After #1: All the people who were lost or have suffered, and #2: Not being able to hug my friends, the #3 worst thing for me about this cursed pandemic has been not being able to go places. It’s been a year since I’ve been able to drive to Chicago to see our daughter and stop for an Italian beef at Mr Beef on Wells Street. A year since I’ve driven to a new town and found a diner and sat down to a blue plate special. Back when this plague started, I was planning a weekend trip to Point Pleasant, West Virginia to look for the Mothman. I’m used to lots of road trips and strange cities and new vistas and the ineffable joy of gas station coffee and roadside motels and I’m way past antsy now.
I need to start thinking about all the places I’m going to go once we get our vaccines and this shit is mostly behind us.
So tonight’s theme is simple: Songs with place names in the title. Geological features such as mountains or rivers or hollers are also acceptable, as are roads, lanes, highways, etc. Anything that denotes a particular place (even imaginary).
I realize I’m sort of phoning this DUAN in, but it’s been a really busy week and I’m getting hinky from all this lockdown. I have to start seeing a future beyond the blue horizon or I’m gonna snap. So help me out here: SONGS WITH PLACE NAMES: GO!
Also, Thank you all for supporting Deadsplinter and DUAN, and BURMA SHAVE.
Honestly, I plan to be Anywhere But Here.
This is an easy one for me. As soon as I get my 2nd Covid shot I’m going to go get poke in Waialae…
and then I’m going to head to my favorite Southswell surf spots…
and then meet my buddies with some coldies on the beach and play some volleyball in Waimanalo…
What, is Waimanalo safe for haoles now?
In Connecticut I worked with a haole girl who had gone to Waimanalo. She was cool. Her husband is a writer for The Daily Show.
Local Haoles yes, still questionable for tourists. Bellows is still great, Waimanalo beach park is all homeless until 1st of each month when they kick them all out & start over.
Mini Viva – “Left My Heart In Tokyo”
“San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” – by Emile Mosseri, Joe Talbot, Daniel Herskedal (Featuring Mike Marshall) – from The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
And this does not contain a place name in the title, but it speaks of the lengths we’d go to in order to see our loved ones.
The Proclaimers – “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
The Blind Shake – Holy Road
Speaking of Memphis
The Lost Sounds – Memphis Is Dead
Negativeland – Melt The North Pole
Negativland. Still at it. Holy hell….
nobody said alberquerque yet?
anyhoo…i dont want to go there
i think ill go for tokyo
(coz in my new toyota its not so far away)
@Luigi Vuoto if you’re going to WV make sure to stop by Mystery Hole, Bongwater’s Ann Magnuson was a WV native.
Bongwater – Mystery Hole
No joke: I can see West Virginia from my front porch.
It’s a beautiful state.
Harper’s Ferry is great in multiple ways, but visiting now is not a good idea.
But in the fall when everyone has their shots and the leaves are turning all up and down the valleys of the Shenandoah and Potomac….
I’ve been to Harper’s Ferry,it’s very interesting. And nearby Shepherdstown, WV which is very nice.
(Makes broad sweeping gesture toward the world out there…)
Way Out West
Oh no, Clovis Leachman died! What an amazing lady!
Noooo! My brother has a friend who’s a prop master in the film industry. He said she’s, I guess was, a crew favorite to work with. That she baked for the crew, remembered everyone’s names, and told the filthiest jokes.
I’ll have to watch Young Frankenstein in her honor.
Mrs. Butcher’s childhood friend played Frau Blucher (blucher is German for glue) on Broadway.
Nei-ei-ghhhh!!!
Rappers weren’t the only musicians to make diss records.
Hoo boy. This song is, for me, their apex. I know it’s a reworking of a Greg Allman song, but it works.
On the Road Again:
Destination Unknown:
To properly follow theme…
Bobcaygeon (don’t miss the Willie reference!):
Marietta?????
I’m not acknowledging the Top Gun version. This is what I was expecting:
I was totally confused by that too! I was like, I don’t remember missing persons in Top Gun? Bonus geography song…
I like this. Thanks!
Starred for the song and not the comment. I left your boy bands alone…you leave my Top gun alone! lol
Not that I am one to circumvent the rules or anything but technically “Miami” is in here somewhere:
Fun fact, my Dad went to Top Gun School in Rhode Island & it was nothing like the movie. Much less gay innuendo.
Welcome to Miami!
One of my fave songs, “Vegas” by Sara Bareilles, really gets at the appeal of running away to a better place
I know there are plenty of versions of “I Go to Rio” done by better musicians, but this one has MUPPETS!!!
This is from “The Boy From Oz,” the phenomenal musical starring the great Hugh Jackman. This is the number that closes the show. At the performance I went to the crowd went wild at the end, cheering, applauding, it was the best.
Ahh I saw Hugh Jackman in concert in late summer ‘19 and it was such a good show! I had to drive through some serious severe weather as I made it into the city. Cars were drifting sideways from the wind on the freeway. It was nervewrecking, but I made it to the arena without incident and the show went on. He’s just as amazing a performer as I thought he would be. The energy in the venue was so high the whole night through. 10/10 would recommend
All the different versions of this song, but I’ll go with this one. . . .
Depeche Mode – “Route 66”
Apropos of nothing, Hump Day bender:
The Clash – Guns of Brixton
The Clash – London’s Burning (vs. that other London song)
The Clash – (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
How could you miss this low hanging fruit from the Clash? By the way, I read in some listicle that this song has one of the most recognized opening few notes of any song ever recorded, and it’s true. After the second or third beat you know exactly what it is.
I had to choose between their London songs. I chose the earlier. Love them both.
Three years ago today I lost a dear friend to colon cancer (fuck cancer). To quote his brothers’ eulogy: “Don’t stop believin'”
That sucks. Condolences, and yes, fuck cancer. With a rail gun.
So sorry to hear. Cancer is awful & I have lost way too many friends from it. I am so blessed to have a close friend that is so far beating it & completed all treatment about 4 mos. ago. We are finally getting a little better treatments but so sad the “greatest country” still has some of worst medical outcomes! Another reason we can NEVER late repubs take power again.
I feel for you, @MegMegMcGee
Of COURSE there’s a ‘Jovi for that😉
The non-Rent Sante Fe:
Home is a place, too😉
The song that made me question how anyone could think Willie *wasn’t* a leftie💖💞💗
A Johnny classic;
And just because, some Willie & Waylon, and some Ray, too;
And then, for a change of pace, two of my *other* favorite place-themed songs;
Lastly, the other place I call home;
Been through Winnemucca myself. It’s 255 miles away.
I’ve actually driven from Tucson to Tucumcari and Tahachapi to Tonapah (though not on the same trip).