London – 5 Hits That Define the British Capital

Guest post by Maria Bogdan

Music is a defining factor of London culture. You won’t have to search for a long time until you find media of any kind playing in, referring to or being inspired by ‘the world’s capital’ and its rich and far-reaching history. From the diverse population of the Melting Pot to London’s unique landmarks and the cities spirits – countless musicians were inspired to pay tribute to the city over the last decades. Here are five of the most iconic songs about or inspired by the British capital.

5 Hits About or Inspired by London

If you look at the Wikipedia article on songs that were written about London, you will find a long list of titles that will take you a while to scroll through. And those are just the songs whose lyrics write about the city or are named after one of its locations or features. Naturally, not all of those will be very recognisable. There are some famous songs, though, that are undeniably tied to the city and have defined it to many of their listeners. Here are five of the most memorable songs about the UK’s capital.

London Calling – The Clash (1979)

London Calling might just be the first song that comes to most peoples’ minds when they think about music referring to the city. It’s the title song of an album with the same name that has many times been called one of the greatest albums of all time.

Any of the songs featured on the album are thematically about London and often touch on urban narratives, societal conflicts, and a rebellious spirit. Even though the songs differ slightly from The Clash’s previous punk genre – experimenting with other music styles like rock and roll, lounge, or jazz – they have lost nothing of the band’s badass spirit.

London Calling, specifically, was inspired by a nuclear reactor accident in 1979. No wonder, the lyrics are full of apocalyptic themes, including the Thame flooding and police brutality spreading. Even the title is a reference to World War II, where the BBC World Service’s station would start their transmissions with the introduction “This is London calling…”.

Overall, it is the perfect dark and passionate rant about the state of the world that has since its release spoken to many, especially adolescent, people. Even today, we can easily relate to the fury and frustration about the status quo and political tensions. It’s not surprising that it’s an often-covered song, from garage bands to famous artists. A platform like Chordify, which turns songs into chords for free, is the perfect starting point to recreate the rebellious anthem of the 80s today.

West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys (1984)

Just a handful of years later, and appropriate to the synth-pop wave of the 80s, came the Pet Shop Boys’ West End Girls. Even though the song is considerably more up-beat, it has similarly dark vibes when you listen to the lyrics.

It talks about a generation without a future or past, going mad in underground dive bars or surrounded by the too many choices and bustle of commercial areas. This topic of the pressures of inner-city life is appropriately accompanied by street sounds and a matching music video showing the city’s landmarks.

Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks (1967)

You might be noticing a trend by now. Many of the songs about London, including Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks, are melancholic and bittersweet. Ray Davies, the band’s frontman, explained how he wrote the songs thinking about his sister’s generation before him, who had been growing up during World War II, and the world he would have wanted them to have.

The song talks about the dizzying city lights and busy people, while a pair of lovers meets up every Friday night and enjoys their paradise of gazing on the Waterloo sunset together while the world passes them by.

The City – Ed Sheeran (2011)

Once more, a song that combines an upbeat rhythm and troubled lyrics. This time it’s a bit more recent. Ed Sheeran wrote this song about his rocky transition from living in rural Suffolk to trying to make it as a musician and moving to London.

He mentions the many sleepless nights in a noisy city, his doubts, and the temptations of the urban nightlife. He touches upon the idea that a city like London can be alienating and cold, but considering the path he took as a musician, something must have still made it worthwhile to stay.

Hometown Glory – Adele (2007)

The piano driven ballad is the first song Adele ever wrote, being 16 at the time. She wrote it as an answer to a discussion she had with her mother, who pushed her to leave her hometown of West Norwood to go to university in London.

The song powerfully captures her raw emotions about her home, the capital, and the spirit that unites its citizens. The singer would later call it a protest song, which can easily be felt in the song’s mood.

Conclusion

There are as many famous songs about London as there are famous music videos that were filmed in the capital. The five songs we selected are some of the most famous titles about or inspired by the city. They all have certain themes in common. Many of them feature political topics, a critique of the at times cold and overwhelming city life, and a certain rebellious spirit.

Some still manage to turn these into a bittersweet message about both their love for London and the things that need to change. Overall, they do a great job at defining certain aspects of the city that make up some of London’s characteristics.