More than 50 years ago, The Beatles played a concert at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium, thanks to a $150,000 paycheck from the Royals' owner Charles Finley. It was a sold-out event of course and the band made sure to make it special, if only in a minor way, for its audience: The group performed "Kansas City," a track originally by R&B performer Wilbert Harrison. It's the only time The Beatles ever played the song live.
Music Times checked out the most recent census data to confirm what the nine largest cities in the United States are and then went out in search of songs titled after that city. This means ONLY the town names, with no extra words ("New York" applies..."Let's Get Rid of New York" by The Randoms does not, for example).
In order of lowest population to highest:
09) "Dallas" by Steely Dan
If one city among the highest-populated in the United States would land a self-titled country song, you'd figure it would be Dallas. Although Alan Jackson did have a track by this title, Steely Dan's first single takes the cake. The blues-rock band describes the notion of being down and out in Texas's most iconic (if only third largest) city. Vocalist Donald Fagen laments "a hot city and an empty park."
08) "San Diego" by Feeder
If there were one genre that we best identify San Diego with, it's probably pop punk or surf punk or whatever brand of punk you want to call it. Therefore the track "San Diego" by Feeder seems to make perfect sense...except that the band that wrote it is from Wales. It actually works well as a tourist promo for the city (unlike Steely Dan's song). Vocalist Grant Nicholas is feeling bummed about his relationship so he suggests going to the south California city where "waves rise yeah as bodies glisten in the sun/San Diego sound like fun."
07) "San Antone" by Denny Brooks
This is a "Going to Carolina"-by-James Taylor type relaxed tune that San Antonio must appreciate from a tourism perspective. That's good because the film it's featured in, Rolling Thunder, is a tale of post-traumatic stress disorder, losing one's hand to a garbage disposal, losing one's family to criminals and the consequent violence involving a hook hand that ensues. Basically the song and the film (which takes place in Texas's second biggest city) are total opposites.
06) "Phoenix" by A$AP Rocky
We admit that the track "Phoenix" by A$AP Rocky is probably a reference to the mythical resurrecting bird, not the capital of Arizona. He doesn't exactly make it clear but the song doesn't use the word in either context. Plus A$AP is from Harlem so he's not exactly giving credence to his hometown out west. The moral: Not many songs simply titled "Phoenix."
05) "Philadelphia" by Neil Young
Yeah, "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It doesn't fit our qualifications however so you'll have to deal with Neil Young's "Philadelphia" from the same soundtrack. It's a slow track, featuring the headliner on piano versus his typical guitar. Young seems to sing with the voice of film protagonist Andrew Beckett, saying "City of Brotherly Love, place I call home, don't turn your back on me."
04) "Houston Texas" by Archie Bell and The Drells
Finally a hometown band representing its city in style. "Houston Texas" wasn't one of Archie Bell and The Drells' bigger hits but it's still a quality piece. Frontman Bell describes his beloved and Houston almost simultaneously, describing her as "made to order for me." Although that might apply more to his girl, the line "near the border" makes more sense when applied to the largest city in Texas.
03) "Chicago" by Surfjan Stevens
Although multi-instrumentalist Stevens is actually from Detroit, he's most recognized for his album Illinoise and its tribute to another Great Lakes state. Stevens admits that he's "in love with the place," which might seem fairly upscale compared to his hometown. The album ended up being 22 songs but "Chicago" was its only single and has become one of his most popular numbers. He often ends concerts with the tune.
02) "Los Angeles" by X
The city of Los Angeles might not appreciate this hometown dedication so much. The city was full of acts that didn't care so much about politics as political correctness and the overturning of it. The title song from X's album touches on the city's multiethnic identity and white discomfort with it: "She started to hate every n----r and jew, every Mexican that started to give her a lotta s--t." Satire? Yes, definitely. Still terribly uncomfortable. Yes, definitely.
01) "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra
Little known fact: "New York, New York" got its start titled "The Theme from New York, New York," a 1977 film by Martin Scorsese. Frank Sinatra didn't sing the original (that would be film star Liza Minnelli) but covered it for his 1979 album Trilogy: Past Present Future. His version has gone on to be the most iconic musical representation of the city (and popularly shortened to just "New York, New York"), being played after every Yankees game, traditionally following the Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop and as the official theme for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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