Songs About How certain Cities/Towns/Neighborhoods/Nations basically suck

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"I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea" by Elvis Costello
"Let's Get Rid of New York" by the Randoms
"London Dungeon" by the Misfits
"Sweden (All Quiet on the Eastern Front)" by the Stranglers
"New York City" by the Cult
"Beverly Hills" by the Circle Jerks
"Weekend in L.A." by the Toasters

More...?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'm So Bored With the Usa" by The Clash

How could you miss that one Alex!!!!!!!!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Baby, don't ya go, don't ya go to Goleta
Baby, don't ya go, don't ya go to Goleta
Baby, don't ya go, don't ya go to Goleta
Baby, don't ya go now, don't ya go

I've been there and I've seen them drinkin' now
Thinkin' all the time that they're going to school
Well, maybe some day they might learn something
But being fascist rich kids just ain't cool

Baby don't ya go, don't ya go into Westwood
Baby don't ya go, don't ya go into Westwood
Baby don't ya go, don't ya go into Westwood
Baby, don't ya go now, don't ya go

I've been there and I've seen the styles they wear
Their haircuts down to their clean white shoes
Don't you know baby, that it's all a facade, ya know
Intelligence is not something you should avoid

Baby don't ya go, don't ya go to La Jolla
Baby don't ya go, don't ya go to La Jolla
Baby don't ya go, don't ya go to La Jolla
Baby, don't ya go now, don't ya go

I've been there and I've seen their attitude
They don't like folks who are not like them
Maybe someday they'll take a vacation, like some flight over to Europe
to take a nice cruise in the Mediterranean, but it's very likely that on the way over they'd be hijacked by some terrorist group seeking media approval, they'd be in a really bad situation, in danger of their lives, but they'd be thinking "They can't do this to me, I'm an American Citizen"

Babe, why don't ya go, why don't ya go somewhere
Babe, why don't ya go, why don't ya go somewhere
Babe, why don't ya go, why don't ya go somewhere
Babe, why don't ya go now, somewhere else?

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

"Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply" by Dexy's Midnight Runners:

"Lord have mercy on me
Keep me away from Leeds
I've been before
Not what I'm looking for"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

"Stranded in Iowa" - Manfred Mann's Earth Band

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

"Stranded in Iowa" - Mike Heron

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

"Lodi" - CCR

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

How could you miss that one Alex!!!!!!!!

Yer right, that was a fairly obvious one. Well, I was up half the night fruitlessly attempting to placate a very short-yet-very-loud relative.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Smalltown - Lou Reed and John Cale (perhaps not specific enough for this thread, mind).

― M Carty (mj_c), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"New York" - Sex Pistols

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"Barrytown" - Steely Dan

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Love New York" by the Pop-O-Pies
"O.C. Life" by D.I.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Forgot the original, Dadaismus, and I'm a big ISB fan!

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Prima Vera - Svenskefaen (Norwegian anti-Sweden song, using the melody of The turtles' "So happy together". Yay!)

― Øystein H-O (Øystein H-O), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

i am not in favour of this disparagement of leeds, or yorkshire in general. well, maybe i am, but done in a better way, i would find acceptable

― charltonlido (gareth), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"TNLIYIDA" is brilliant (it has that in common with the rest of Dexys' output) but I don't agree entirely with the sentiment.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Solefald - The USA don't exist

― Øystein H-O (Øystein H-O), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Far far too many folk songs for me to list here

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

"New York" - Sex Pistols

wasn't this one just about the NY Dolls?

anyway here's two:

"New York's All Right If You Like Saxaphones" - Fear
"Los Angeles" - X

― steeve mcqueen (steeve mcqueen), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Phil Ochs - "Here's to the State of Mississippi"

Goddam Yankee red bastard

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:11 (twenty-two years ago)

"moon over marin" - dead kennedys

― tylero (tylero), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

"New York"'s about them yes, but it's addressed to a "you" which could well stand for the whole city.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Dayglo Abortions "Proud to Be a Canadian"

― dave q, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:20 (twenty-two years ago)

The Four Seasons - "Idaho"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Alabama" by Neil Young.

― Sean Witzman (trip maker), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Alabama 3 - Ain't Going to Goa

― coco, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Nirvana "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"

― dave q, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:27 (twenty-two years ago)

"Ontario," the Posies
"Blame Canada!" Trey Parker and Marc Shaiman

― phil dennison, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:37 (twenty-two years ago)

"Don't Go Back to Rockville," R.E.M.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Weakerthans - One Great City!

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"Shit Towne," Live --> York, PA is not so bad, though.

― ng, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

'I've never met a nice South African' by Spitting Image

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 18:19 (twenty-two years ago)

"Fuck You, Norway" - Showcase Showdown

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Granicus - "Cleveland, Ohio"

― Broheems (diamond), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Nina Simone - "Mississippi Goddamn!"

― Joseph McCombs, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

All these songs rule:
(My Own Private) Idaho- B52's
Sweet Home Alabama- Lynrd Skynrd
Vietnamese Baby- NY Dolls (back in the jungle...)
Prairie Rose- Roxy Music (TEXAS!/ Thats were I belong/ It seems to me/ Lonesome Star, Shine on.)
Califoria Sun- Beach Boys, Ramones
Rockaway Beach- Ramones (yes, it is a real place)

contrarily,
Allentown, NY State of mind suck, as does the entire Billy Joel Genre.
I also dislike most versions of Sweet Home Chicago
-Matt

― mlivits (poop), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 19:20 (twenty-two years ago)

"Fuck You, Norway" - Showcase Showdown

I have no idea who Showcase Showdown are, but the thought of a track called "Fuck You, Norway" brings me great joy.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 19:21 (twenty-two years ago)

"Edinburgh Man" by The Fall don't suck

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 19:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Sweet Home Alabama- Lynrd Skynrd [sic]

this song is not about how Alabama sucks

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I finally read the thread right.
"Edinburgh Man" is a bit of a love letter, so scratch my previous post.

