After compiling my Top 5 Favorite Songs About States a few weeks ago, I decided to get a little bit more detailed and look for songs about cities. In my quest, I found quite a few songs about American cities. So, today, I would like to share with you my Top 5 Favorite Songs About Cities.

  • 5

    "Sweet Home Chicago"--Eric Clapton

    This song has been recorded by a ton of artist, including Eric Clapton. Here is his version.

  • 4

    "Philadelphia Freedom"--Elton John


    Released in 1975, this song is about Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An interesting story about this song, according to Wikipedia, “Elton, looking to honour his friend, tennis professional Billie Jean King, asked Taupin to write a song called "Philadelphia Freedom," an homage to her tennis team. In His Song: The Musical History of Elton John, Elizabeth Rosenthal recounts that Taupin said, "I can't write a song about tennis," and did not. Taupin maintains that the lyrics bear no relation to tennis, Philly Soul or even flag-waving patriotism. Nonetheless, his words have been interpreted as patriotic and uplifting, and even though released in 1975, the song's sentiment, intended or not, meshed perfectly with an American music audience already gearing up for the country's bicentennial celebration in July of the next year.”

  • 3

    "Lights"--Journey


    Although the title of the city is not in the name, this Journey song is about San Francisco. They make mention to it when they sing “city by the bay.” According to Wikipedia, “Although the song is about San Francisco, it was actually written in and originally intended to be about Los Angeles. In an interview, Perry said, "I had the song written in Los Angeles almost completely except for the bridge and it was written about Los Angeles. It was 'when the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on LA.' I didn't like the way it sounded at the time. And so I just had it sitting back in the corner. Then life changed my plans once again, and I was now facing joining Journey. I love San Francisco, the bay and the whole thing. 'The bay' fit so nice, 'When the lights go down in the city and the sun shines on the bay.' It was one of those early morning going across the bridge things when the sun was coming up and the lights were going down. It was perfect."

  • 2

    "Allentown"--Billy Joel


    Here’s another song about Pennsylvania. It’s Allentown. “The song's theme is of the resolve of those coping with the demise of the American manufacturing industry in the latter part of the 20th century. More specifically, it depicts the depressed, blue-collar livelihood of residents of Allentown, Pennsylvania and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the wake of Bethlehem Steel's decline and eventual closure,” according to Wikipedia.

  • 1

    "My City Was Gone"--The Pretenders

    And, here it is, my number one song about an American city. This song was released in 1982, and it’s about lead singer Chrissie Hynde’s hometown of Akron, Ohio.

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