SuggestiON-AIR: Songs about Places
There's a lot of talk about places at this time of year, with holidays being booked or dreamt about. As good a reason as any then for what should be an interesting suggestionaire.
Whether it's somewhere you've been to, want to visit or wish to avoid, we'd like to hear your thoughts on the topic 'songs about places'. Has the magic of the location added to the song or is just a track you love regardless of lyrical content? Let us know via text - (81771 during the show) on our or via ! We'll try our best to give all of you a shout out and end tonight's show with a popular choice. Here's team ATL's suggestions....
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ATL presenter - Rigsy
Jay Z -
Possibly my favourite artiste singing about my favourite city -even then it's better than I expected. In fact, it's one of the finest songs of the last few years - Jay Z's flow is immaculate and stirring, Alicia Key's chorus is pop gold.
Even though all aspects of New York's ups and downs are represented in this song, it still desperately makes me want to return. If possible, with Jay Z as a tour guide....
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ATL Producer - Amy McGarrigle
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Stiff Little Fingers -
When I was thinking about this topic, I discovered there's a whole arsenal of 'Indie Schmindie' songs about places that I love. But I've gone for a straight up pop punk classic via Stiff Little Fingers. I wasn't exactly knocking about when 'Alternative Ulster' came out, but the fact that this anthem still carries so much weight in a very different 'Ulster' to then, shows how the sentiment and message is still relevant today. Don't like something about where you're from? Get up and do something about it yourself. Simple and straight to the point.
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Paul McClean - ATL ProducerÌý
Sufjan Stevens -
Perhaps it's the excitement of the forthcoming gigs in Dublin, but it's hard to talk geography in music without mentioning Sufjan Stevens and his audacious project to put every American state to record. Fair enough it's not progressed as fully as it could have but we're still left with this utter gem of an album. Stevens' tribute to Illinois contains so many relevant songs but this track, lyrically and emotionally is a high watermark. As ever, the sonic palette is teased with abandon; clarinets flutter as the piano acts as a tiller throughout the piece and a close, oddly phrased vocal transports the listener entirely.
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Carys McMorran - ATL TraineeÌý
Rancid -
Growing up I went through a massive punk phase (pink tartan trousers and everything) and I absolutely loved Rancid. I still revisit '...And Out Come The Wolves' from time to time and this is one of my favourite songs on the album. It's about being in New York but wanting to be back in Olympia, Washington. The lyrics aren't the happiest but it's really upbeat and catchy. Reminds me of being a young'un!
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Philip Taggart - ATL Content Assistant
Ryan Adams -
It would be perfectly plausible to do a whole suggestiON-Air topic revolving around songs about the big apple, it has encouraged and affected innumerable song writers into spinning webs of sound about its various eccentricities. Ryan Adam’s ‘New York, New York’, not to be confused with the Frank Sinatra classic of the same name, waxes lyrical on the blossom and decay of a relationship in the big apple. The beat nature of the lyrics and the sheer awesomeness of the track have often sound tracked boring bus journeys were thought would drift from our small country into wonderment on what adventures may lie outside our island.
Interestingly enough the promo video is probably one of the last to see the twin towers as part of the New York skyline. The video was shot on the 7th of September 2001, 4 days before that fateful day when the towers were attacked.
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