After RTH’s recent global World Cup of Rock ‘n Roll lovefest, I did a little research about my own fair city and found out that there has been a war going on right here in San Francisco. Apparently, there has been SERIOUS disagreement about the city’s official song. It wasn’t enough that Jeanette MacDonald lustily suggested that you “open your golden gates” in the title song from the 1936 film San Francisco. Instead, Tony Bennet‘s later nostalgia about leaving his heart here was viewed as a serious contender for our official song. In this very political of cities, people went to fisticuffs to defend their choice of song, and at one point, a visiting Tony Bennet refused to leave his hotel room if the other San Francisco choice was played at a city event. According to a recent KALW discussion, the conflict was alleviated only when “San Francisco” was named the Official Song and “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” was named the Official Ballad.
Honestly, all that sturm und drang over THOSE two songs? There are so many more to choose from! Want to celebrate the Summer of Love? Then choose Scott McKenzie’s “If You’re Going to San Francisco.” Shades of political? Then how about “Tania,” by Camper Van Beethoven? Recollections of times spent here? “San Francisco,” by Kristin Hersh. Pining for a lost love? “Come Back From San Francisco,” by Magnetic Fields. Recognition of local landmarks? “Down on Mission Street,” by Lloyd Cole or “Grace Cathedral Park,” by Red House Painters. You could even bring attention to some of the less savory aspects of this city: “In San Francisco,” by Napalm and Eruption, or “Jumpers,” by Sleater-Kinney.
So, what’s your town or city’s Official Song? Or, what should it be? When I was living in Fairfield County, Connecticut, I would have nominated a version of “Money, That’s What I Want” or “Mother’s Little Helper” as being reflective of the local zeitgeist.
I guess the Rocky Theme song, “Gonna Fly Now,” is our unofficial official song in Philadelphia, and I’m kind of cool with that, but if I had my druthers it would be “TSOP” by MSFB.
Mr. Mod, those certainly beat either of the San Francisco official entries.
Your story is amazing, ladymisskirroyale. I can’t imagine Philadelphians and our artists getting that worked up over an official city song. It’s pretty funny that there’s such a controversy in such a hotbed of peace, love, and understanding.
Those are much better than Elton John’s Philadelphia Freedom or that streets of one Springsteen did.
It would either be Hackensack by Thelonius Monk or Fountains of Wayne for mine.
I can’t stand Philadelphia Freedom. I hate the string and flute swirls. And even as a kid, I though the tie-in with a professional tennis team was absurd.
I really like I Left My Heart In SF but how about San Francisco by the Village People? Not necessarily for any gay connotations but for what the make up of the group represented. When I was out there, there really did seem to be some of everything: punks, hippies, gay people, straight people, junkies, born-again Christians, yuppies, cops, Indian chiefs, etc. Man, I love that town…
Can we all agree that New York New York is the official song of New York?
The only DC song I can think of is a pretty good one: “Chocolate City” by Parliament. Though I think Chuck Brown’s go-go masterwork “We Need Some Money” would be excellent for all kinds of reasons.
Shoot, I like Philadelphia Freedom. Apparently my latent Elton-love is destined to keep surfacing. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
As for NY, I would bump NY, NY in favor of “I’m Waiting for the Man.”
As a Bostonian, we are pretty much left with Dirty Water, and there’s nothing much to be done about that but deal with it, or to advocate for Jonathan Richman’s Roadrunner, encompassing not only the city but at least as far out as route 128, and to hope no one mentions Rock and Roll Band by Boston.
The official song of Washington, D.C. is Francis Scott Key’s “Star Spangled Banner.” D.C. native Duke Ellington has a jaunty version…but a go-go version by Chuck Brown or E.U. would do Drama City right.
(cue indignant Bill Needle rant here)
Well, that’s just typical! Washington DC’s official anthem is about BALTIMORE.
misterioso, Don’t get me wrong, I love early Elton John. My first album was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (that and KISS Alive), and I still listen to is fairly regularly.
But somehow, even at the tender age of 11, I still managed to recognize that there was something wrong about a rock song containing swirling flute flourishes and lyrics about a professional tennis team.
I didn’t realize this till I looked it up, I guess because it happened before I moved here:
“In 2005, Kansas City adopted “Kansas City” [the Leiber/Stoller song] as its official song…. The Beatles’ version of Kansas City is played over Kauffman Stadium’s sound system after each Kansas City Royals win, while the Wilbert Harrison version is played after each loss.”
So locals get to hear a lot more Wilbert Harrison than the Beatles.
This is also a good one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jackson's_Kansas_City_Blues
Listen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMBO2Sb_91k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cys6oIjNoP8
shawnkilroy, all I can say is Mad props!
BigSteve, thank you for sharing yet another totally bizarre story in regard to this thread!
bchn, welcome to the fray! I guess it should be expected that our national anthem is also our nation’s capital’s anthem, but I agree with the suggestion for DC officially adopting “Chocolate City.”
