Wednesday 25 July 2012

‘London Calling’

Having read Time Out's team of experts celebrate London's finest moments on record in their ' The 100 best London songs ' I was amazed at far down the list some of my all time favourites were and how full the top 20 was of songs I would never have picked.



Here is their top 10.

10
‘Hometown Glory’ - Adele (2007)
9
‘For Tomorrow’ - Blur (1993)
8
‘Baker Street’ - Gerry Rafferty (1978)
7
‘Primrose Hill’ - John and Beverley Martyn (1978)
6
‘Itchycoo Park’- The Small Faces (1967)
5
‘Streets of London’ - Ralph McTell (1969)
4
‘LDN’ - Lily Allen (2006)
3
West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys (1984)
2
‘London Calling’ - The Clash (1979)
1
'Waterloo Sunset’ - The Kinks (1967)
click here to get the full list

Needless to say I had to have a bash myself. It was much more difficult that I thought .

Here we go...

At number 1 on my list and 52 in Time Out is ‘London Pride’



2 # A song that went through my head every night on my way home from work on the night bus
here is the wonderful Queenie Watts singing 'Waterloo Sunset'


3# Still in line with Time Out, the Pet Shop Boys classic 'West End Girls'


4# A Music Hall fave of mine, but here sung by none other than Marlene Dietrich - "Wotcha! Knock'd 'em in the Old Kent Road" :

 

#5  'A Foggy Day (In London Town)' by Judy Garland in 1969.  Her guest is Terry-Thomas.


6# Not as well known as some of the others, but I love this number from  Jack Hylton and his Orchestra,
'Life Begins at Oxford Circus'


''


7# How could Time Out leave this song out? I have no idea. Here is Dalida to sing it like no other:
'Le Lambeth Walk'



8# ‘A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square’ is at number 21 in Time Out. This is Anne Shelton's version from 1940 with Ambrose and his Orchestra:



9# This one might not be on any one else's list but I love it - here is Julie Andrews giving it a bit of welly.
'Picadilly', from the Original Motion Picture "Star!" (1968)



10# A last minute substitution - it was going to be Petula Clark - "London is London" from "Goodbye Mr Chips"
But is now Eddy Grant - "Electric Avenue", to remind me of when, way back in the mists of time, when I lived for a short time in Brixton; if not on, just off Electric Avenue.




Appendix
And some just for fun

Peter Sellers - 'Balham - Gateway To The South' - 1958


Willie Rushton - 'Neasden'




Hope you have enjoyed going through me list let me know of any comments or suggestion you might have


"Keep it real"

and remember

"You have to use your culture or you lose your culture"

innit




ttfn

.

4 comments:

  1. A fab list. Very glad to see Neasden get a mention! I thought I'd quickly do my own list, but as you say there are so many to choose from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_about_London). Just off the top of my head though I would include something by Squeeze – possibly Up The Junction, A Room In Bloomsbury and a classic like I Live in Trafalgar Square or Berlington Bertie from Bow. Of course I would have to add Lets all go down the Strand. I suppose for completeness I ought to include this one too. It's just such a shame it’s a load of old rubbish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xutJpkLxJ0

    Hils
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you dear.

      'Up The Junction' is indeed a fave of mine as is 'A Room In Bloomsbury'. I was unable to find a vid for 'I Live in Trafalgar Square' and the best version of 'Berlington Bertie from Bow' is by Julie Andrews and she was already on the list. Time out had 100 positions to fill, now that would have driven me crazy!

      It was just a bit of fun
      So lets all go down the Stand - have a banana

      Delete
  2. A great list, indeed! I'm not sure I could add any more suggestions, as Hils has most of them covered - although Pet Shop Boys' "Kings Cross" is a fave, they are already in the list; however (and I am surprised) Ian Dury is not...

    You can't cover everything in a Top Ten, after all. Jx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for that.

      I would indeed loved to have included Ian Dury on the list but Plaistow and Billericay are Essex and don't really count as London. 'My old man' mentions that he drove a bus for London Transport ( the number 18 down to Euston ) and that he lived in one room in Victoria but I didn't feel the song really fitted.

      If you know of one please let me know.

      ttfn

      Delete