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| 36 Babyshambles |
36 Albion Babyshambles [download]
Elegy for an England falling into disrepair
Pete Doherty’s adherence to a vision of an idealised England has underpinned his songwriting from his very first efforts in The Libertines. Creatives from William Blake to Enid Blyton and Michael Bracewell have all explored the idea of a lost Arcadian wonderland, but in ‘Albion’, Doherty dreams not of some bucolic idyll, but of grabbing his gal (‘I’ll be waiting in the photo booth at the underground station’) and escaping to places as oddly unglamorous as Deptford and Catford. The final destination is irrelevant, it seems; it’s the getting away (‘anywhere in Albion’) that matters.
Available on ‘Down In Albion’ album (2005)
37 Knocked ‘Em In The Old Kent Road Harry Champion [download]
A gem from the glory days of music hall
At the dawn of the twentieth century, London contained more than 300 music halls. Harry Champion’s ‘Knocked ’Em In The Old Kent Road’ was a genre classic. Thankfully many of music hall’s most beautiful venues are still open for business. The Hackney Empire has now returned to theatrical use. The Stratford Rex is a fully functional music venue once again. Perhaps most remarkable is Wilton’s Music Hall in Stepney.
With its mirrored ballroom and vast chandelier, Wilton’s was known as ‘the handsomest room in town’. It’s rumoured to have been the scene of the first ever can-can and was the headquarters for the East Enders who gathered to fight Oswald Mosley’s fascists in 1936. Now, theatre has returned and, as befits its radical heritage, a number of ‘pay what you can’ seats are reserved for most shows.
Available on ‘A Little Bit Of What You Fancy’ compilation (2000)
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38 A Rainy Night In Soho The Pogues [download]
Big-hearted, boozy ballad
Soho can be a difficult place to negotiate when you’re sober. But when you’re drunk, it’s even worse. The whole area turns into an emotional minefield, with every neon shopfront, clip joint, or twat on a rickshaw suddenly taking on a profound metaphorical significance. If you ever want to wallow in boozy heartbreak, Soho’s the place for you. Which is probably why this waltzing lament makes so much sense to so many people.
Available on ‘Rum Sodomy And The Lash’ reissue, bonus track (2005)
39 London The Smiths [download]
‘Billy Liar’ esqe relocation melodrama
‘Smoke lingers round your fingers/Train, heave on to Euston/Do you think you’ve made the right decision this time?’ Anyone who has ever relocated to The Smoke will recognise (albeit possibly in a less romanticised form) the excitement and anxiety implicit in the opening lines of this song.
Available on ‘Louder Than Bombs’ album (1987)
40 14 Hour Technicolour Dream The Syn [download]
Song performed at an all-nighter at Alexandra Palace starring Pink Floyd, as remembered by Time Out’s art editor
‘The bands were up on a platform in the middle of the room, so there wasn’t a separate stage area and audience area, it was all mixed up. I have in my mind a lot of noise, like the whirring of a projector. There was a lot of flickering light which was quite visually confusing. I can hardly remember the band – I just remember this atmosphere of confusion. Also everybody was pretty stoned, so that made it even more confusing.
In the main area people were hanging about but not dancing – I don’t remember any dancing at all, which was strange. It was a much more freaky, slightly alienated sort of atmosphere. In the side areas I remember a lot of people sitting around on the floor; it became a kind happening, and it just seemed to go on and on and on. I remember thinking: This is really weird, but I’m obviously in the right place.’ Sarah Kent
Available on ‘Original Syn’ (1967)
71 comments
cool songs
Oranges & Lemons
For Tomorrow is excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
where's "Underneath the Arches" ?
Not a single Clash song!!!
London Calling!!!
Guns of Brixton!!!
White Man in the Hammersmith Palais!!!
What about Cat Stevens' 'Portobello Road'?
c'mon, Gerry Rafferty's song belongs to top 10!
LONDON LONDON by Caetano Veloso
"The battle of epping forest" splendidly sang by Peter Gabriel when he was with Genesis, totally crazy version of east london
i've always liked "play with fire"
I agree, Shakespeare by Akala is easily the best rap song ever and is actually by someone from London!
Many of the people on that rubbish list are from nowhere near London, for example The Streets (Mike Skinner) is from Birmingham and talks cockney to sound cool. Overall a very poor list.
the best song to come out of london is 'shakespeare' by akala
What about that one by Catatonia "london sucks the life out of me...and the money from my pocket"...forget the name of it but no truer words spoken haha...The Pogues - Misty Morning Albert Bridge, White City...love 'em...Elvis Costello - I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea?
I think Walking Down The KIngs Road by Squire is the ultimate mod london song.
I am missing "London calling" by The Clash and "Panic" by The Smiths...