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 2 June 2004 19:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Stence totally stole my answer

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 19:49 (twenty-two years ago)

robbie fulks, "fuck this town"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Blatz - "Berkeley Is My Baby (And I Wanna Kill It)" and also "Fuk NY"

― Avi (Avi), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 20:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Half Man Half Biscuit, 'Third Track Main Camera Four Minutes'

"Cuba's the new destination, Cuba's the new Iceland"

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

"New York's All Right If You Like Saxophones" - Fear

I have got to check out this band.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Beasley Street - John Cooper Clarke

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 21:25 (twenty-two years ago)

"Milton Keynes" by the Style Council is the best thing Paul Weller has ever written. By a long chalk.

"May I slash my wrists tonight,
On this fine Conservative night"

Incidentally, "Barrytown" is a piss-take of homophobic bigots, not people from Barrytown. Thanks.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

pavement - box elder

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 21:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I think 'I Love Livin' In The City' by Fear should also be mentioned here.

Also:
NOFX: El Lay (which has an alternative version called East Bay about SF)

― matulageci (matulageci), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 21:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Everything But The Girl 'Hatfield 1980'
Earl Zinger 'I Don't Wanna Go To Hoxton'
Elvis Presley 'In The Ghetto'

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 21:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The Chrysanthemums: "Gloucestershire Is Just an Illusion". Maybe.

― OleM (OleM), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 23:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"Fuck You, Norway" - Showcase Showdown

Sample lyrics: "You're so proud to be from the Baltics..."

Ah. They've no clue, then.

― OleM (OleM), Wednesday, 2 June 2004 23:21 (twenty-two years ago)

'the headmaster ritual' isn't strictly oin that subject but covers is sweetly and delicatley.

― matthew james (matthew james), Thursday, 3 June 2004 00:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Wax - "California"

"Why did I move to Southern California..."

― DJ BEAST OF LEGEND (bjornr), Thursday, 3 June 2004 00:29 (twenty-two years ago)

from the magnetic fields' "100,000 fireflies":

"why do we still live here in this repulsive town?/all our friends are in new york."

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 3 June 2004 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)

whee! Toronto sucks!

I hate the skydome and the CN tower too
I hate Nathan Phillips Square and the Ontario Zoo
The rents too high, the airs unclean
The beaches are dirty, and the people are mean
And the women are big, and the men are dumb
And the children are loopy cause they live in a slum
The water is polluted and the mayors a dork
They dress real bad and they think they're New York
In Toronto, Ontario

(spoken)
You know, I think I hate all of Ontario
Oh ya me too

I hate Thunderbay and Ottawa
Kitchener, Windsor, and Oshawa
London sucks, and the Great Lakes sucks
And Sarnia sucks, and Turkey Point sucks
I took a trip to Ontario, to see Brian in Sarnia
He beat me up and he stole my pants and he put me on a tree
I went to see the Maple Leafs, and got hit in the head with a puck
I don't know even how they did it, i mean i was playing the organ at the time

Ontario, sucks
Yup, actually you know nowI really think about it, i think i pretty much hate every gosh darn province and territory in our country
Well except Albeta
Ya, ya I love Alberta
It's very nice, lots of cows and trees and rocks and dirt

but,
I hate Newfoundland cause they talk so weird
And Prince Edward Island is, too small
Nova Scotia's dumb cause its a name of a bank
New Brunswick doesn't have a good mall
Quebec is revolting and it makes me mad
Ontario sucks, Ontario sucks

Manitoba's population density is 1.9 people per square kilometer, isnt that dumb?
Saskatchewan is boring and the people are old
And as for the territories they are too cold
And the only really good thing about the province of British Columbia is that it's right next to us
Cause Alberta, doesnt suck
but Calgary does.

― derrick (derrick), Thursday, 3 June 2004 02:43 (twenty-two years ago)

The Decemberists - "Los Angeles, I'm Yours"
Local H - "California Songs" ("And fuck New York, too")
Leadbelly - "Bourgeosie Blues" (Washington DC)

― dieblucasdie (dieblucasdie), Thursday, 3 June 2004 02:45 (twenty-two years ago)

'100 000 Fireflies' Magnetic Fields - Mentions the suckiness of what I presume to be Boston.

― Chris Davis (Chris Davis), Thursday, 3 June 2004 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

"Leave the capitol"- The Fall

― Cole, Thursday, 3 June 2004 05:02 (twenty-two years ago)

'hollywood' - thin lizzy

― Rocco, Thursday, 3 June 2004 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

"Cold In California" - Alison Moorer

― southern lights (southern lights), Thursday, 3 June 2004 21:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"A Town Called Malice" - the Jam

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Thursday, 3 June 2004 21:36 (twenty-two years ago)

young & sexy :: the city you live in is ugly

― minolta (minolta), Thursday, 3 June 2004 23:20 (twenty-two years ago)

"Mayfair" by Nick Drake

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 4 June 2004 04:39 (twenty-two years ago)

It Never Rains In Califonia - Gilbert Hammond
Ventura Highway - Ameica
We've Got To Get Out Of This Place - Animals
Matchbook City - The Crew

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 4 June 2004 04:57 (twenty-two years ago)

"Baltimore" - Randy Newman.

"Do you Remember" by Ida and "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas are both partially about how awful Annapolis, Maryland is.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 4 June 2004 09:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Foetus refers to "Helstinki" in the sleevenotes of Nail and i think that there are refefences in song about an experience he had there. been a while since i listened though

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 4 June 2004 09:47 (twenty-two years ago)

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