I have many such association songs, that brighten up my day, despite the looks of oddity I may attract, but surely I'm not alone in this right?!
If a song's going to be stuck in your head, it's great when it's at least relevant.
The states and towns of the US of A are embedded in many more songs than you might think.
For example: I say New York - you sing...Frank Sinatra's New York, New York song right? Maybe a little hands on your hips and kicking your leg across the other one kind of action. "Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today, I want to be a part of it, New York, New York..."
Well, each city I visited in America, came with it's own little theme song, I couldn't get it out of my head for as long as I was there...until of course, new city, new song.
Let me know if you've had your own travelling theme song play list. Or if something else pops into your head than it did for me.
New York - Obviously for me it was good ol' blue eyes crooning away that he was "king of the hill, top of the heap...it's up to you New York, New York."
Baltimore - The movie "Hairspray" had been released a few months earlier and so fresh in my mind every day was the song "Good morning Baltimore". A bright and catchy tune where Nikki Blonsky's firing herself up that her dreams will come true. "...the world's going to wake up and see, Baltimore and me." A wonderful way to start the morning!
The day I drove to Philly for some cheese steaks and the liberty bell, the theme song was clear, if you're a 90's kid and this isn't the song that automatically pops in your head, then you should be ashamed of yourself. I pity the childhood that missed this epic. "In West Philadelphia born and raised, on playground is where I spent most of my days..."
Next I flew to Chicago and I'll understand if you don't know this one, but Aussie country singer Lee Kernaghan was repeating "Conargo Chicago, you're doing okay" in my mind all day. What would be your theme song for Chicago?
Okay, so this next one's not exactly a song but I saw a movie once (Charly) where the main guy is trying to impress a beautiful girl, he's so nervous when he first starts talking to her that he gets his words mixed up - "Hi, I'm Utah, welcome to Sam". And that's what stuck in my head there.
Viva Las Vegas! Oh, the King! I should also mention that for most of my theme songs, I rarely knew more lyrics than I've posted here, so it really was a broken record consisting only of the sentence that actually contained the city's name in it. On another day this could be very annoying, but here I was too excited to be in Vegas to worry about whatever else Elvis had to say about it. :)
San Francisco brought two songs to mind. 40+ years after The Mamas and the Papas gave you some hairware advice in "If you're going to San Francisco...", Train released their track that used the city as a metaphor for a girl they loved and lost. but both are just as suitable as you ride the cable car and explore the wharf area that will take you to Alcatraz.
Los Angeles and San Diego were my other targets in California and spawned the songs Californication by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, California Dreamin' another one by The Mamas and the Papas! (which I didn't even realize until I researched for this post the origins of my fractured Californian songs!) and...my favourite by far, a classic to which surprise, surprise I actually know all the words for! California girls by The Beach Boys, "I wish they all could be California guuurrrrrrrllllllsssss"
Yup, well I hope you enjoyed this musical journey. That's the best part about association songs. Before my trip brought these songs to mind, but now, these songs bring back all the awesome memories I created there!
What would your theme song be for any given city you have visited?
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