coming to mind for today, I figured I'd stick with the simple. Here's a sampling of city songs from the "A" states of the good ol' USA.

Alabama: Angel From Montgomery - John Prine


Alaska: Anchorage - Michelle Shocked


Arkansas: Little Rock - Hayes Carll


Arizona: By The Time I Get to Phoenix - Glen Campbell


Arizona Bonus: Goin' Back to Tucson - Supersuckers


TMC

City Songs Saturday - Big Ten edition

With all the drama surrounding [snark] The [/snark] Ohio State University, Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor, tats, weed, jerseys, and cars, I thought a Big Ten edition of City Songs Saturday might work.

Before anyone unleashes on me, yes I realize these cities aren't the homes of Big Ten universities. I'm just trying to get in the general vicinity of the states.

Detroit Rock City - KISS


Cleveland Rocks - The Presidents of The United States of America


Champaign, Illinois - Old 97s


What's Made Milwaukee Famous - Jerry Lee Lewis


The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines - Joni Mitchell



TMC

City Songs Saturday - NASCAR edition

Greetings from Concord, North Carolina where I'm spending the weekend enjoying the festivities of Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR weekend with friends a'plenty and Schaefer beer a'many.

The theme for today's City Songs Saturday focuses on various cities having NASCAR tracks. Click here if want to read/listen to other City Song Saturday entries.

Indianapolis - Bottle Rockets

Pocono Joe - Mark Miklos

Oh Atlanta - Little Feat

Dallas - Jimmie Dale Gilmore (performed here by Flatlanders' bud Joe Ely)

Ooh Las Vegas - Gram Parsons (covered here by Jason & The Scorchers)

TMC

City Songs Saturday - Port Cities edition

Despite my settings, this blog template will not display tags. So click here if you want to see my other City Songs Saturday entries.

Galveston Bay - Bruce Springsteen

City of New Orleans - Steve Goodman

Corpus Christi Bay - Robert Earl Keen

Jacksonville Skyline - Whiskeytown

San Diego Serenade - Tom Waits

TMC

City Songs Saturday - Plains states

I want to thank each and every one of you who commented on last week's City Songs Saturday blog debut. Yes, all zero of you. Thank so much for the feedback. The message was loud and clear - 100% of no one suggested to move forward with the series, and for that I'm grateful.

How about a CSS theme shout-out this week to the Plains states - places like Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Kansas City Star - Roger Miller



Tulsa Time - Don Williams



Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell



Idabel Blues - Stoney LaRue



Back Home in Omaha - Todd Thibaud



TMC

City Songs Saturday - Tennessee edition

Thought I might try this theme beginning today and on Saturdays to follow. Songs with U.S. cities in the title. With this being the inaugural post in the series and my being a native Tennessean, songs about cities in the volunteer state seemed the logical place to begin.

I'm open to suggestions. Multiple songs about a specific city? State? Region? Single artist - multiple city songs? Solo artists or bands? Comment away.

For this entry, I specifically made sure the song was available on YouTube. Clearly not all songs are represented there. So some weeks I may just have a link to the audio. Who knows - let's just see where it takes us.

East Nashville Skyline - Todd Snider



Up Memphis Blues - Tommy Womack



Midnight Train to Memphis - The Steeldrivers



Knoxville Girl - The Wilburn Brothers



Nutbush City Limits - Tina Turner



TMC