Songs about train stations (including Underground)

[Pengi]

Following on from the Rock songs thread, here are some London Underground songs or songs that have a LU station in the title (although some are a bit tenuous  )

Down in the tube station at midnight - Jam
Going underground - Jam
Mornington Crescent - Belle & Sebastian
Blackhorse Road - Hefner
Morden - Good Shoes
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
On Tooting Broadway station - Kitchens of Distinction
Finchley Central (can't remember who)
[the only living boy in] New Cross - Carter USM
Circle line - Fish
Last Christmas in Tooting - Comedy Trumpet
Kings Cross - Pet Shop Boys
Camden Town - Suggs
White Man in Hammersmith Palais - Clash
Angel(s) - Robbie Williams
Waterloo - Abba
Victoria - Kinks
Wombles of Wimbledon
London Bridge (is falling down)
Oranges and lemons - mentions several names of tube stations



Groups

All Saints
Kilburn (and the) High Roads
Kensington

And on the outskirts

Up the Junction - Squeeze
Hersham boys - Sham69

Sad to say, I bought many of these tunes . . .

[Komata]

Pengi

Clarification please. Is this thread to be about all and any railway stations as per the thread heading ('Songs about train stations (Including Underground), or just about the London Underground, as per the following  '...Here are some London Underground songs or songs that have a LU station in the title'.

The thread title and the sentence would seem to be conflicting.

Thanks.

[JohnChell]

Here is a band named after a station


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oksTiOIuhHA

Brownsville Station, "Smoking in the Boys Room" (later covered by Motley Crew)

[Sprintex]

Pengi

Clarification please. Is this thread to be about all and any railway stations as per the thread heading ('Songs about train stations (Including Underground), or just about the London Underground, as per the following  '...Here are some London Underground songs or songs that have a LU station in the title'.

The thread title and the sentence would seem to be conflicting.

Thanks.

Good grief, talk about pedantic!

The thread title is "Songs about train stations", how much clearer do you want it?


Paul

[jpendle]

A bit tangential but there's Homeward Bound written on Widnes station by Paul Simon and White Room by Cream, not sure about Waterloo Sunset.

John P

[Chetcombe]

Great thread! Although it kind of gives away your musical tastes Here are a few more

Waterloo Sunset - Kinks
Dagenham Dave - Stranglers
Eton Rifles - The Jam
Piccadilly - Squeeze
Willesden to Cricklewood - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
The Lambeth Walk - from the musical Me and My Girl
The Guns of Brixton - The Clash
I don't want to go to Chelsea - Elvis Costello
Do the Strand - Roxy Music

And of course Ian Dury's 'Bus driver's prayer' mentions pretty much everywhere:

Our Farnham, who art in Hendon
Harrow be Thy name.
Thy Kingston come; thy Wimbledon,
In Erith as it is in Hendon.
Give us this day our daily Brent
And forgive us our Westminster
As we forgive those who Westminster against us.
And lead us not into Thames Ditton,
But deliver us from Yeovil.
For Thine is the Kingston, the Purley and the Crawley,
For Esher and Esher.
Crouch End.

[Pengi]

Pengi

Clarification please. Is this thread to be about all and any railway stations as per the thread heading ('Songs about train stations (Including Underground), or just about the London Underground, as per the following  '...Here are some London Underground songs or songs that have a LU station in the title'.

The thread title and the sentence would seem to be conflicting.

Thanks.

Yes - it is about any train station or even a railway location but not about trains which is covered in the other thread

The reason that most of mine are Underground related is because of a number of reasons - I can easily recall the songs, am fascinated by the Underground (+ DLR, overground too), commuting, love London

Some non-railway related songs have been adapted by passengers  - e.g. 'A blue Desiro, when will we see your like again . . . ' sung to the tune of Flower of Scotland and heard on Twickenham station by slightly inebriated fans  whilst waiting for trains

[ozzie Bill.]

Mornington Crescent was a game, surely

[Ian Morton]

Last Train to Glasgow Central - Billy Connolly


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv4qYcbB0zI

[Mr Sprue]

I'm going to be a bit of a Monkee and throw a US one in there!  last train to clarksville   

[Pengi]

Mornington Crescent was a game, surely

yes
and a song

[Chris Morris]

A bit tangential but there's Homeward Bound written on Widnes station by Paul Simon and White Room by Cream, not sure about Waterloo Sunset.

John P

One business trip from work involved changing trains at Widnes. The guy who dealt with tickets at work told me to change at Widnes and I commented "ah yes that's where Paul Simon wrote Homeward Bound. " The guy who gave me the tickets asked "What was he doing there?". I immediately answered "He was on a tour of one night stands, his suitcase on guitar in hand" and made a quick exit.

[Komata]

Pengi

Thank you for the clarification; it is appreciated,

In respect of 'songs about any railway station', might I submit an obscure one titled 'Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line' that has become something of an icon in New Zealand, but is, of course, unknown outside that country. Unfortunately, it's neither a 'pop' or 'rock' song, rather a ballad / folk song describing the woes that befall a chap who takes a fancy to one of the young women serving behind the counter at the Taumarunui (Tow (rhymes with cow)-mah-roo-noo-ee) Refreshment Rooms.

As noted, the song is not well-known outside NZ, so herewith some background by way of explanation:

Taumarunui  was at one time a major locomotive depot, literally in the middle of nowhere, serving trains running through the central North Island of NZ.  Although at one time NZ did have on-train dining cars on its long-distance express passenger services, these were removed in 1917 as a 'Wartime Emergency Measure' and never reinstated. In the absence of such a service, the NZ Railways Department in its wisdom created 'Refreshment Rooms' at major stations, and scheduled the trains services so that passengers on long-distance trains could get off said trains, purchase food at the refreshment rooms and then return to their seats on the train.  The theory was a good one, but in the case of Taumarunui, complicated by the fact that all major passenger services came past during the hours of darkness- arriving at 2359 (Down Express), and 0300 (Up Express). This in the middle of a 14 hour-long overnight journey!! One can imagine the chaos as tired passengers got off, joined their fellow travellers (also in the same state) and attempted to purchase standardised food and cups of either tea and coffee (nothing else, and definitely NO alcohol) pay for same, then tried to return to their seats, balancing cups, food, money and themselves while doing so!! The train, of course , would inevitably start to move as they re-boarded and tried to find their seats. The Harrod's sales are strolls in the park by comparison!!  Taumarunui Refreshment Rooms staff were however actually very good at their job, and usually managed to deal with the 400-500 passengers that arrived, within the 20 minute scheduled time. This was repeatedly every night  for literally decades...

Ultimately, the Refreshment Rooms were replaced although one lasted into the 1980's.  They are now but a distant memory. The song however lingers and is very much part of NZ folklore, with most Kiwi's knowing  at least the chorus..   

Apologies for the long explanation, but trust that it clarifies the song.  As I said, it IS obscure.

[javlinfaw7]

Scottish comedy duo Francie and Josie sung a song "Glasgow Underground" mentioning all the pre 1977 underground stations.


https://youtu.be/PvO4SgwG4RM

[Bealman]

Komata:

Thanks for the history! I know exactly where you are talking about, having been there on several occasions, but did not know the story.

Great stuff.