By MussoliniHeadkick
The London and Greater London: A Biography A-List
Apologies if there’s a bit of an east/south bias in the lists and just a quick disclaimer before we get stuck in, as it were. I’m no musicologist nor am I a music historian. My choices, from the many great nominations this week, were made from feelings, thoughts and recollections I have about London and Greater London that were evoked by a title, the music, melody, lyrics or even the video. I’ve tried to reflect this in what I’ve written about the A-list songs. In the course of ‘researching’ my choices I was quite surprised by some of the connections that emerged with my experience of, and feelings about London/Greater London. Apologies if any of my research isn’t quite accurate and happy to be corrected and better informed. Oh and it was hot and sunny, if it was cold and wet the list may have been very different.
The Ejected - East End Kids
From Dagenham, ‘nuff said. Well not quite. I remember the ‘original’ Oi! and ‘new punk’ bands being popular round our way. Certainly my brother, 4 years older, was really into bands like the Angelic Upstarts, Cockney Rejects and others, who many disaffected working-class kids in those Greater London areas saw as a more genuine expression of their experience than the ‘art-school’ punks. Then, of course, there’s the far-right elements of some of the bands which put me off ,as did NF and then BNP activities in Barking and surrounding areas.
Jah Wobble - A 13
A Stepney boy who captures the difficulties of identity I certainly felt in my teenage years exemplified in the route taken by the A13 from east London to the Essex coast. ‘A way of life, a way of death, a giant metaphor for nowhere.’ A view that I was sadly prone to in my late teenage years. Increasingly looked to London for excitement and meaning and viewed Essex as a cultural wilderness full of Thatcher’s children…
Scott Garcia feat. MC Styles - It’s a London Thing
An anthem that seemed to announce the arrival of a ‘new’ London based UK Garage scene emerging out of Scott Garcia’s record shop Ruff Trax in Wimbledon (SW19). I think I was living in Clapham then and remember this tune blaring out all over the place. I liked it as Jungle and drum’n’bass had got a bit ‘beard strokey’ and this sounded more like the housey dance stuff I’d enjoyed back in the day.
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Five Nights of Bleeding
Jamaican-born poet legend Linton Kwesi Johnson came to England in 1963 with his father and went to live in Brixton where his mother had settled, having been a immigrant to Britain a year or two earlier. This song from 1974 is his account of the tensions and violence surrounding the underground sound systems which he links to the oppressive racism and police hostility suffered by black Londoners. Latterly the tune was viewed as a portent of the riots of 1981 via high unemployment, poor housing and a pretty high crime rate. It was the early eighties when I began going into Brixton regularly for gigs, nights out, parties etc, and it was the sound of reggae and dub emanating from the Dub Vendor record shop that I remember most vividly and fondly from those times. Oh and the Ritzy, Prince Albert, the Fridge, Brixton Academy…
Linda Lewis
Linda Lewis - Hampstead Way
First things first, this is my new favourite song. I was intrigued about what Linda Lewis was doing up in Hampstead. Written in 1971, the song is apparently about her experience of living in an artist/hippy commune which I imagine was an eye opener for young Linda Ann Fredericks from Custom House (in an area that, like Barking, was incorporated into a new London Borough in 1965, this one being Newham). When she died in 2023 she was living in Waltham Forest in the Epping Forest District of Essex, just outside the boundary of Greater London but still pretty close to home.
Mary Hopkin - Kew Gardens
While Linda Lewis was writing about Hampstead Way in 1971, Mary Hopkin was releasing a single with Kew Gardens on the B-side. By my early 30s I had moved to the West London/Surrey borders and also had twin daughters and family visits to Kew Gardens in the summer months were a real treat. ‘The air was cool, on lily pools. Hazy, lazy. And here and there he’d stop to stare. Admirin’ all the flowers, Wanderin’ round for hours.’
Bloody expensive though.
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity - Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge
Despite a population of around 10 million, London can sometimes feel like a very lonely place to live. This song certainly resonated as I lived in Kennington for a while, just down from the Oval and Vauxhall and did that walk from Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge many times both day and night, and so I did want to get a Thames song in. However, while there were some times spent staring into the dark depths of the Thames, the walk across Vauxhall Bridge could lead to a nice time at the Tate and along past Lambeth Bridge often led to the delights of the Southbank…
George Michael - Round Here
In which George recounts his childhood times in Kingsbury (formerly in Middlesex but another brought into the London boroughs in 1965, this time in Brent). George’s father was a Greek Cypriot immigrant and while George describes his childhood affectionately there are some barbed references to ‘Two Little Hitler’s in an old church hall…and neighbours that banged on the wall.’ The lyrics are also filled with the outsider desire ‘..to show them all..’ Ultimately though he’s ... thankful that this crowded space is the place of my birth.’ I second that emotion.
