If one were to undertake a roadtrip in the USofA one might prepare a CD filled with songs referring to the places listed on one's travel itinerary. For example on the west coast you could listen to "Do You Know The Way to San Jose?" sung by Dionne Warwick, "If You're Going to San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie and "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena" by the Beachboys and so on.
Moving eastwards there'd be "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa" by Gene Pitney, "Show Me The Way to Amarillo" by Tony Christie, "Stars Fell on Alabama" by Billie Holliday, "Galveston" by Glenn Campbell, "Georgia on My Mind" sung by Ray Charles, "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra and perhaps "Down by the Banks of the Ohio" made famous by Olivia Newton-John. The overall theme music would naturally be "America" by Simon and Garfunkel.
This CD which will shortly be available from Yorkshire Pudding Enterprises (only £27.99 + pp) will undoubtedly enhance the roadtrip - providing a soundtrack for the strangely familiar passing vistas of The United States. In addition, I am happy to announce that a parallel CD is being prepared for American visitors to Yorkshire. The album will include...
"Do You Know the Way to Cleckheaton?"
"If You're Going To Heckmondwike"
"The Little Old Lady from Pontefract"
"Twenty Four Hours from Filey Brigg"
"Show Me the Way to Wetwang"
"Stars Fell on Thorngumbald"
"Grimethorpe" by Bert Campbell
"Penistone on My Mind"
"York York"
"Down by the Banks of the Humber"
and the theme music would be "Yorkshire (On Ilkley Moor Bah'tat)" by Geoff Boycott and the Dinnington Colliery Brass Band.
How is it that American place names seem to sit happily in song lyrics but put English names in their place and unbridled mirth is created! Do Americans feel the same way I wonder? Do they squirm when they hear a new song about their city or state? And any other suggestions for songs for my Yorkshire roadtrip CD?
I think "York York" is a particularly snappy song title. I think the award for the Place Least Likely to Feature in a Song Title must surely go to Normanton. And speaking of going to Normanton, it's not something I hope to do often.
ReplyDeleteInspired by your blog post, I plan a Christmas release of my novelty song "Goole Has Got Me By the Goolies". I'll give you a fair cut of any profit.
Daphne - Normanton? There are plenty of songs about this illustrious settlement already! For example "Midnight Train to Normanton", "Normanton Dreaming" and "The Yellow Rose of Normanton". You must have heard them on Radio Normanton - during the Norman Ton Show!
ReplyDeleteAh Wetwang, how we used to chortle on the way to Brid...
ReplyDelete'Penistone on my mind' - oops, nearly misread that one. I think we need a similar album for north Wales - '24 hours to Mold' and how about a little ditty incorporating Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch?
ReplyDeleteHow about a new take on Glenn Campbell's "By The Time I Get to Phoenix"?
ReplyDelete" By the time I get to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllant
ysiliogogogoch she'll be rising
She'll see the note that I left hanging on her door..." Not quite the same somehow.
Then again "Wrexham Town in the afternoon
Sun don't shine above the moon...
Somebody better investigate soon
What do you think about that my friend?" - after Bob Dylan's "Oxford Town"
We have "The Pennsylvania Polka" so you could have "The Wetwang Polka" except that it sounds positively obscene.
ReplyDeleteI just went to Luckenbach, Texas, only because of the country western song... "Let's go to Luckenbach, Texas, with Waylon and Willie and the Boys. This successful life we're livin's got us feudin' like the Hatfields and McCoys"... . The population there is 3.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Sheffield- Sex city ny Pulp?
ReplyDelete