Songs featuring the capitals of the 50 states

[Buzzer]

Anchorage by Michelle Shocked mentions Alaska.

and it's a lovely song.

And on the same album Texas is mentioned. As is New York

Highly recommend the album.

 

[severnside gull]

Bobby Gentry's Ode to Billy Jo is enough to make anyone want to "jump off the Tallahassee (Florida) bridge"


Johnny Horton who wrote the original Battle of New Orleans which was a hit here for Lonnie Donnigan, also wrote a song called "Bismark" - he was famous for historical sagas in the forties and fifties - mostly excrutiatingly awful

Malvina Reynolds (who was one of the Woody Guthrie/Pete Seeger set and wrote the protest song Little Boxes) had a song about "A cement octopus that sits in Sacramento (Washington)"



OK so its the day after a bank holiday and I'm the only idiot in the office and I'm bored witless

 

[bhaexpress]

I know Louisiana is a state but unlike any other US state or commonwealth it has Parishes instead of Counties. It's a very strange place and that includes New Orleans.

I cannot think of any reason why somebody would mention Baton Rouge in a song as it is possibly the ugliest city in the US.

 

[Wienergull]

Bobby Gentry's Ode to Billy Jo is enough to make anyone want to "jump off the Tallahassee (Florida) bridge"


Johnny Horton who wrote the original Battle of New Orleans which was a hit here for Lonnie Donnigan, also wrote a song called "Bismark" - he was famous for historical sagas in the forties and fifties - mostly excrutiatingly awful

Excellent, someone's risen to the challenge of finding a song featuring Bismarck.

Without wishing to ignite another States vs Commonwealths feud, I think the reference in Ode to Billy Jo is to the Tallahatchie Bridge. We've already got Tallahassee covered anyway.

Another song about Providence (RI): "Outside Providence" by The Wilkinsons (great band name btw, Turienzo).