# 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:** 9
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/161 "2017-03-28T20:56:05Z")
**My Cousin in Milwaukee** , written by the Gershwins and sung by Ella Fitzgerald _I got a cousin in Milwaukee She’s got a voice so squawky And though she’s tall and kind of gawky Oh, how she gets the men_ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/162 "2017-03-28T20:56:29Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > **Jack Straw** by the Grateful Dead: > > _Jack Straw from Wichita > cut his buddy down_ Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t hear a rhyme there. ---
**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, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/163 "2017-03-28T21:11:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t hear a rhyme there. It’s a stretch, but it’s an internal rhyme in the first line. Jack STRAW from WICHI-TAW ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/164 "2017-04-01T17:49:26Z")
Thank you, **gigi**. Baltimore also has “Good Morning Baltimore” from Hairspray: Good morning Baltimore Every day’s like an open door And some day when I take to the floor There’s the flasher who lives next door But what about North Carolina and Vermont? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/165 "2017-04-01T18:36:24Z")
North Carolina: Kind of a stretch, but this is from Kooley High’s song, “Dear Raleigh”: Yo Dear Raleigh Been about a half a year probably I know we’ve already covered these states, but I really like this song, “Closer” by Chainsmokers: > [@](#): > > So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your **Rover** > That I know you can’t afford > Bite that tattoo on your **shoulder** > Pull the sheets right off the corner > Of the mattress that you stole > From your roommate back in **Boulder** > … > Stay and play that Blink- **182 song** > That we beat to death in **Tucson** , okay ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/166 "2017-04-01T19:23:05Z")
North Carolina Edie Brickelle manages to rhyme Ashville and email. [When you get to Ashville.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4RzhTN9zW3w) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/167 "2017-04-01T20:23:22Z")
BTW, Asshole from El Paso is by the one and only, original (and definitely NOT an asshole) Richard “Kinky” Friedman. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/168 "2017-04-01T20:36:53Z")
Here’s another one to add to the Pennsylvania list: _ **There’s a pawnshop on a corner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania** _ by Guy Mitchell Written by Bob Merrill Peaked at # 4 in 1952) (There’s a pawnshop on a corner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) And I walk up and down 'neath the clock (By the pawnshop on a corner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) But I ain’t got a thing left to hock … ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/169 "2017-04-01T22:29:42Z")
[For Massachusetts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmu6UMxUiUE), courtesy of Larry Flint and the Sour Mash Boys: \* It’s so lonely in Braintree with you in Methuen It’s almost like living in Lowell.\* ---
**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:** [April 1, 2017, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/170 "2017-04-01T23:40:33Z")
I think some people are missing the premise of the thread. It’s city names that rhyme with something. What do Pittsburgh, Braintree, Methuen and Lowell rhyme with? Just consider the song [Wakko’s America](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doaneadAFsc): Texas has Austin, then we go north to Massachusetts, Boston; and Albany, New York Tallahassee, Florida; and Washington D.C. Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Nashville, Tennessee. Austin and Boston rhyme with each other. They both count. Washington DC rhymes with Tennessee, so that counts. Albany, Tallahassee, Santa Fe and Nashville don’t rhyme with anything in the song, so they DON’T count. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/171 "2017-04-01T23:50:50Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > What do …Braintree, Methuen and Lowell rhyme with? Lonely-Braintree, You in- Methuen, Lowell-the other lines in the song. Then there’s Shel Silverstein (writer) and Bobby Bare (singer) with _I’ve been lost in Austin Juiced in Houston, Don’t remember Dallas, But Dallas won’t be soon forgettin’ me …_ ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/172 "2017-04-01T23:59:20Z")
Hank Snow followed up his “I’ve Been Everywhere” (already posted as a Johnny Cash song) with “I Ain’t Been Anywhere”: \*I ain’t seen London, Paris, Washington, Chicago, Bombay, Mandalay, Calgary, Cashmere, Thailand, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Halifax, Poland, Switzerland, Scotland, Liverpool, Dry Gulch, Tombstone, Moscow, Carlsbad, Leningrad, Stalingrad, too bad! … Siam, Amsterdam, Oslo, Rotterdam, Birmingham, Tokyo, Melbourne, Saigon, Trinidad, Hong Kong, Florida, Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Berlin, Congo, Key West, Petersburg, Wallisburg, Cherbourg, Luxemburg, Chalush, Toronto, Cripple Creek, I am sick! … Kumquat, Limerick, Inverness, Loch Ness, Swansea, Cuanda, Colombo, Gold Coast, Edinburgh, Singapore, Galveston, Okinawa, Blarney, Killarney, Karachi, Pyongyang, Warsaw, Tarancan, Down, Libya, Goose Bay, Labrador, Outer Space, no place! … Ohio, Toledo, Wexford, Frankfurt, Silverton, Norfolk, Alamo, Sabula, Brighton, Kiowa, Denmark, Dover, Chalis, Rio, Lima, Philippines, Hebrides, Hawaii, Portland, Cleveland, Leipzig, Laramie, Horsehair, nowhere!