City Songs of Note…
Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …
Years ago, a friend auditioned for a radio gig and for his aircheck, he chose the song “Moon Over Miami” to work with.
I wasn’t familiar with the tune but discovered it was from a 1941 film that starred Don Ameche, Betty Grable, Robert Cummings and Jack Haley (the Tin Man in the “Wizard of Oz”.)
“Moon over Miami. Shine on my love and me.
So we can stroll beside the roll of the rolling sea”.
A number of folks recorded this tune including Vaughn Monroe, Patti Page and Ray Charles.
It got me to thinking about other cities connected to songs.
Probably at the top of the list was Tony Bennett’s (“I Left My Heart) in San Francisco”.
“The loveliness of Paris seems somehow sadly gay.
The glory that is Rome is of another day. I’ve been terribly alone and forgotten in Manhattan.
I’m going home to my city by the bay.”
That Bennett hit was actually written late in 1953 in Brooklyn by George Corry.
It’s not actually my favorite Bennett song.
That honor goes to “I Wanna be Around” which might be the greatest song written about a jilted lover evening the score.
“Ole Blue Eyes” wowed us and “the Big Apple” with his version of “New York, New York.”
“Start spreadin’ the news, I’m leavin’ today.
I want to be a part of it.
New York, New York.”
The tune recorded in 1980 was originally the theme song for a Martin Scorcese film,
By the way, Dewey Allman, who runs the scoreboard and does the announcing in the press box for Columbus North baseball always closes games with “New York, New York.”
Sinatra is also involved in another city song of note, “Chicago”.
“Chicago, Chicago that toddling’ town.
Chicago, Chicago, I’ll show you around.”
The single was released in 1957 and was on the flip side of “All the Way” from the “Come Fly with Me” album produced by the great Nelson Riddle.
Both “San Francisco” and “Chicago” sang about two great American cities much different then than today.
Then, I remember driving near Memphis, Tennessee on a vacation trip years ago and I heard, “Put on my blue suede shoes and I boarded the plane.
Touched down in the land of the delta blues in the middle of the pouring rain.”
I thought I was hearing a Chamber of Commerce promotion for Memphis but it was actually Mark Cohen’s song “Walking in Memphis”. It got a “Song of the Year” nomination at the 1992 Grammys.
Another one of my “City Songs” of note was a tune Frank Sinatra called “one of the greatest ‘torch songs’ ever written.
“By the time I get to Phoenix, she’ll be rising.
She’ll find the note I left hanging on her door.
She’ll laugh when she reads the part that says I’m leaving
“cause I’ve left that girl so many times before.”
Glen Campbell’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” was penned by Jimmy Webb and although Johnny Rivers first recorded it in 1965, Campbell’s 1967 version was the big hit.
Then there’s always Marty Robbins 1959 hit, “El Paso”.
“Out in the west Texas town of El Paso,
I fell in love with a Mexican girl.
Nighttime would find me in Rosa’s cantina.
Music would play and Felina would whirl”
Dionne Warwick had to be talked into recording this “City Song” in 1968, written by the dynamic duo of Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
“Do you know the way to San Jose?
I’ve been away so long, I may go wrong and lose my way.
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I’m going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose.”
In 1966, The Monkees released their debut single written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, “Take the Last Train to Clarksville”.
“Take the last train to Clarksville.
I’ll meet waiting at the station.
We’ll have time for coffee-flavored kisses
and a bit on conversation.”
Here’s another “City Song” for you.
Elvis recorded it in 1964 but supposedly never performed the song live.
“Viva Las Vegas” was the biggest grossing of all the Elis films and he starred as “Lucky Jackson” with Ann Margaret as “Rusty Martin”.
My less-than-all-encompassing list concludes with a tune that his the Top 20 on two music charts.
“The Man in Black”, Johnny Cash and June Carter made it a #2 country hit while Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood lifted in the a #14 pop hit.
“We got married in a fever,
hotter than a pepper sprout.
We’ve been talkin’ ’bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out.”
Written by Billy Edd Wheeler and Jerry Lieber, there are dissenting opinions about which Jackson the song is about.
Remember, Charlie Daniels recorded the song, saying, “I ain’t talkin’ ’bout Jackson, Mississippi, I’m talkin’ ’bout Jackson, Tennessee.”
Can’t argue with Charlie!