The folks over at an apparently new magazine called Pavo are attempting to compile a list of the 20 best songs about Birmingham. They’ve been adding a new song to the list every day for the last 19 days and tomorrow is the final day. The songs are in no particular order, from what I gather. One of the first things that I noticed about the list is that only one of the songs (of those listed as of this post) was made in the last 30 years — “Birmingham” by the Drive-By Truckers. That’s a little disturbing to me. As a matter of fact, since I’m an engineer and I like analytical breakdowns, here’s a look at the number of songs by decade.
1920s – 3
1930s – 4
1940s – 2
1950s – 1
1960s – 6
1970s – 3
1980s – 0
1990s – 0
2000s – 1
(Yeah, I know it adds up to 20. For some reason their list of the top 20 songs about Birmingham will actually have 21 songs on it. And yeah, that bothers me, too.)
We all know that the 60s were a busy time for Birmingham what with being a hotbed for hatred and subsequent change and all, so I can understand why a the majority of songs about our fair little hamlet were penned during that decade. But come on, 80s and 90s! Nothing? A little too busy with your Moog synthesizers, cock rock, and androgyny or your unkempt hair, flannel, and rap-rock to give a little lyrical love to the Dirty Ham? Of course I realize that there were probably songs written about Birmingham during the abscess of excess that was the 80s and 90s, but apparently none worthy of Pavo’s list. And to be honest no songs are sticking out in my head, either.
So let’s try to come up with some more songs about Birmingham. Can y’all think of any more? Preferably at least a few made in the last 30 years. Local favorite or national star; we don’t care who sang it, wrote it, produced it, or played it. Leave us with a few of your favorite songs about the Magic City in the comments on this post and we’ll try to make a list of our own.
Here's one I just thought of, although admittedly it wasn't written in the last 30 years (d'oh!), Emmylou Harris – “Boulder to Birmingham”.
How about our local boys Haste collaborating with Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) on “A God Reclaims His Throne” – a song that is all about Vulcan getting re-erected atop Red Mountain after restoration!
Lyrics:
Baptized by kilowatts and ohms, what's left is waiting.
The embers rise like incense carry praryers for what is next to come.
Carry me on silver wings to meet with vulcan.
To be forged anew and rise again above arms of fire.
Holding this common language in our hands.
Find solace in the landscape.
The best laid plans carry the weight of an entire season's hope.
The city waits with shattered skyline for its missing hero.
To lay low those beneath and cast aside the restraints of hopless inertia
as winter's chill fades below me.
Now we are silent, holding this common language in our hands.
Find solace in the landscape.
Watching, waiting, holding on to Victory's kiss.
Like alloys we shape, bending ourselves to our needs.
Bend with the hammer to the anvil of self.
The smithy screams with exertion as the flames drive out impurities.
Bend the hammer to the anvil of self.
The soul screams with recreation bathed in the furnace of ascension.
Winter's chill fades below me.
“Birmingham” – Snow Machine (anyone remember nineteen forty-five?)
“Gun Street Girl” – Tom Waits (residents should be thankful that tom waits even mentioned birmingham in a song–”dancing in the birmingham jail”–and, because it's tom waits, this song might automatically be the best song 'about' birmingham ever, even though it's not really 'about' birmingham).
doesn't “black betty” mention birmingham? i mean, it was originally written in like the 20's or 30's but ram jam completely owned their '77 version. but then, i guess that's 30 years old too.
How about “The Old Iron Hills” from Maylene and the Sons of Disaster's III?
Got some good ones so far! Keep 'em coming! There's also “Hello Birmingham” by Ani DiFranco. Though that one is pretty damn depressing.
Randy Newman's “Birmingham” is pretty awesome.
whomever compiled the listing has big gaps in their cognition process.
in the description of sweet home alabama, they say that the “boo, boo boo” – the rejection of the previous line about birmingham loving the gov'nor… is far fetched and not likely true.
WHAT?
then what would they make of the watergate/conscience line?
idiodic.
this song is the most overplayed track imaginable. and i hate hearing it. but don't paint lynskyn as a bunch of wallace loving racists, when the contrary is obvious.
almost as idiotic as misspelling idiotic…
whomever compiled the listing has big gaps in their cognition process.
in the description of sweet home alabama, they say that the “boo, boo boo” – the rejection of the previous line about birmingham loving the gov'nor… is far fetched and not likely true.
WHAT?
then what would they make of the watergate/conscience line?
idiodic.
this song is the most overplayed track imaginable. and i hate hearing it. but don't paint lynskyn as a bunch of wallace loving racists, when the contrary is obvious.
almost as idiotic as misspelling idiotic…