# Playlist suggestions for summer vacation to NYC, Boston and Philadelphia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2019, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482 "2019-05-04T22:12:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cncdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cncdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cncdad)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2019, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/1 "2019-05-04T22:12:28Z")
Hi SD, looking for some suggestions for songs to add to our playlist for our summer vacation driving. Taking the family for a couple weeks on the road to visit NYC, Boston and Philadelphia mainly and looking for some traveling tunes that are about the cities or at least mention the cities. Genre isn’t important. Bonus points for songs about Harrisburg, Pa, Mystic CT and/or Vermont. Thanks in advance, Cncdad ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/2 "2019-05-05T20:49:12Z")
Philadelphia Freedom Dirty Water Arthur’s Theme That’s one for each major city to start off the list. Plus evidence that I’m old! Wishing you safe travels. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/3 "2019-05-05T21:04:06Z")
Ramones: Rockaway Beach [RAMONES - Rockaway Beach - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6siGKxcKol0) Steve Earle with the Supersuckers: N.Y.C. [N.Y.C. (with the Supersuckers) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv7vIfRMaTc) Aerosmith: Mama Kin [Aerosmith - Mama Kin (Audio) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_lEQoNM70A) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/4 "2019-05-05T21:27:06Z")
The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer In the City.” One of the great NYC songs, possibly the first great “summer song” ever (1966). [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5bUmx-hk-c) Great video; John Sebastian is all “Lookit us, we’re lip-syncing to the record! Oops, there’s an automobile honk, yet none of us onstage has access to a car horn! I am SO HIGH.” Laura Nyro’s masterpiece 1969 album **New York Tendaberry.** ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/5 "2019-05-05T21:31:28Z")
For Massachusetts, the Modern Lovers’ “Roadrunner.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Gy88-5pc7c8/hqdefault.jpg "the MODERN LOVERS "Roadrunner" 1972") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy88-5pc7c8) Hell, the entire first Modern Lovers album (1972). It’ll also give you “Pablo Picasso,” another great NYC rock song. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/6 "2019-05-06T00:37:03Z")
[Boston Fancy](https://archive.org/details/78_boston-fancy_gisele-mackenzie-richard-maltby-dave-coleman_gbia0010418b) [Massachusetts](https://archive.org/details/78_massachusetts_andrews-sisters-vic-schoen-and-his-orchestra-lucky-roberts-andy-razaf_gbia0028528a) [New York, New York (It’s a Helluva Town)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cbx7k3jCwU) ---
**Author:** ![ch51](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ch51/32/3111_2.png) [@ch51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ch51)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/7 "2019-05-06T15:01:27Z")
Joni Mitchell’s “song for Sharon” - specifically the verse about going to Staten Island. Had it stuck in my head every time I’ve visited NYC. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/8 "2019-05-06T15:48:12Z")
Agree about “Dirty Water” by the Standells for Boston: > **[Dirty Water](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Water)** > > "Dirty Water" is a song by the American rock band The Standells, written by their producer Ed Cobb. > The song is a mock paean to the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and its then-famously polluted Boston Harbor and Charles River. > According to Standells keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, at least some of the song (notably the references to "lovers and thieves") was inspired by a mugging of Cobb in Boston. In addition to the river, other local interest items in the song include the Boston University women's ... Here's a list of songs about Boston, over 90% of which I have not heard -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_songs\_about\_Boston However, under NO circumstances should you listen to the massively depressing and actually down-on-Boston Dave Loggins song “Please come to Boston” ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/9 "2019-05-06T19:25:37Z")
The entire New York album by Lou Reed Travellin’ Man, Bob Segar. New York State of Mind, Billy Joel. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/10 "2019-05-07T02:11:20Z")
[Pennsylvania Polka](https://archive.org/details/78_pennsylvania-polka_andrews-sisters-vic-schoen-and-his-orchestra-lester-lee-zeke-man_gbia0013334a) [Between 18th and 19th on Chestnut Street (A Philadelphia Story)](https://archive.org/details/78_between-18th-and-19th-on-chestnut-street-a-philadelphia-story_will-osborn-and-his_gbia0045024a) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/11 "2019-05-07T02:16:11Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > The entire New York album by Lou Reed. Oooooooooo, depressing. NYC at its _fin de siecle_ nadir. Great album, though. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/12 "2019-05-07T02:25:44Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Between 18th and 19th on Chestnut Street (A Philadelphia Story)](https://archive.org/details/78_between-18th-and-19th-on-chestnut-street-a-philadelphia-story_will-osborn-and-his_gbia0045024a) [Found a much more serious version on YouTube.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pJIFdwPo-w) ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/13 "2019-05-07T18:02:14Z")
“Tessie” (and “Shipping Up to Boston” and nearly anything else) by the Dropkick Murphys “Charlie on the MTA” if you want something less aggressive. “Massachusetts” by Arlo Guthrie is more about the part of the state outside of Boston. For Philly, [I-76](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8tq9Va6U68) by G Love and Special Sauce For the bonus, there’s “Moonlight in Vermont”, if you want old school. ---
**Author:** ![cncdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cncdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cncdad)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/14 "2019-05-15T22:21:57Z")
Thanks for some great suggestions. Bumping this one time for anyone that may have ideas and missed it the 1st time around. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2019, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/playlist-suggestions-for-summer-vacation-to-nyc-boston-and-philadelphia/833482/15 "2019-05-16T00:50:58Z")
NYC songs… [Roller Coaster Town](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP-JfCd8KWs) by Garland Jeffreys [In The City](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0dZY0rEeno) by Milton