My old hometown has very many songs written about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_New_Orleans
But as far as I can tell no official song. My picks would be Fats Domino’s Walkin’ to New Orleans. Gary US Bonds’ New Orleans is also a good one, and the Meters’ They All Axed For You.
Philadelphia Freedom just doesn’t sound anything like the city at all, and as others have said, the tie in to a long-defunct tennis team, of all things, just makes it that much less appropriate.
The Channel 6 Action News March/”Move Closer To Your World” combo should be the official Philadelphia song, and I’ve listened to so much Best Show on WFMU that I assume “And We Danced” has unofficial song of the city status.
But until someone writes a song that accurately captures the right mix of self-loathing/disdain for every other place in the world, “Gonna Fly Now” is a suitable placeholder.
For Washington DC, I rather favor “Washington DC” by the Magnetic Fields:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ4mv8_uXzY
And shawnkilroy, LOVE the clip! That concert is one I would have loved to have attended.
I’m also thumbs up on M. Lovers “Roadrunner” for a regional sound. SF area has plenty, including that catchy but rather horrible “Sausalito Summer” by the Dutch band, Diesel. (Vocals sound a little like late Steve Miller???)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMAGI7zRqj8
But I’m in favor of Pavements’s NorCal vs. SoCal polemics, like “Unfair.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GqGNmcjWDY
I can’t add much for Philadelphia except that TSOP doesn’t actually use the word Philadelphia and wouldn’t most people think of this as the Soul Train theme?
I should be able to come up with one for Pittsburgh – something WDVE would play for a Steelers tailgate.
C’mon 2000 Man, yours is easy!
“Dirty Water” and “Roadrunner” have it pretty much covered for Boston, but here is a thread from my blog several years ago which covers Boston, Boston bands, and Boston songs: http://bostonhistory.typepad.com/notes_on_the_urban_condit/2006/04/boston_the_musi.html
More on Boston songs: http://bostonhistory.typepad.com/notes_on_the_urban_condit/2005/04/rock_over_bosto.html
For Washington D.C. I like “I’m Just A Bill” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dVo3nbLYC0
I choose to believe the myth that Providence is the subject of “Town Without Pity.” I am plugging my ears against all contrary evidence, because otherwise all we’re left with is that Eagles song, and I really don’t want that.
San Francisco gets Journey’s “When the Lights Go Down in the City”
I’m sure Cleveland would have a knock down, drag out fight trying to pick our official song. Most of us think of Drew Carey when we think of Cleveland Rocks, and his little web series on how to make Cleveland better pisses most of us off, seeing as how he doesn’t live and work here. So while everyone else probably thinks of Cleveland when that song comes on, I don’t think many of us do.
There’s some better ones anyway. Look Out Cleveland by The Band isn’t awful. Chrissie Hynde did a nice job with Precious. There’s some good mentions of places around here, and the hard, grating sound really fits this city well.
For me, I think I’m of the right age where Alex Bevan’s Skinny is definitely our theme song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05jy6MOjDbI
He was a local phenomenon, and in my little suburb of Cleveland he performed in front of 6000 people down in the park. It was essentially an acoustic show, and I can’t believe more than 50 of us could even hear him, but man, that was a good time!
Boston gets stuck with with whatever that crappy song by Boston is that starts “We were just another band out of Boston.” I don’t know the rest cuz I always mange to turn it off at that point, but you guys spit that out at us, and that’s your theme song no matter how many great things like Roadrunner came from there.
cdm wrote: “But somehow, even at the tender age of 11, I still managed to recognize that there was something wrong about a rock song containing swirling flute flourishes and lyrics about a professional tennis team.”
But cdm, the point you are missing is that Philadelphia Freedom is by far the best song about a pro tennis team. The notoriously bad Cars outtake “Boston Lobsters” certainly speaks to that fact.
I just discovered a fascinating twelve minute version of Roadrunner done live right after the breakup of the Modern Lovers. Anyone who is interested in hearing it let me know.
I’m interested in hearing it, bostonhistorian. Thanks!
Bostonhistorian, please post that link for Roadrunner.
And my sister is here visiting from DC – she reminds me that San Francisco’s official song SHOULD be the Rice-A-Roni SF Treat jingle…
And my husband just weighed in for a song about Phoenix: The Beatles’ “Get Back.”
Hey, Lady: that would be the theme for Tucson, right?
Phoenix or Tucson – either apply.
I don’t think “When The Saints Go Marching In” mentions NO, so I’m gonna have to drop “House Of The Rising Sun,” of course. There’s also Redbone’s “Witch Queen of New Orleans.”
The thing about San Francisco is that there can be said to be two populations here: San Franciscans and carpetbaggers. “I Left My Heart” is for the carpetbaggers and anybody else (visitors, commuters) who reflect upon a limited time here. “San Francisco” is for people arriving, carpetbaggers and locals-to-be (SF has a way of choosing its permanent residents).
That said, I do think “Lights” is the key SF cut from the rock world.
Great observation about SF, eh.