Inspire is a strong word, but Duffy‘s song Warwick Avenue set me off down a train of thought. Quite literally: underground to a tube train of thought. What other songs are named after London Underground stations or, more precisely, have the names of tube stops in the title? Yes, you’re right; it’s exactly the sort of thing St Diamond Geezer would do with a great deal more panache than me.
So, I’ve limited myself to what’s on my iPod, discarded two songs by the Jam (Going Underground and Down in a Tube Station at Midnight) and anything by Whitney Euston and descended for a personal trip on the iTube. Mind the Gap.
My first stop, as you might expect, is VICTORIA (the Kinks) and seeing as I’m on the Victoria Line, I’ll rattle south and give you two more: From a VAUXHALL Velox by Billy Bragg and The Clash’s sublime Guns of BRIXTON.
Without losing momentum, it’s back up to Stockwell and to the Northern Line. I’ll head all the way down so I can tick off MORDEN by Good Shoes before bearing north for Abba‘s 1976 Eurovision classic WATERLOO, the Donovan favourite Sunny GOODGE STREET, Suggs’ CAMDEN TOWN, a Blueroom in ARCHWAY from the Boo Radleys and FINCHLEY CENTRAL courtesy of the New Vaudeville Band before changing track southwards on the City branch of the Northern Line.
Waterloo: couldn’t escape if I wanted to. Rather like changing from the Northern to the Jubilee line.
It’s Roxy Music’s ANGEL Eyes, then BANK Holiday from Blur; where I’m going to change on to the District Line and head off to the far eastern wilds of Essex. Pulp’s portrait of MILE END persuades me not to get out and rather head ever onwards to Ian Dury’s PLAISTOW Patricia and do an about turn at Dogs Were BARKING from Gogol Bordello.
It’s back into town (with a quick detour down the East London Line for Carter and the Only Living Boy in NEW CROSS) and all aboard the Jubilee line for David Bowie’s Maid of BOND STREET and (what took me so long?) BAKER STREET by Gerry Rafferty (without Bon Holness). Hold on, I’ve missed out RAYNERS LANE (the New Town Centres) and that’s way out west on the Piccadilly Line… perhaps for another day. Can’t be bothered.
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Rod Stewart, Highgate Shuffle. (I know, I’ve ruined my cool forever now, haven’t I?)
Pet Shop Boys, King’s Cross
Chiswick Park Life? 😀
I was surprised not to have anything with TEMPLE or OVAL in.
Can I have double points for ANGELs over KILBURN?
Well, looks like we’re getting a whole Tube map going. So we need to be tougher on the rules. Song titles, and exact matches only, I think… until we get stuck. ;O)
I rejected Monuments for a Dead Century (by the Boo Radleys), because of it’s plurality. But it works for KILBURN. I used to live in Kilburn. And now it seems like I hardly knew you. ;O)
This is a useful resource too, although not purely Tube stops:
http://www.ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?boardid=41&threadid=21782
But there’s Depeche Mode’s “Monument” anyway.
And The Kinks again, “Willesden Green”
Haven’t got any work to do, ehh Sue?
Bet there isn’t a song with Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 in the title.
Will Heathrow by Level 42 do? :-p
You omit Waterloo Sunset, the Kinks’ other terminal tune. Also I suggest: Mornington Crescent by Belle & Sebastian; Brixton Leaves by Duke Special (which I know is on your ipod); Whippin’ Piccadilly by Gomez (but does this count as it’s about Piccadilly, Manchester?). Rather annoyingly I can’t think of a song called ‘Chalfont & Latimer’…
Sue: It may have to do.
Brigadier: Well, I didn’t duplicate Waterloo and Brixton tunes, although, needless to say I do have both on my iPod. Belle and Sebastian works. But Gomez doesn’t: the tube stop is Piccadilly Circus.
I think that Wombles will probably cover off Wimbledon. I guess.
Mr Biddy submits Jethro Tull, ‘Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square’
You can tell Mister Biddy that I’ve just rummaged in my records cupboard (part of my dashing Art Deco drinks cabinet) and I have that on vinyl. ;O)
I may have done artists named after tube stations, but not songs.
And somehow I don’t think you’ll be impressed by Good Old Arsenal by the Arsenal FC First Team Squad
Welcome DG: quite right, not impressed but it’s a perfectly valid contribution. ;o)
Thanks for stopping by.
Pogues, White City.
(See, this is what happens when old content gets surfaced…)
Actually, I should have had White City because I do have the Pogues on my iTunes.