# Songs that use city names as a rhyme (and is there one for every state?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629 "2015-06-27T15:29:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![RobotDevilDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@RobotDevilDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobotDevilDog)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/81 "2015-06-30T06:59:25Z")
The Bee Gees song “Road to Alaska” mentions Alaska, Nebraska and Oklahoma, but no cities from any of those states. It does, however, contain this line: _I found Cincinnati, out there I was happy, Every single day of my life._ ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/82 "2015-06-30T10:58:33Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > (…“sharp as a _pistol_?”) Definitely a fun song. Has anyone other than lyricist Kal Mann published the “correct” lyrics? (From the December 3, 2001, LA Times article [here](http://articles.latimes.com/2001/dec/03/local/me-11060):“Isn’t the expression, ‘Hot as a pistol?’ He said, ‘You shut up and sing. I’m the writer!’”) Per your link’s included lyrics, “This town is spinning every Friday night” and “The stars are spinnin’ every Friday night”. Could it possibly be “The _sounds_ are spinnin’…”? (What do the Bristolians do on Saturday night?) Two quick favorites… [ul] [li]“Any Old Place With You”, Richard Rodgers & (lyricist) Larry Hart, “I’ll go to hell for ya, Or Philadelphia”, [here, for example](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojVQiQL3Too)[/li][li]“At Long Last Love”, Cole Porter, “Is it for all time or simply a lark? Is it Granada I see or only Asbury Park?”, [here, for example](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyYTbSRI4DA)[/li][/ul] > [@Spoke](#): > > Has no songwriter thought to rhyme “Boise” with “noisy?” Google found Jim Gill Children’s Music, “The Night We Made It Noisy In Boise, Idaho” [here](https://soundcloud.com/jim-gill/the-night-we-made-it-noisy-in). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/83 "2015-06-30T12:25:06Z")
Annandale (I’m gonna say Virginia, tho it’s probably NY): When California tumbles into the sea That’ll be the day I go back to Annandale Tried to warn you about Chino and Daddy Gee But I can’t seem to get to you through the U.S. Mail –“My Old School,” Steely Dan ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/84 "2015-06-30T12:41:49Z")
I think Birmingham was covered upthread, but just for backup - Emmylou Harris, ‘Boulder to Birmingham’: I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham I would hold my life in his saving grace. I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham If I thought I could see, I could see your face. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/85 "2015-06-30T13:56:18Z")
Another Lorenz Hart lyric, from “On Your Toes” (specific rhyme in bold): Remember the youth 'mid snow and ice Who bore the banner with the strange device **Excelsior!** This motto applies to folks who dwell In Richmond Hill or in New Rochelle **In Chelsea or** In Sutton Place. New York is already well represented, but I just posted this because I think that’s a hell of a rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/86 "2015-06-30T14:12:07Z")
Hey you don’t know me but you don’t like me Say you care less how I feel But how many of you who sit and judge me have walked the streets of **Bakersfield**? Streets of Bakersfield - Buck Owens ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/87 "2015-06-30T14:13:16Z")
From “Train Kept a Rollin’” by Johnny Burnette, the Yardbirds, Aerosmith and others: “We made a stop In Albuquerque. She must’ve thought I was a real cool jerk. We Got out the train in El Paso She looked so good, Jack, I couldn’t let her go.” There’s New Mexico ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/88 "2015-06-30T14:17:40Z")
So, what we have left is: Delaware Idaho Maryland Montana North Carolina North Dakota Rhode Island South Carolina Utah Vermont Virginia West Virginia Wisconsin ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/89 "2015-06-30T14:25:29Z")
**drad dog** took care of Virginia with Newport News. We have a children’s song for Idaho. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/90 "2015-06-30T14:32:30Z")
Maryland, Baltimore “Streets of Baltimore” Now I’m-a-going back on that same train that brought me here before While my baby walks the streets of Baltimore --Bobby Bare, Gram Parsons, et al ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/91 "2015-06-30T14:36:47Z")
Utah: Salt Lake City From **Book of Mormon** , “Sal Tlay Ka Siti” If I could let myself believe I know just where I’d be Right on the next bus to Paradise Sal Tlay Ka Siti ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/92 "2015-06-30T14:46:19Z")