\* The original was from Australia, written by Geoff Mack and recorded by Lucky Starr: \*Been to Tullamore, Seymour, Lismore, Mooloolaba, Nambour, Maroochydore, Kilmore, Murwillumbah, Birdsville, Emmaville, Wallaville, Cunnamulla, Condamine, Strathpine, Proserpine, Ulladulla, Darwin, Gin Gin, Deniliquin, Muckadilla… I’ve been to Moree, Taree, Jerilderie, Bambaroo, Toowoomba, Gunnedah, Caringbah, Woolloomooloo, Dalveen, Tamborine, Engadine, Jindabyne, Lithgow, Casino, Brigalow and Narromine, Megalong, Wyong, Tuggerawong, Wangarella, Morella, Augathella, Brindabella, I’m the feller… I’ve been to Wollongong, Geelong, Kurrajong, Mullumbimby, Mittagong, Molong, Grong Grong, Goondiwindi, Yarra Yarra, Boroondara, Wallangarra, Turramurra, Boggabri, Gundagai, Narrabri, Tibooburra, Gulgong, Adelong, Billabong, Cabramatta, Parramatta, Wangaratta, Coolangatta, what’s it matter? … I’ve been to Ettalong, Dandenong, Woodenbong, Ballarat, Canberra, Milperra, Unanderra, Captain’s Flat, Cloncurry, River Murray, Kurri Kurri, Girraween, Terrigal, Fingal, Stockinbingal, Collaroy and Narrabeen, Bendigo, Dorrigo, Bangalow, Indooroopilly, Kirribilli, Yeerongpilly, Wollondilly, don’t be silly.\* There, that’ll hold ya for awhile. 😉 ---
**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:** [April 2, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/173 "2017-04-02T00:03:57Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Lonely-Braintree, You in- Methuen, Lowell-the other lines in the song. Okay, fair enough. I stand corrected. I don’t know the song. It didn’t \*look \*like a rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/174 "2017-04-02T00:04:20Z")
The Magnetic Fields’ “Goin’ Back to the Country”: _And I’m gonna fly back to Wyoming And never more my friends I’ll go a-roaming I’m gonna fly back to Laramie Let Laramie take care of me till they bury me._ ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/175 "2017-04-02T00:45:36Z")
Montpelier, Vermont, courtesy of [Casiotone for the Painfully Alone’s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28yWxb_NRuo) [“Traveling Salesman’s Young Wife Home Alone On Christmas In Montpelier, VT”](http://www.metrolyrics.com/traveling-salesmans-young-lyrics-casiotone-for-the-painfully-alone.html): > [@](#): > > Here comes the frost that freezes every year > Shutter windows hang the Advent calendar > What are you doing on your own with frozen ears > I know we’re changing like the trees in Montpelier ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/176 "2017-04-02T01:47:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Magnetic Fields’ “Goin’ Back to the Country”: > > _And I’m gonna fly back to Wyoming > And never more my friends I’ll go a-roaming > I’m gonna fly back to Laramie > Let Laramie take care of me till they bury me._ Two states with the same reference: “And your eyes are Kansas City In Kansas and in Missouri” -Long Vermont Roads Also from the brand new album (I had to look this place up): “We lived in [Paia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paia,_Hawaii), hippie central” Lots of NYC references, of course, but those aren’t new. ---
**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:** [April 2, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/177 "2017-04-02T02:12:08Z")
[Moderating] Just a reminder, everyone: Excerpts from a song are OK, but don’t quote the entire lyrics, as that’s a copyright violation. ---
**Author:** ![pmwgreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@pmwgreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pmwgreen)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/178 "2017-04-02T18:10:10Z")
When you see folks (Having their after dinner chats) All polite and classy (Gentlemen all remove their hats) And every smile (Perfect harmony and peace) Bids you stay and rest, (Hand the porter your valise) Get off that train, (Sit down and rest your chassis, ) You’re in **Tallahassee** (The Capital City of Florida and) The Southland at its best! I think Bing Crosby had one for every city in America. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/179 "2017-04-02T22:24:46Z")
Jon Young did his part representin’ for the O-Town, baby, in [“City I Luv”:](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAyt9sogjE) _Welcome to Orlando Where the music jam slow … From APK (Apopka) to the Hills Bithlo To Sanford I claim it all as my block Some say datz absurd_ He also rhymes “O” with “do’s” and “Seminole”, so count that if you like. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-use-city-names-as-a-rhyme-and-is-there-one-for-every-state/723629/180 "2017-04-22T16:54:32Z")
And there’s Tom Paxton’s I Lost My Heart on a 747: I lost my heart on a 747, Halfway to heaven, Passing over Des Moines. Her looks were smart, I met her in the aisle, She gave me her smile, I knew our futures we´d join. Which ends: She´s gone. Now we´ll never fly united, A promise unrequited, No future to join. Our love is on a 747, Halfway to heaven, Passing over Des Moines. [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=8) [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=10)