# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/141 "2017-03-26T00:35:08Z")
Do we still need Idaho? _You think we’re all Trailer Trash obnoxious and noisy But that’s just Springer, Ricki Lake, and Boise_ -UK Visa Versa by MC Lars mmm ---
**Author:** ![wendelenn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/58f4c7/32.png) [@wendelenn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wendelenn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/142 "2017-03-26T03:57:04Z")
Sorry, nevermind, posted another Tom Lehrer but it’s a state name not a city name. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/143 "2017-03-26T12:22:27Z")
Do we have Mississippi yet? From _Guys and Dolls_: > [@](#): > > What’s playing at the Roxy? > I’ll tell you what’s playing at the Roxy. > A picture about a Minnesota man falls in love with a Mississippi girl > That he sacrifices everything and moves all the way to Biloxi. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/144 "2017-03-27T05:37:35Z")
An oldie; **Hot Rod Lincoln** , recorded by numerous artists had the lines "We left San Pedro late one night; the moon and stars were shining bright’ San Pedro is LA’s harbor, but part of the city of Los Angeles. I can’t think of any songs that refer to Los Angeles as such, but the Doors (\*\*LA Woman \*\*) and Elton John (“LA lady; seamstress to the band”) but I don’t recall the title of the song, which was on Tumbleweed Connection. Someone–I think it was Tom Lehrer–sang of “I’m spending hannukah in Santa Monica, and Rosh Hoshana in Santa Ana” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/145 "2017-03-27T06:17:04Z")
_I went from Phoenix, Arizona All the way to Tacoma_ ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/146 "2017-03-27T14:13:22Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Which word rhymes with "Bangor’? The name of the town is “Bangor, Maine”, which rhymes with train. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/147 "2017-03-27T14:16:45Z")
“The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol When they do the Bristol Stomp” This refers to Bristol, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, the home town of The Dovells, who recorded it – not Bristol Connecticut. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/148 "2017-03-27T15:06:53Z")
Send me down to Tucson And I’ll get the job done – Mel Tillis ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Call_Me.Tim)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/149 "2017-03-27T17:31:45Z")
“Rockin’ me baby” near-rhymes Pheonix, Arizona with Tacoma, so there’s Washington state. ---
**Author:** ![ruh-roh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ruh-roh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruh-roh)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/150 "2017-03-27T20:50:51Z")
[quote=“movingfinger, post:144, topic:723629”] An oldie; **Hot Rod Lincoln** , recorded by numerous artists had the lines "We left San Pedro late one night; the moon and stars were shining bright’ San Pedro is LA’s harbor, but part of the city of Los Angeles./QUOTE] The more direct rhyme would be from Hot Rod Race. " Now me and my wife and my brother Joe, took off in my Ford from San Pedro." (Joe and Peedrow being the rhyme). Non-thread related trivia… Hot Rod Race (1950) was the pre-curser to Hot Rod Lincoln (1951). Hot Rod Lincoln just got a lot more air play. The tunes are similar and Hot Rod Race ends with the two racers (a Ford and a [Lincoln] Mercury) getting passed. “When it flew by us, I turned the other way, the guy in the Mercury had nothin’ to say, for it was a kid, in a hopped up Model-A.” Hot Rod Lincoln has the early lines… “Have you heard this story of the Hot Rod Race When Fords and Lincolns was settin’ the pace. That story is true, I’m here to say I was drivin’ that Model A.” I have heard there is a third song from the point of view of the police chasing them down, but I have never been able to find anything. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/151 "2017-03-27T21:06:56Z")
“Dallas, got a soft machine Houston, too close to New Orleans New York’s got the ways and means but just won’t let you be, oh no.” -Grateful Dead, Truckin’ ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/152 "2017-03-27T23:32:44Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Plus two parodies (and no doubt others): > > “Hippie From Olema” (California) which is a terrible rhyme and not an actual city, so let’s skip it. > > “A\*\*hole from El Paso” (Texas) “Okie from Muskogee” is its own parody. Back in my hippie days, I heard people sing it tongue-in-cheek for two years before I heard the Merle Haggard recording. > [@jtur88](#): > > “The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol > When they do the Bristol Stomp” > > This refers to Bristol, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, the home town of The Dovells, who recorded it – not Bristol Connecticut. Nor does it refer to Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee, “A Good Place To Live.” ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/153 "2017-03-27T23:38:49Z")
Does this count? Gary, Indiana Not Louisiana Paris, France New York or Rome But Gary, Indiana, Gary, Indiana Gary, Indiana My home, sweet, home! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/154 "2017-03-28T00:16:15Z")
