Yesterday Robert Elms threw down a challenge to me on his BBC 94.9 show. He didn't realise that he'd done it, but he did. His Friday Fourfar (where he gets listeners to nominate four tracks on a theme) yesterday was songs with American place names in the title. He then made a throwaway comment that you couldn't do one about British places because all the songs are rubbish - citing Little Jimmy Osmond and Long Haired Lover from Liverpool as evidence. Now this really bugged me as a whole stack of tunes came to mind. Then I thought, we don't need the rest of the UK, we could do a great fourfar just from London. I started making a list of tracks I know. I got to 15 and thought that is probably enough. Not only are they songs, but I think they are great songs. Here is the playlist!
1. The Clash - London Calling
2. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
3. Elvis Costello and The Attractions - I don't want to go to Chelsea
4. Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue
5. The Kinks - Electric Avenue
6. The Pogues - A Rainy night in Soho
7. Lloyd Cole and The Commotions - Charlotte Street
8. David Bowie - The London Boys
9. The Vibrators - London Girls
10. The Jam - A Bomb in Wardour Street
11. New Vaudeville Band - Finchley Central
12. The Clash - White man in Hammersmith Palais
13. The Fratelis - Chelsea Dagger
14. Linda Lewis - Hampstead Way
15. The Fall - Victoria
and one for luck!
The Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
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I'd put this list together before I heard the sad news about John Hurt. An iconic actor, who's role as Quentin Crisp in the Naked Civil Servant, probably did more for the LGBT rights than any other single TV program in history. A truly immense talent. I was thinking about a blog to mark his passing, and found this Youtube video which did the job for me and even better, it's a Top 10 John Hurt performances so it is a Saturday list. That makes today is a first - A double list. Enjoy.
John Hurt RIP - Sadly missed.
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