Songs, And American Place Names

[los peelos]

hey all- I just finished critiquing a lyric " Cove55 posted topic A Feather In The Wind "

which referred to several place names in USA, and it made me ask a question ive had on my mind for years now.

why are place and geographical names specifically in USA not just well suited but seem like they were made for song writing. I hear songs with Australian names you would think would relate better to me, and there's some great names like gundagai or darling downs but nothing adds magic to a song like Alabama, California, montana etc etc.

I think USA is the most familiar country in the world, to the rest of the world, but I think its more than that and id really like to know why...

any ideas?

neil

[Alistair]

I think song has made many of these places famous rather than the other way round. The songs tell people about the places so that they feel they know them.Write a few songs about Australian places to redress the balance, maybe?

[scotsman89]

may be because the names are in great songs that lift us New York New York that is big . left my heart in San Francisco . twenty four hours from Tulsa .

and many more evoke a feeling , London swings no so much , good morning Tokyo again flat . the only other song with that sort of oh my for me is

the northern lights from Old  Aberdeen as it is where I am from and when I go home about a hundred miles out it just hits me .

Edited February 5, 2014 by scotsman89

[Alistair]

I'm from Aberdeen too.

[scotsman89]

Alistair hope you feel the same way about the northern lights

[los peelos]

 

I think song has made many of these places famous rather than the other way round. The songs tell people about the places so that they feel they know them.Write a few songs about Australian places to redress the balance, maybe?

I think you're probably right-  most American places are either Spanish or from Europe so it must be those iconic songs.. not so long ago all you heard on most radios was music from USA.

my mum was born in Edinburgh and was a boarder at dollar. I was born in barnes, London but lived in oz  all my life. aye! neil