The rules:
- All variations are allowed (e.g., "southern," "westward," "northerly," etc.). Hence, songs such as Life in a Northern Town (by Dream Academy) and Southern Man (by Neil Young) are eligible.
- Because it's the most blatant directional song I know of, Stand (by R.E.M.) will be the one non-directionally titled song for which I will allow.
- Because there are certainly a bajillion songs that will be eligible, I encourage you to stretch your music muscles and compose a Top 5 or Top 10 list. Earn bonus points by putting them in order of preference (something difficult for an indecisive person such as myself to do).
Benny K Says...
I have decided to put my own responses as an appendage to my posts. Hence, here is my Top 10 List for Songs with Directionals in the Title:
1. Life in a Northern Town – Dream Academy
The kind of song you can listen to while laying on your bed, just staring at the ceiling and being completely wrapped up in your own thoughts, be they somber or romantic (regardless of the song's lyrics). The tribal chanting, the timpani drums, all the orchestrated nuances -- it simply commands reflection.
2. West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
An 80's classic. Because it's a bit overplayed, it loses some of its impact, but you can't deny it a high spot on the list.
3. South Bound Suarez – Led Zeppelin
Zeppelin goes honkytonk, and the result is honkytonktastic!
4. Go West – Pet Shop Boys
Though originally done by The Village People, I can't escape my fondness for 80's synth pop. The Pet Shop Boys add a nice touch of melancholia, taking it a step away from disco. My enjoyment of this song is probably heightened by the blatant "Pachelbel's Canon" undertones (a beautiful song in itself).
5. Stand – R.E.M.
Okay, it's admittedly quirky, but it is catchy. The simplistic lyrics are quick and easy to learn, making this an obvious sing-along favorite when showing up on the radio dial.
6. It Never Rains in Southern California – Albert Hammond
It's one of those songs from childhood that, while you have no distinct memory of hearing it, you somehow know it quite well. And like other music you must fault your parents for exposing you to, you can't dislike it ... the Bee Gee's anyone?
7. Wild, Wild West – Escape Club
Once in a while, 80's pop liked to feign edginess and expose its listeners to distorted guitars (albeit smothered in snythesizers and saxaphones). Think of Roxette, Animotion, and Fine Young Cannibals, to name just a few. Sure, this song in particular was automatically dated by the inclusion of the lyrics, "Heading for the nineties, living in the eighties," but that just makes it all the more nostalgic to sing (à la Prince's "1999").
8. South Side – Moby
The verses aren't really singable and the music is somewhat dark and agitated, but Gwen Stefani's guest vocals make the chorus a pleasant counterpoint to the rest of the song. Better suited for some slightly aggressive head-bobbin' than for singing, it's still an enjoyable listen.
9. Only a Northern Song – The Beatles
Psychedelic anti-prose, it's true, but it is the nature of psychedlic songs to hypnotize their listeners. As such this otherwise medicore song still manages to get one's toes tapping, albeit very slowly and hazily.
10. Southern Nights – Glen Campbell
Not really my cup of tea, but I couldn't think of anything else to round out my list. And, as far as this genre goes, you can do a lot worse than Glen Campbell. You might be embarrassed if your friends caught you listening to it, but you know you like it more than some of the crap they listen to.
