Another new series for you today. Each Sunday I will feature some American cities in alphabetical order. I'm not sure that I will find material for all 26 letters of the alphabet but we'll see how it goes.
America seems to have much less stricter criteria than the UK when it comes to cities. It seems that the definition is an incorporated municipality whose boundaries and powers of self-government are defined by a charter from the state in which it is located..Population or a cathedral do not appear to be an issue so hopefully plenty to chose from.
I intend to leave out the bigger cities - the New Yorks, Los Angeles', San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas etc. Memphis and Nashville will not feature having had their own series previously. And yes, there will be a lot of Americana.
Lets go.
Abilene is a city in Texas with a population of around 125,000.This song by Dave Alvin originally featured on his Blackjack Dave album but I have taken in from the Hightone Records Anthology - Rockin' from the Roots.
Amarillo is another Texan city and has a population of c 200K.It is also one which makes me break out in a cold sweat after a near death experience I could have gone for Billy Joe Shaver but today Emmylou Harris does the honours.
I suspect that not too many cities from the state of Alaska will feature. Indeed I do not know any with the exception of the state capital Anchorage.* The fourth largest city in the US by area with a population of just under 300K. You should all be familiar with this one by Michelle Shocked from her Short Sharp Shocked album.
Finally we have the New Jersey gambling resort Atlantic City this week's smallest with under 40.000 residents although it probably has the same again number of gamblers in its casinos and resorts. Again you will all be familiar with the song by Bruce Springsteen from his greatest album Nebraska. The Boss would have been too obvious. I could have gone for the cover by The Band but I have opted for Allo Darlin' .
There are plenty more out there and I would be glad to hear your favourites.There are also loads of B's to choose from and again suggestions are welcome.
* Not the State Capital - see Alyson's comment below
Looks a very promising series CC. In the unlikely event that you're short of songs about Boston or Baltimore let me know.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to songs about Quincy, Xenia and Zanesville
Does Quincy Jones count?
DeleteOr the theme tune from Quincy
DeleteI once watched a Celtic v Rangers match in Quincy!
ReplyDeleteSplendid idea. Got me thinking about one for scottish cities , which would a be a challenge, I don't suppose Brechin features in many pop songs
ReplyDeleteOoh, I these these kind of geographical/musical series. I fully intend to return my American Odyssey in Song one day but that's state by state (which George also covered here a while back).
ReplyDeleteDon't want to be picky but Juneau is the state capital of Alaska - not always the biggest city.
Boise is the state capital of Idaho and it's only recently I found out it's pronounced like 'noisy' and not like 'poise'. There is a song by Jewel called Boise Song.
Duly noted!
DeleteI'll go for (Point Me in the Direction of) Albuquerque; the Neil Diamond song that isn't.
ReplyDeleteGreat new series! I had never heard of Abilene, this is going to be an education.
ReplyDeleteI find myself thinking of Broken Arrow by Buffalo Springfield, a two-for-one there when it comes to the letter B; I have a feeling you may already have that one lined up!
I've had Cities by Talking Heads going round in my brain ever since reading this post this morning
ReplyDeleteTwo more songs that have American Cities beginning with A in the title. Albany ( which us New York State) by Spinning Coin which is a tremendous slice of jangly indie pop and Almeda by Solange - which possibly the greatest song ever written about a South Carolina city. Great series looking forward to the rest....Swc.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea for a series. Excited. I must get out more I know. Pity I missed out on the As - I'd have gone for John Denver's Aspenglow - lovely song. As for B I've got Detroit or Buffalo by Barbara Keith frm 1973, Baltimore Whores (Gavin Friday) and if you need a different Boston than the obvious one then there's Piney Gir's song with that title. If this series is going out on a Sunday I'm going to have to check in a bit earlier in the week!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a series. I'll do my best over the next hour or so to catch up with it and everything else.
ReplyDelete