Ever since the advent of the motor car near the turn of last century, followed by the development of the interstate highway system in the mid fifties, American’s have been on the move. As the years progress, we’ve become even more of a “mobile” society, whether it be for the purpose of work or pleasure. Fast forward to 2009 ….. Lots of songs
have been recorded over the last 100+ years honoring places, cities and states as well as small town America, generally where the singer(s) or band members grew up or spent many memorable years in ….. most are good, some not so much. The following list here reflects a large number of those cities, states and places in songs by a wide variety of recording artists. As always, a vast selection of
genres of music as well as years have been included for you to choose from to create your ultimate playlist or cd to burn, be it for the purpose of your next road excursion, plane trip or simply to make your next work commute or errand runs a little more pleasant. I limited the list to songs which specifically named towns, cities and states in the title. They even included international cities also.
Even a few countries were slipped in here for good measure. I doubt if there could ever be a complete list made but this should be a good enough selection to choose from. At the end of the long list below, I included a few bonus songs that didn’t name specific places in the title, but did mention a several city and place names throughout the lyrics, such as Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” and David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s version of “Dancing In The Street”.
Enjoy 🙂
Songs About Cities & States
- 4 To 1 In Atlanta – Tracy Byrd
- 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) – Bruce Springsteen
- 99 Miles From LA – Albert Hammond
- 99 Miles From LA – Johnny Mathis
- Abilene – George Hamilton IV
- Acapulco – Johnny Duncan
- Alabama Jubilee – Red Foley
- Alberta Bound – Gordon LightfootÂ
- Alberta Bound – Paul Brandt
- Albuquerque – Weird Al Yankovic
- All My Ex’s Live In Texas – George Strait
- All The Gold In California – Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
- All The Way From Memphis – Mott The Hoople
- All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star) – REM
- Allegheny Moon – Patti Page
- Allentown – Billy Joel
- Amarillo By Morning – George StraitÂ
- Amarillo Sky – Jason Aldean
- Amsterdam – Coldplay
- Amy’s Back In Austin – Little Texas
- Anchorage – Michelle Shocked
- Angel of Harlem – U2
- Another Rainy Day In New York City – Chicago
- April In Paris – Count Basie
- April in Paris – Ella Fitzgerald
- Arizona – Mark LindsayÂ
- Atlanta Blue – Statler Brothers
- Atlanta Burned Again Last Night – Atlanta
- Atlantic City – Bruce Springsteen
- Austin – Blake Shelton
- Back In The New York Groove – Ace Frehley
- Bagpipes From Baghdad – Eminem
- Bar In Bakersfield – Merle Haggard
- Barcelona – Jewel
- Battle of New Orleans – Johnny Horton
- Beaches of Cheyenne – Garth Brooks
- Been To Canaan – Carole King
- Berlin – Lou Reed
- Beverly Hills – WeezerÂ
- Big In Vegas – Buck Owens
- Big Train From Memphis – John Fogerty
- Blue Hawaii – Elvis Presley
- Blue Kentucky Girl – Loretta Lynn
- Bombs Over Baghdad – Outkast
- Born In East LA – Cheech Marin
- Boy From New York City – Ad LibsÂ
- Boy From New York City – Manhattan Transfer
- Brooklyn Roads – Neil Diamond
- By The Time I Get To Phoenix- Glen CampbellÂ
- Cabo San Lucas – Toby Keith
- Calcutta – Lawrence Welk
- California – Shawn MullinsÂ
- California Dreamin ‘ – Mamas & The PapasÂ
- California Girls – Beach Boys
- California Nights – Lesley Gore
- California Saga – Beach BoysÂ
- California Soul – 5th Dimension
- California Sun – RivierasÂ
- California Sun – Ramones
- Callin’ Baton Rouge – Garth Brooks
- Carmel By The Sea – Kitty Wells
- Carolina In The Pines – Michael Martin Murphy
- Chattahoochee – Alan Jackson
- Chattanooga Choo Choo – Glen Miller
- Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy – Red Foley
- Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy – Frank Sinatra
- Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy – Freddie Cannon
- Chicago – Frank Sinatra
- Chicago (We Can Change The World) – Graham Nash
- Chicago Is So Two Years Ago – Fall Out Boy
- China Grove – Doobie Brothers
- Christmas In Fallujah – Billy Joel
- Christmas In Hollis – Run DMC
- Christmas in Killarney – Bing Crosby
- Cincinnati Lou – Merle Travis
- City of New Orleans – Arlo Guthrie
- City of New Orleans – Willie Nelson
- City of Night – Peter Schilling (Berlin)
- Cleveland Rocks – Ian Hunter
- Cleveland Rocks – Presidents of the United States (Drew Carry TV Show Theme)
- Colorado Kool-Aid – Johnny Paycheck
- Coming Into Los Angeles – Arlo Guthrie
- Dallas – Alan Jackson
- Denver – Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
- Detroit City – Bobby Bare
- Detroit City – Tom Jones
- Detroit Rock City – Kiss
- Devil Went Down To Georgia – Charlie Daniels Band
- Do You Know The Way To San Jose – Dionne Warwick
- Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind – George Strait
- Durham Town – Roger Whittaker
- Eight More Miles To Louisville – Grandpa Jones
- El Paso – Marty Robbins
- El Paso City – Marty Robbins
- England Swings – Roger Miller
- Everyone I Meet Is From California – America
- Eyes Of A New York Woman – BJ Thomas
- Fort Worth, Dallas Or Houston – George Hamilton IV
- Free Man In Paris – Joni Mitchell
- Friend In California – Merle Haggard
- Funky Nassau – The Beginning of The End
- Galveston – Glen Campbell
- Gary, Indiana – original cast (from the Broadway Musical “The Music Man” )
- Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles
- Georgia On My Mind – Willie Nelson
- Get Outta Denver – Bob Seger
- Girl From Ipanema – Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
- God Blessed Texas – Little Texas
- Going To California – Led Zeppelin
- Goodnight Saigon – Billy Joel
- Harlem Shuffle – Rolling Stones
- Havana Daydreaming – Jimmy Buffet
- Hawaii – Beach Boys
- Hawaii Five-O – The Ventures
- Hazard – Richard Marx
- Heads Carolina, Tails California – JoDee Messina
- Holiday In Cambodia – Dead Kennedys
- Hollywood Nights – Bob Seger
- Hollywood Swingin’ – Kool & The Gang
- Honolulu LuLu – Jan & Dean
- Hotel California – Eagles
- Houston – Dean Martin
- Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To You) – Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
- Houston Solution – Ronnie Milsap
- I Can Still Make Cheyenne – George Strait
- I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City – Nilsson
- I Left My Heart In San Francisco – Tony Bennett
- I Love LA – Randy Newman
- I Wouldn’t Live In New York City (If They Gave Me The Whole Dang Town) – Buck Owens
- If Hollywood Don’t Need You – Don Williams
- If You’re Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band) – Alabama
- Indiana Wants Me – R. Dean Taylor
- Istanbul (Not Constantinople) – They Might Be Giants
- It Never Rains in Southern California – Albert Hammond
- It’s All Down To Goodnight Vienna – Ringo Starr
- I’ve Got A Gal In Kalamazoo – Glenn Miller
- Jackson – Johnny Cash & June Carter
- Jamaica Farewell – Harry Belafonte
- Jersey Girl – Bruce Springsteen
- Kansas City – Wilbert Harrison
- Kansas City (Hey, Hey Hey Hey) – Beatles
- Kansas City Song – Buck Owens
- Kansas City Star – Roger Miller
- Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
- Katmandu – Bob Seger
- Kentucky Gambler – Merle Haggard
- Kentucky Rain – Elvis Presley
- Kentucky Waltz – Eddy Arnold
- Kentucky Woman – Deep Purple
- Key Largo – Bertie Higgins
- Kingston Town – UB40
- Kokomo – Beach Boys
- LA Freeway – Jerry Jeff Walker
- La Grange – ZZ Top
- LA International Airport – Susan Raye
- LA To The Moon – Ronnie Milsap
- LA Woman – The Doors
- Lady Came From Baltimore – Tim Hardin
- Landing In London (All I Think About Is You) – 3 Doors Down
- Laredo – Chris Cagle
- Last Train to Clarksville – The Monkees
- Last Train To London – Electric Light Orchestra
- Leavin’ Louisiana In The Broad Daylight – Oakridge Boys
- Leaving Las Vegas – Sheryl Crow
- Leaving New York – REM
- Leningrad – Billy Joel
