An A to Z of American Cities - N

 

I've hoisted myself on my own petard this week with my decision to exclude both Nashville and New York. This has led me to scrambling about a bit and coming up with a couple of tenuous entries.

One song that was always on my mind when it came to N was Nevada, California a song on The Jayhawks majestic Hollywood Town Hall album. Nevada City is the County seat of Nevada County, California and had a population of 3068 at the 2010 census. Not to be confused with the neighbouring state of Nevada.

One city that I could have excluded is New Orleans home of the Mardi Gras and the most populous city in Louisiana. For this one there were plenty of songs to choose from. I've gone for Walking to New Orleans from the great Fats Domino.

After these two I was pretty much snookered as I trawled down the list of cities beginning with N. Lots of New's and North's but none that I had in song titles. Time then to get tenuous.

The city of Nixon in Texas is situated  on Highway 87 some 55 miles south of San Antonio with a population of 2385. As far as I am aware it has absolutely no connections with the former crooked President unlike the song Nixon Stamp by Red Star Belgrade . Needs must and all that.

Finally another example of barrel scrapping as we visit Nelson, Georgia a city in Pickens and Cherokee Counties with a population of 1145. Named after John Nelson an early landowner, farmer and rifle maker. Not to be confused with Nelson in Lancashire a place I have visited. I imagine that the Georgia version is much prettier. I also would imagine that the great Nelson Mandela never visited either.

Next week's letter O promises to be even harder. So far I only have one song up my sleeve.

The Jayhawks - Nevada, California

Fats Domino - Walking to New Orleans

Red Star Belgrade - Nixon Stamp

The Special A.K.A. - Nelson Mandela