I had a morbid curiosity so I assembled all of the answers so far to see which city is ahead. Baton Rouge and Tupelo are tied at five each. Alabama – Birmingham [Newman], Birmingham [Stones], Birmingham [Emmylou], Mobile [Wells], Mobile [Cher] Alaska – Nome [Ginnie] Arizona – Winona [Rte 66], Tucson [Tillis] Arkansas – Little Rock [Marilyn] California -San Francisco [Shango], San Diego [Shango], San Bernadino [Rte 66], Santa Fe [Stones], San Jose [Stones], San Jose [Way?], Hollywood [Hotel], Sanya Monica [Lehrer], Santa Ana [Lehrer], LA [Steve Miller], Los Angeles [Customs], Pasadena [Gardenia], Bakersfield [Owens], Gardena [Beastie], Compton [Cube], San Pedro [Hot Rod] Colorado – Denver [Sinatra] Connecticut – Old Lyme [CT’s For] Delaware – Dover [Parton] Florida – Jacksonville [Everglades], Tallahassee [Lassie], Tallahassee [Dylan], Davenport [Cash], Georgia – Savannah [Hannah], Savannah [Nelly], Decatur [Operator], Atlanta [Reed], Atlanta [Nelly], Macon [Lucinda] Hawaii – Honolulu [Lulu], Honolulu [Dylan] Idaho – Boise [Noisy], Boise [MS Lars] Illinois – Chicago [Stevens], Pekin [Kingpin], Kankakee [City], Moline [CCR] Indiana – Indianapolis [Apples] Iowa – Des Moines [Messina], Des Moines [Yakko], Waterloo [ABBA], Dubuque [Baseball], Sioux City [Sue] \*\* Kansas\*\* Kentucky – Paducah [Bazooka] Louisiana – New Orleans [Yonder], New Orleans [Battle], New Orleans [Dead], Baton Rouge [Huey], Baton Rouge [Lucinda], Baton Rouge [Truckers], Baton Rouge [Garth], Baton Rouge [Dylan], Mamou [Cajun], Lafayette [Luncinda], Maine – Portland [Sinatra] Maryland – Baltimore [Streets] Massachusetts – Boston [Taylor], Boston [Yakko] Michigan – Kalamazoo [Gal], Detroit [Don’t Stop], Ypsilanti [Elvis] Minnesota – St. Paul [Yakko], St. Paul [Cash] Mississippi – Tupelo [Knopfler], Tupelo [John], Tupelo [Emmylou], Tupelo [Nick Cave], Tupelo [Billie Joe], Biloxi [Roxy] Missouri – St Louis [Rte 66], Kansas City [Dylan] Montana – Missoula [Jewel] Nebraska – Omaha [Waylon] Nevada – Carson City [Beefheart], Carson City [Breeders], Carson City [Yakko], Reno [Shuffle] New Hampshire – Rye [Live Free or Die!], Manchester [Live Free or Die!] New Jersey – Cape May , Atlantic City [Bruce], Asbury Park [Porter], Palisades Park [Barris], Hackensack [Joel] New Mexico – Albuquerque [Dylan], Albuquerque [Train] New York – Schenectady [bone], Annadale [Steely], New Rochelle [Cohan], Syracuse [Dylan], New Rochelle [Hart], Barrytown [Steely], Manhattan [Beastie], Poughkeepsie [Elvis], Buffalo [Stones], Buffalo [Dead], Buffalo [Shuffle], Buffalo [Dylan] \*\* North Carolina\*\* North Dakota – Fargo [Buffett] Ohio – Bowling Green [Everlys], Cleveland [Huey], Cleveland [Edmund], Ashtabula [Dylan], Cincinnati [Bee Gees] Oklahoma – Oklahoma City [Rte 66], Muskogee [Okie] Oregon – Tualatin [Eatin’] Pennsylvania – Allentown [Joel], Philadelphia [Rodgers and Hart], Bristol [Stomp] Rhode Island – Pettaquamscutt [T], Narragansett [T], Pawtuckett [Gutterball] South Carolina – Myrtle Beach [Hagar] South Dakota – Pierre [Yakko], Wounded Knee [Redbone] Tennessee – Memphis [Stones], Maynardville [Mitchum], Butcher Holler [Coal], Jackson [Cashes], Nashville [Spoonful] Texas – Amarillo [Rte 66], Abilene [Waylon], Abilene [Strait], El Paso [Robbins], El Paso [A\*\*hole], El Paso [Train], Austin [Yakko], Texarkana [Strait], Galveston [Strait], Temple [Strait], LaGrange [ZZ], Texarkana [Reed], Galveston [Campbell], Dallas [Loesser] Utah – Salt Lake City [Mormon] **Vermont** Virginia – Newport News [Woody], Roanoke [Wagon] Washington – Seattle [Waits], Seattle [Weird Al], Tacoma [Steve Miller], Seattle [Toddies] West Virginia – Morgantown [Mitchell], Wheeling [Tillis] Wisconsin – Milwaukee [Polka], Eau Claire [Dance] Wyoming – Cheyenne [Dylan] ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/155 "2017-03-28T00:35:13Z")
Here’s your Kansas: (We’re Not) The Jet Set - George Jones and Tammy Wynette “There’s no Riviera In Festus, Missouri\* And you won’t find Onasis In Mullinville, Kansas” - “Missoura” ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/156 "2017-03-28T01:12:00Z")
The Everly Brothers’ Bowling Green is in Kentucky, not Ohio. A man in Kentucky sure is lucky To live down in Bowling Green. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/157 "2017-03-28T16:08:24Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > The Everly Brothers’ Bowling Green is in Kentucky, not Ohio. > > A man in Kentucky sure is lucky > To live down in Bowling Green. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![natterj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dbc845/32.png) [@natterj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/natterj)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/158 "2017-03-28T16:34:06Z")
Here’s Kansas: I’m going to Wichita Far from this opera for evermore I’m gonna work the straw Make the sweat drip out of every pore - White Stripes, Seven Nation Army ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/159 "2017-03-28T18:28:10Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Here’s your Kansas: > (We’re Not) The Jet Set - George Jones and Tammy Wynette > “There’s no Riviera > In Festus, Missouri\* > And you won’t find Onasis > In Mullinville, Kansas” > > - “Missoura” But those are State name rhymes. The thread asks for city name rhymes. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/160 "2017-03-28T20:54:44Z")
**Jack Straw** by the Grateful Dead: _Jack Straw from Wichita cut his buddy down_ [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=7) [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=9)