- Lights of Albuquerque – Jim Glaser
- (Lights Went Out In) Massachusetts – Bee Gees
- Little Old Lady From Pasadena – Jan & Dean
- Little Past Little Rock – Lee Ann Womack
- Little Rock – Reba McEntire
- Little Rock – Collin Raye
- Lodi – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- London – Third Eye Blind
- London Bridge – Fergie
- London Calling – The Clash
- London Town – Pau McCartney & Wings
- London’s Burning – The Clash
- Long Haired Lover From Liverpool – Little Jimmy Osmond
- Louisiana Man – Doug Kershaw
- Louisiana Saturday Night – Mel McDaniel
- Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man – Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty
- Luckenbach, Texas – Waylon Jennings
- Malibu – Hole
- Marina Del Rey – George Strait
- Marrakesh Express – Crosby Stills & Nash
- Maybe It Was Memphis – Pam Tillis
- Meet Me In Montana – Dan Seals & Marie Osmond
- Meet Me In St. Louis – Judy Garland
- Memphis – Chuck Berry
- Memphis – Johnny Rivers
- Memphis Blues – WC Handy
- Memphis Blues – Doc Watson
- Memphis In The Meantime – John Hiatt
- Mendocino – Sir Douglas Quintet
- Mexicali Blues – The Grateful Dead
- Miami – Will Smith
- Miami, My Amy – Keith Whitley
- Miami Vice Theme – Jan Hammer (Miami Vice TV Series)
- Midnight In Montgomery – Alan Jackson
- Midnight In Moscow – Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen
- Midnight Train To Georgia – Gladys Knight & The Pips
- Mill Valley – Miss Abrams & The Strawberry Point 4th Grade Class
- Mississippi Moon – John Anderson
- Mississippi Queen – Mountain
- Mississippi Squirrel Revival – Ray Stevens
- Montego Bay – Bobby Bloom
- Monterey – Animals
- Mull of Kyntire – Paul McCartney & Wings
- My Home’s In Alabama – Alabama
- My Kind of Town – Frank Sinatra (Chicago)
- My Old Kentucky Home – traditional
- Nashville – Liz Phair
- Nashville Cats – Lovin’ Spoonful
- Nebraska – Bruce Springsteen
- New Orleans – Gary U.S. Bonds
- New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Have You Seen My Wife, Mr. Jones) – Bee Gees
- New York Minute – Don Henley
- New York, New York – Frank SinatraÂ
- New York State of Mind – Billy Joel
- Next Plane To London – Rose Garden
- Next Plane To London – They Might Be Giants
- Night Chicago Died – Paper Lace
- Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia – Reba McEntire
- Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia – Vicki Lawrence
- North To Alaska – Johnny Horton
- Oh Atlanta – Little Feat
- Ohio – Crosby Stills Nash & Young
- Okie From Muskogee – Merle Haggard
- Old Cape Cod – Patti Page
- Omaha – Moby Grape
- On a Bus To St. Cloud – Trisha Yearwood
- One Night in Bangkok – Murray Head
- Only Living Boy In New York – Simon & Garfunkel
- Paint Me A Birmingham – Tracy Lawrence
- Panama – Van Halen
- Passage To Bangkok – Rush
- Philadelphia – Neil Young
- Philadelphia Freedom – Elton John
- Please Come To Boston – Dave LogginsÂ
- Point Me In The Direction of Albuquerque – Partridge Family
- Poor People of Paris – Les Baxter
- Portland Oregon – Loretta Lynn & Jack White
- Private Idaho – B-52’s
- Queen of Memphis – Confederate Railroad
- Reno – Doug Supernaw
- Reno – Dottie West
- Reno Bound – Southern Pacific
- Rio – Duran Duran
- Rivers Of Babylon – Boney M
- Rivers Of Babylon – Sublime
- Rainy Night In Georgia – Brook Benton
- Rocky Mountain High – John Denver (Colorado)
- Rocky Road To Dublin – Dropkick Murphys
- Rocky Road To Dublin – Dubliners or Pogues (tradional Irish folk song)
- Running Back To Saskatoon – The Guess Who
- Saginaw, Michigan – Lefty Frizzell
- Salt Lake City – Beach Boys
- San Antonio Rose – Bob Wills
- San Antonio Rose – Floyd Cramer
- San Antonio Stroll – Tanya Tucker
- San Francisco – The Mowgli’sÂ
- San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) – Scott McKenzie
- San Franciscan Nights – Animals
- Santa Cruz – Papa Doo Run Run
- Santa Cruz (You’re Not That Far) – The Thrills
- Santa Fe – The Bellamy Brothers
- Santa Monica – Everclear
- Sausalito Summer Night – Diesel
- Savannah Nights – Tom Johnston
- Say Goodbye To Hollywood – Billy Joel