Sault feat. Little Simz - You from London
This has the lazy London in summer feeling that I can imagine listening to while taking it easy on Clapham Common just chatting, laughing and drinking on a hot Sunday afternoon. Also has the London ‘whatever’ vibe from Little Simz. Indeed, I saw Little Simz at Cross the Tracks, Brockwell Park on Sunday. Only one drawback, she was wearing an Arsenal shirt but she is from Islington, so totally justified.
Letthemusicplay feat Kae Tempest - Our Town
Well, it’s just joyous really isn’t it? Kae was brought up in Brockley, formerly in the county of Kent (another one of those 1965 London borough changes, this time Lewisham). I chose it because to me it reflects that feeling of Londoners that this is our town, meaning all the different people here. I think it’s that easy inclusivity, in terms of identity, that angers the bigots so much.
Sparklehorse - London
Not only is this a wonderfully melancholic version of Blake’s poem as befits its subject matter. It is a reminder of the centuries-old darker side of London life for those without the money to enjoy its charms or escape its poverty induced miseries. The 1794 reference to ‘charter’d streets’ and ‘charter’d Thames’ might be said to be echoed by the creeping privatisation of public spaces in London today and of course his many less than veiled references to people suffering in plain sight needs no further explanation of modern equivalences …
William Blake’s London
Sonny Boy Williamson II - I’m Trying To Make London My Home
A cheeky one this, but given the constant inane noises from the white supremacist right-wing MAGA supporting cabal across the pond denigrating London as a broken, leftist, totalitarian caliphate. This song is a nice reminder of the welcome that blues and later soul fans in London and other cities of the UK extended to black American performers. ‘..the people over here, oh I declare, they treat you so warm, so cool, so kind.’ However…
Aswad - African Children
… London, like all multicultural cities, has many faults and problems, as reflected in some of my choices in the A-List and other lists. One of the worst examples of the terrors that institutional neglect, greed and disregard can bestow on a predominantly non-white and not well off community was the fire which broke out in the Grenfell Tower in June 2017, ultimately resulting in 72 totally avoidable deaths, as concluded by the subsequent inquiry. It is only now that actionable charges relating to corporate manslaughter, fraud and health and safety offences are finally expected to begin. As Magicman noted in his nomination, this is taken from a live performance at Meanwhile Gardens ‘in the shadow of Grenfell Tower.’
The London and Greater London: An Abridged Musical Biography - A-List Playlist:
The Ejected - East End Kids (Carpgate)
Jah Wobble - A 13 (Shoegazer)
Scott Garcia feat. MC Styles - It’s a London Thing (magicman)
Linton Kwesi Johnson - Five Nights of Bleeding (Uncleben)
Linda Lewis - Hampstead Way (pejepeine)
Mary Hopkin - Kew Gardens (Nicko)
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity - Vauxhall to Lambeth Bridge (ShivSidecar)
George Michael - Round Here (ParaMhor)
Sault feat. Little Simz - You from London (Nicko)
Letthemusicplay feat Kae Tempest - Our Town (Uncleben)
Sparklehorse - London (Noodsy)
Sonny Boy Williamson - I’m Trying To Make London My Home (Nicko)
Aswad - African Children (magicman)
The London and Greater London in all its lovely, messy glory - B-List Playlist:
Elvis Costello - London’s Brilliant Parade (magicman)
The Clash - Guns of Brixton (Uncleben)
Leyton Buzzards - Saturday Night Among the Plastic Palm Trees (Tarquin Spodd)
Madness - We Are London (magicman)
Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue (amylee)
Wiley - Bow E3 (magicman)
Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick - Bows of London (severin)
The Stranglers - Dagenham Dave (Shoegazer)
Kilburn and the High Roads - Upminster Kid (severin)
Humble Pie - Beckton Dumps (ShivSidecar)
Pulp - Mile End (happyclapper)
Squeeze - Up The Junction (AlterEgo)
Barking, Dagenham and Essex Bonus Wildcard Picks:
Darren Hayman and the Secondary Modern - Dagenham Ford
Billy Bragg - A13, Trunk Road to the Sea
Potter Payper - Better Place (Essex)
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: A capital idea: songs about London and Greater London. The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.
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