Geography in Song

"Arizona" by The Scorpions - it details some of their experiences while there.

"Panama" by Van Halen

"Panamaaaaaaaaaaa, Pana MA HA HA HA"

Panama is a small country in central american. Unless David Lee Roth was singing about Panama City. That's a city in Florida known as the "Redneck Riviera".

"Asshole From El Paso" by Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jew-Boys (no, I'm not making that up)

El Paso is in far West Texas, and is closer to California than to Houston.

This is a tough song with a few places mentioned. Don't have to explain their whereabouts...

Except for Biafra, a region of Nigeria who for a short 3 years gained indepence in a proxy war (about oil again, caused one of the worst famines ever seen).

In Congo the Katanga region was trying a break away (diamond and other minerals). Another proxy war.

And Mombasa, seaport of Kenya. Johannesburg, South Africa.

If you don't know Patty Hearst, look here

Lyics from Metro

Roland was a warrior from the land of the midnight sun
With a thompson gun for hire fighting to be done
The deal was made in Denmark on a dark and stormy day
So he set out for Biafra to join the bloody fray
Through '66 and 7 they fought the Congo war

With their fingers on their triggers knee deep in gore
They killed to earn their living, and to help out the Congolese
For days and nights they battled, the Bantu to their knees
Roland the thompson gunner (2x)


But of all the thompson gunners, Roland was the best
So the CIA decided they wanted Roland dead
His comrades fought beside him, Van Owen and the rest
That son of a bitch Van Owen blew off Roland's head

Roland the headless thompson gunner
They can still see his headless body stalking through the night
Norway's son won't stop till he sums up the score
Roland searched the continent for the man who done him in
In the muzzle flash of Roland's thompson gun (2x)

Roland aimed his thompson gun, he didn't say a word
He found him in Mombasa in a barroom drinking gin
But he blew Van Owen's body, from there to Johannesburg
Roland the headless thompson gunner (4x)


Now it's ten years later, but he still keeps up the fight
The eternal thompson gunner, still wandering through the night
Patty Hearst heard the burst of Roland's thompson gun and bought it
In Ireland, in Lebanon, in Palestine and Berkeley

Not sure what a Thompson gun looks like.

"Detroit Rock City" by KISS

I feel uptight on a Saturday night
Nine o' clock, the radio's the only light
I hear my song and it pulls me through
Comes on strong, tells me what I got to do
I got to

Get up
Everybody's gonna move their feet
Get down
Everybody's gonna leave their seat
You gotta lose your mind in Detroit Rock City




Detroit is the largest city in Michigan. It's nicknames are "Motorcity" and "Motown".

"My City Was Gone" by the Pretenders

I WENT BACK TO OHIO
BUT MY CITY WAS GONE
THERE WAS NO TRAIN STATION
THERE WAS NO DOWNTOWN
SOUTH HOWARD HAD DISAPPEARED
ALL MY FAVORITE PLACES
MY CITY HAD BEEN PULLED DOWN
REDUCED TO PARKING SPACES
A, O, WAY TO GO OHIO


WELL I WENT BACK TO OHIO
BUT MY FAMILY WAS GONE
I STOOD ON THE BACK PORCH
THERE WAS NOBODY HOME
I WAS STUNNED AND AMAZED
MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
SLOWLY SWIRLED PAST
LIKE THE WIND THROUGH THE TREES
A, O, OH WAY TO GO OHIO


Ohio's capitol is Columbus. The state bird is the cardinal and the state flower is the red carnation.

"Last Time In Paris" by Queensryche, off the Last Action Hero soundtrack.

oops, check that, it was off the Adventures of Ford Fairlane soundtrack.

"Mississippi Queen" by Mountain


Mississippi Queen, You know what I mean
Mississippi Queen, She taught me everything
Went down around Dick's place, around Louisiana way
Where lived the Cajun Lady, aboard the Mississippi Queen
You know she was a dancer. She moved better on wine

While the rest of them dudes were gettin' their kicks
Boy, I beg your pardon, I was gettin' mine

Mississippi Queen, If you know what I mean
Mississippi Queen, She taught me everything
This lady she asked me, if I would be her man
You know that I told her, I'd do what I can
To keep her lookin' pretty, buy her dresses that shine

While the rest of them dudes were makin' their friends
Boy, I beg your pardon, I was loosin' mine

--- Lead Guitar ---

You know she was a dancer. She moved better on wine

While the rest of them dudes were gettin' their kicks
Boy, I beg your pardon, I was gettin' mine

Yeah, Mississippi Queen



Mississippi is a southern state. The name "Mississippi" is from a Chippewa indian word "mici zibi" meaning "great river".

"Feltham is singing out" by : HARD-FI
A run down on Feltham:
Feltham is in middlesex U.K., it is the home of FELTHAM YOUNG OFFENDERS INSTITUTION, which this song is about!
Xclnt band. proper 5 star band

"Middle Eastern Holiday" By HARD-FI
A song about the war XCLNT lyrics but with a sad ending
Xclnt band. proper 5 star band

"London Bridge" by DOGS
Not much i can say about this one?
Xclnt Band!proper 5 star band

"Fake tales of San fransisco" by The Artic Monkeys
Everyone knows the streets of San Fransisco, the hills, and the Trams?
Xclnt band!proper 5 star band

"A-Bomb in Wardour st" by The jam
Wardour st in in central London and home of the 100 club
Xclnt band. proper 5 star band (fav band)

"Walking down the kings road" by SQUIRE
kings rd is in Chelsea, west london, UK
Very fashionable in every era to date.
Everyone wanted to be seen to be "walking down the kings road"
Mod band around in the early 80's..sadly no longer but xclnt in their time.