- Seattle – Perry Como
- Shanghai Breezes – John Denver
- Shuffle Off To Buffalo – Hal Kemp
- Sidewalks of New York – Mitch Miller & The Gang
- Sioux City Sue – Bing Crosby
- Spanish Harlem – Aretha Franflin
- Spanish Harlem – Ben E. King
- St. Louis Blues – Louis Armstrong
- St. Louis Boogie – Pete Johnson
- St. Louis Gal – Bessie Smith
- Starkville City Jail – Johnny Cash
- Statesboro Blues – Allman Brothers
- Still In Saigon – Charlie Daniels Band
- Stranger In Moscow – Michael Jackson
- Starwood In Aspen – John Denver
- Streets of Bakersfield – Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens
- Streets of Laredo – Marty Robbins
- Streets of Miami – Allan Sherman
- Streets of Philadelphia – Bruce Springsteen
- Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again – Bob Dylan
- Summer In Berlin – Alphaville
- Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Take Me Back To Chicago – Chicago
- Take Me Home Country Roads – John Denver (West Virginia)
- Tallahassee Lassie – Freddy Cannon
- Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa – George Strait
- Tennessee Flat Top Box – Rosanne Cash
- Tennessee Homesick Blues – Dolly Parton
- Tennessee River – Alabama
- Tennessee Saturday Night – Red Foley
- Tennessee Stud – Eddy Arnold
- Tennessee Waltz – Patti Page
- Texarkana – REM
- Texarkana Baby – Eddy Arnold
- Texas In My Rear View Mirror – Mac Davis
- Texas Playboy Rag – Bob Wills
- Texas State of Mind – David Frizzell & Shelly West
- Texas Women – Hank Williams Jr.
- There Is No Arizona – Jamie O’Neal
- This Ain’t Dallas – Hank Williams Jr.
- Tijuana Taxi – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
- TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) – MFSB featuring The Three Degrees
- The Tulsa Shuffle – The Tractors
- Tulsa Time – Don Williams
- Tulsa Time – Eric Clapton
- Tupelo Blues – John Lee Hooker
- Tupelo Honey – Van Morrison
- Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa – Gene Pitney
- Ventura Highway – America
- Vienna – Billy Joel
- Vienna – Ultravox
- Vienna Calling – Falco
- Viva Las Vegas – Elvis Presley
- Waking Up In Vegas – Katy Perry
- Walking In Memphis – Bruce Springsteen
- Walking In Memphis – Marc CohnÂ
- Walking To New Orleans – Fats Domino
- Waltz Across Texas – Ernest Tubb
- Waterloo – Abba
- Way Down Yonder In New Orleans – Freddy Cannon
- We Built This City – Jefferson Starship (San Francisco)
- Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon
- What Made Milwaukee Famous – Rod Stewart
- What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out of Me) – Jerry Lee Lewis
- When It’s Spring Time In Alaska – Johnny Horton
- White Cross On Okinawa – Bob Wills
- Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell
- Wild Montana Skies – John Denver & Emmylou Harris
- Witch Queen of New Orleans – Redbone
- WKRP In Cincinati (MainTheme) – Steve Carlisle (WKRP In Cincinati TV Theme)
- WKRP In Cincinati (Closing Theme) – Jim Ellis (WKRP In Cincinati TV Theme)
- Woman from Tokyo – Deep Purple
- Wrong Side of Memphis – Trisha Yearwood
- Yellow Rose of Texas – Ernest Tubb
- Yellow Rose of Texas – Mitch Miller & The Gang
- You’re From Texas – Bob Wills
- You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma – David Frizzell & Shelly West
BONUS ….. Honorable Mention:
Even though there is no city, state or country name in the title, there are several references to multiple “places” throughout the song lyrics.
- All Over The World – Electric Light Orchestra
- Dancing In The Street – David Bowie & Mick Jagger
- Heart of Rock & Roll – Huey Lewis & The News
- I’ve Been Everywhere – Hank Snow/Johnny Cash
- Ramblin’ Man – Allman Brothers Band
- Rock’n Me – Steve Miller Band
- Route 66 – Nat King Cole/Chuck Berry/Depeche Mode
- Surfin’ USA – Beach Boys
- This Land Is Your Land – Kingston Trio/Peter, Paul & Mary
- Travelin’ Man – Ricky Nelson
- Wanted Man – Johnny Cash
- Where I Come From – Alan Jackson
Filed under: road trips, Song Lists | Tagged: cities, city songs, countries, places, songs about, Songs About Cities, state songs, states | 4 Comments »