[Wagon Wheel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gX1EP6mG-E) - Old Crow Medicine Show Walkin’ to the south out of **Roanoke** I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke But he’s a-heading west from the Cumberland gap To Johnson City, Tennessee I gotta get a move on before the sun I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she’s the only one And if I die in Raleigh at least I will die free This song mentions Raleigh, but doesn’t rhyme it. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/93 "2015-06-30T15:24:45Z")
I’d imagine the [Animaniac’s “State Capitals” song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSvJ9SN8THE) has quite a few covered. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/94 "2015-06-30T15:28:22Z")
Got one for Wisconsin, from the Polka King himself, Frankie Yankovic! The song is “Milwaukee Polka.” “Beer from Milwaukee, The very best in town. It makes you so talky. Drink it down, drink it down, drink it down!” ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/95 "2015-06-30T15:29:24Z")
Oh, I have one: “Kingpin” by Wilco _I wanna be your kingpin Living in Pekin._ (Illinois). ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/96 "2015-06-30T15:29:56Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > [Wagon Wheel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gX1EP6mG-E) - Old Crow Medicine Show > > Walkin’ to the south out of **Roanoke** > I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke > But he’s a-heading west from the Cumberland gap > To Johnson City, Tennessee > I gotta get a move on before the sun > I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she’s the only one > And if I die in Raleigh at least I will die free > > This song mentions Raleigh, but doesn’t rhyme it. But it does rhyme the state if that helps. “Headed down south to the land of the pine, Thumbing my way into North Caroline” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/97 "2015-06-30T16:00:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For New Jersey, we have “[I’m From New Jersey](http://www.50states.com/songs/newjerse.htm#.VY7pYEYYEko)”. The songwriter is Red Mascara, who just passed away. He rhymes Cape May with “steal your heart away”. No need to be so obscure. As mentioned earlier Springsteen’s Atlantic City covers it. Also another big song comes close but doesn’t exactly mention a city. The Four Seasons _My Eyes Adore You_. “Walking home every day over Barnegat Bridge and Bay” > [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Annandale (I’m gonna say Virginia, tho it’s probably NY): > > When California tumbles into the sea > That’ll be the day I go back to Annandale > Tried to warn you about Chino and Daddy Gee > But I can’t seem to get to you through the U.S. Mail > > –“My Old School,” Steely Dan Definately New York. Annandale-on-Hudson is the home of Bard College which happens to be Donald Fagan’s old school. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/98 "2015-06-30T16:09:36Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > No need to be so obscure. As mentioned earlier Springsteen’s Atlantic City covers it. Also another big song comes close but doesn’t exactly mention a city. The Four Seasons _My Eyes Adore You_. > > “Walking home every day over Barnegat Bridge and Bay” > > Definately New York. Annandale-on-Hudson is the home of Bard College which happens to be Donald Fagan’s old school. There’s also “Barrytown” from Pretzel Logic. I can see by what you carry that you come from Barrytown ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/99 "2015-06-30T16:15:17Z")
Guys, I hate to do this more than anything. This is one of the low points of my life. But here it is from some damned website: Have you heard “The Missoula Song” by Jewel? “Do ya, do ya, wanna wanna wanna wanna, do you wanna come on down to the city of Missoula? On a summer day, the Clark Fork River’s gonna cool ya … “They’ll even school ya … in Missoula …” During her tour in June, Jewel wrote a song for each city where she played, including Missoula. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/100 "2015-06-30T16:21:05Z")
But I redeem myself: Doin no one [F#] thing that I could \*\* mention they’re not [F#] tryin to get your at[C#]tention and they’re not [F#] showin you all they \*\* got they don’t [F#] care if you’re there or [C#] not like [D#m] Sheboygan or \*\* Eau Claire [D#m] they’re just [C#] there They’re not tryin’ on the dance \*\* floor no they’re just movin [F#] slow Jonathan Richman They’re not tryin on the dance floor. (The least inspirational city song I know) So thats Wisconsin and Montana [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629.md?page=6)