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50 best London songs
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By Time Out editors
Posted: Mon Sep 25 2006 
10 Small Faces 10 Itchycoo Park The Small Faces [download]
Classic celebration of the joys of stoned park life and the first Britpop single – which paved the way for London’s indie label revolution
Famed for mixing protest and enterprise with music, London has a rich, proud history of independent record labels. In 1967, The Small Faces released psych-mod anthem ‘Itchycoo Park’ through Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate Records; this celebratory ode to getting stoned in Little Ilford Park, Manor House, was the first record in the UK to be banned for overt drug references, although the group ultimately lied their way out of it. Feature continuesAdvertisementFrom the ’60s onwards, London has seen an explosion of independent labels, fuelled by a fast-changing youth culture the major labels couldn’t (and still can’t) keep up with. During punk, ‘God Save The Queen’ was released on the then independent Virgin Records, while Stiff, Chiswick and Rough Trade popped up to encourage the likes of Cherry Red and Beggars Banquet, which thrived during the ’80s post-punk and new wave years. Scenes such as acid house (Boy’s Own Recordings, XL) and drum ’n’ bass existed almost exclusively on indies, and there’s even been the odd unexpected Number One, such as Wiiija Records’ (named after its W11 1JA postcode) Cornershop hit, ‘Brimful Of Asha’, in 1998. What makes these labels so special is their individual personalities – each one is like a friend who recommends cool records to you.
‘Stiff had a lot of my favourite bands when I was a nipper,’ recalls Matt Jacob, co-founder of Islington’s Memphis Industries, home to The Go! Team and Field Music. ‘I liked their recklessness, which is probably not something to aspire to. In terms of DIY attitude and enjoying the process of releasing records, they don’t come much better.’‘My favourite has got to be Rough Trade,’ says James Endeacott, the man who signed The Libertines to Rough Trade and is now head of 1965 Records. ‘That’s the label, as a kid, that I looked up to and I was very fortunate to work there. They’re the benchmark of any great label, whether it’s in London or not. The way they operate and the way they’re so eclectic – they put out folk, reggae, anything – they give a real sense of London and it’s run by people who are London.’
Both Endeacott and Jacob are heavily involved in the capital’s current indie label boom which is throwing up some of the most exciting music London has heard for years – even if Endeacott’s label is part-owned by Columbia, a familiar scenario as the majors attempt to keep their fingers on the pulse (see also 679 Recordings and B-Unique).
‘There are literally hundreds in London,’ says Jacob. ‘Starting a label is a pretty alluring idea. But it’s the hardest thing in the world to keep it going. I heard recently that 94 per cent of labels lose money, so there’s probably only a handful in London that you could classify as successful.’
But if a label is going to succeed, London is the right place to start. Bands, journalists, PRs, DJs, promoters – all part of a firm industry infrastructure and a thrilling music scene – are drawn here.
‘It helps that the media’s here,’ says Endeacott. ‘But London’s also one of the most exciting cities in the world. There’s so much going on and it attracts bands. They come here and they want to go and look at the art; look at the big buildings; see the great bands.’
This abundance of amazing clubs, galleries, green spaces and people is, perhaps, London’s crucial advantage –it’s all too beautiful, as a wise man once said. Chris Parkin- Add your comment to this feature
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83 comments
Ummm...what about Warren Zevon's "Werewolves Of London"!!!
Disappointed no place for "Mornington Crescent" by Belle and Sebastian
Disappointed no place for "Mornington Crescent" by Bell and Sebastian
Even though they're from Australia, the Waifs' "London Still" is one of my favourite London songs of all time!
Oh yes indeed. Though I agree with the comments by the previous posters to some extent, I have to declare that the obvious choice would be 'London Bridge' by Fergie. A nice looking lady, and judging by the way she often does wee-wee in her pants when on stage, she is probably quite dirty in bed. No, not that sort of dirty.
It has to be 'Endoplasmic reticulum' by The Housemartins. No band more perfectly embody the spirit of London than these chaps. Did I say London? I meant Hull.
'Birmingham Jail' by a fat bloke in some film I saw ages ago. Maybe it had Gene Wilder in it dressed as a chicken or something. Possibly Richard Prior too, on a rodeo donkey. The song perfectly encapsulates the spirit of London, except for the fact that it is about Birmingham. But you can't have it all. Come to think of it, the song is probably talking (singing) about Birmingham Alabama. In America. So it is probably spelt 'Gaol' too. And probably goes on about Fawcetts, trunks, and fanny-packs.
"Saturday Night Beneath the Plastic Palm Trees" was in my collection before coming to live in London in the 1980s. I think this captures a side of London that you only get to understand if you live here - what goes on in the deep dark suburbs, especially on lost weekend nights. I just googled the title to remind me of the lyrics and found that Parliament have already debated London anthems in 2004! Check out http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhan srd/vo040421/debtext/40421-31.htm - Karen Buck MP reminds us that Time Out did something similar in 2004. "London Calling" got props then but Ralph McTell was conspicuous by its absence.
Has London's calling really been left off this list? That's mad, wherever you go in the world there are Brit/London obsessed clubs playing that as their anthem. Agree with below post about The Tacticians too, was a top song but very low key release so suppose the so called music experts haven't heard of it, infact, everytime I hear Lily Allen's LDN "sun is in the sky.." I can't help wondering if she based it on "London's alright".
London Calling surely! Voted by rolling stone mag as the greatest record of the 80s - surely thats a better song than any of the others...its pure London!
Despite their Woking routes, the Jam's fascination with London was apparent in all of their songs, and Strange Town sums up this place.
"I bought an A to Z guide book
Trying to find the clubs and YMCAs
When you ask in a strange town
They say don't know, don't care
And I've got to go, mate!!"
Guns of Brixton surely, plus anything by Madness. Suggs is Mr London surely? One Better Day indeed - they document London better than anyone since Ray Davies stopped.
"London's alright" by The Tacticians. One of the best singles of the last 12 months and by far the coolest song about in London in ages. Full of charm and wit !!!
Tom McRae - 'Draw Down the Stars'. London as the mistress you can't help returning to. It perfectly captures that melancholy, addictive beauty the city has. And it has some great lines - "in a city that kills by constriction / Throw your streets around me and squeeze", "This flourescent night will divide us / And dissolve to a flickering screen". I know it's an album track but it is just exquisite and HAS to appear in the top 50!
London by The smiths...do you think yuo've made the right decision this time?Yes yes..that sums it up.