"The Guns of Brixton" by the Clash
Brixton is a town in sw/se London, quiet a violent town (where isnt nowadays)
Xclnt song!

"Amsterdam" by Coldplay
Amsterdam is the capitol of The netherlands (Holland) and Porn capital of the world haha
Buy cheap drungs and diamonds here also hahaha

"Hotel California" by the Eagles
a classic

"Cuba " by the Gibson Brothers

"American Idiot" by Green Day

"Alternative Ulster" by Stiff Little Fingers
Ulster is in Northern Ireland and has seen its fair share of violence during the Troubles out there.

there are loads more shall we keep this thread going ?



[edit on 21-11-2006 by spymaster]

"Blind In Texas" by W.A.S.P.

Details a real? fictitious? hell-raising, drunken spree across Texas

"New York, New York" Frank Sinatra

Start spreading the news, Im leaving today
I want to be a part of it - new york, new york
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - new york, new york

I wanna wake up in a city, that doesnt sleep
And find Im king of the hill - top of the heap

These little town blues, are melting away
Ill make a brand new start of it - in old new york
If I can make it there, Ill make it anywhere
Its up to you - new york, new york



New York is known as "the Big Apple" and also "the city that never sleeps". It's the largest city in the U.S.

[edit on 21-11-2006 by elaine]

"Carnaby Street" By THE JAM
Carnaby st is a well known st in London, in the 60's right thru to the 80's its was the in place, the place to been seen and to buy your clothes,
But sadly i think its has now been taken over by tacky "been to london " gift shops
Although it has some good vinyl record shops still there.

"Romford Girls" by RIFF RAFF (billy bragg before he went solo)
This song was the b side to a single called Cosmanaut.
Romford is a town in Essex and is full of pubs and clubs , troublesome area on a weekend night (aint they all), Romford used to be quiet an affluent area but through the years the money has moved out further into Essex, Mr Bragg used to live in Barking Essex which is about 3 miles from Romford but now lives in Dorset.

"Eton Rifles" By THE JAM
Everybody has heard of Eton college? yeah, well this song was inspired by the "right to work march" of the 70's.
Eton is a posh upper class suburb of berkshire UK, the right to work marchers went pass Eton college .....a proper 10/10 working class song!!
""what chance have you got against a tie & a crest""(line from song)

Cardiff Afterlife" By Manic Street Preachers
Cardiff is the capital of Wales (part of the UK) and the welsh largest cities

"The Seine" by PAUL (the Modfather) WELLER
The seine is a river runs through Paris city centre.

"London Calling" by the CLASH
xclnt song

"Californian Sun" by THE RAMONES
What else can i say.

"America" by RAZORLIGHT
another very good band

"Last train to Clarksville" by the MONKEES
aint got the foggiest what this about...sorry?

im gonna have a look thru my i-tunes library for some more ..there has got to be loads



[edit on 21-11-2006 by spymaster]

"Paris Is Burning" by Dokken

The chorus (see above) is kind of lame, but the guitar intro is awesome.

"Blue Hawaii" sung by Elvis Presley

Night and you
And blue hawaii
The night is heavenly
And you are heaven to me

Lovely you
And blue hawaii
With all this loveliness
There should be love

Come with me
While the moon is on the sea,
The night is young
And so are we, so are we

Dreams come true
In blue hawaii
And mine could all come true
This magic night of nights with you


Hawaii is a chain of volanic islands. The first known European to arrive there was Captain James Cook in 1778.

Originally posted be elaine
"My City Was Gone" by the Pretenders

I WENT BACK TO OHIO
BUT MY CITY WAS GONE
...

Ohio's capitol is Columbus.

Yes, but Chrissie Hynde is from Akron, OH.
I think that's the town she's singing about.

Originally posted by khunmoon

Originally posted be elaine
"My City Was Gone" by the Pretenders

I WENT BACK TO OHIO
BUT MY CITY WAS GONE
...

Ohio's capitol is Columbus.

Yes, but Chrissie Hynde is from Akron, OH.
I think that's the town she's singing about.

Oh, okay. I was just putting in a little info about the state itself not the town she sang about.
But thanks for the "music trivia". I never knew which town in Ohio she was actually singing about. Now I know.

"Private Idaho" by the B52s

You're living in your own Private Idaho
Living in your own Private Idaho
Underground like a wild potato.
Don't go on the patio.
Beware of the pool,
blue bottomless pool.
It leads you straight
right throught the gate
that opens on the pool.
You're living in your own Private Idaho.
You're living in your own Private Idaho.


Boise is the capitol of Idaho. Idaho produces about one fourth of the nation's potato crop.

That's alot of frenchfries.



[edit on 22-11-2006 by elaine]

"Hersham Boys" by SHAM 69
Hersham is in surrey UK, an affluent area with property prices going upto £10,million for a mansion.
Sham 69 were a punk/Oi group around in the late 70's but their concerts were plauged with violence and at one point had to stop doing live gigs because of this.
Hersham is where Town meets Country.

"London Traffic" by THE JAM
London is London cant really say much more than that?

"Saturdays Kids" by THE JAM
"Save up their money for a holiday to SELSEY BILL or BRACKLESHAM BAY"
Both Selsey Bill and Bracklesham Bay are in sussex UK.
Not much going on there, and its full of caravan parks, the song wrote about the lives of youngsters growing up and their ideals of life etc.....Good Song

"Moon Over Parma" by Drew Carey??

Parma here is a suburb of Cleveland, not the city in Northern Italy.

From the song:

"...we're goin' bowlin', so don't lose her in Solon..."

Solon is another Cleveland suburb, near Parma.