There’s nothing quite as evocative as music. Even a few bars of a tune can take you back instantly to a time and place in your travels. It can stir a sense of wanderlust too, luring you to exotic places around the world with just a few notes.
Click through the gallery for a musical journey around the world, visiting places that have been captured perfectly in song...
New York is the most sung about city in the world, with a staggering 161 tunes singing the praises – or otherwise – of the Big Apple. Each song is guaranteed to get you into a New York State of Mind (Billy Joel), whether you want to Take A Walk On The Wild Side with Lou Reed, get No Sleep Till Brooklyn with the Beastie Boys or start spreading the news about the great restaurants, amazing shows on and off Broadway, and world class museums and galleries by belting out Frank Sinatra’s version of New York, New York.
Vienna by Ultravox is as icy as a winter’s morning in the Austrian capital and as dark and ominous as The Third Man, the Orson Welles movie set in the city, which Ultravox singer Midge Ure said inspired the song. For those who have enjoyed the city's majestic parks, sumptuous cafes and breathtaking Baroque architecture, the song’s memorable refrain “It means nothing to me” is quite jarring. Ure has since clarified that it refers to the object of his affections after a failed holiday romance there, not the city itself.
Joyous and buoyant, Marrakesh Express by Crosby, Stills and Nash inspired a generation of travellers to ride the rickety train from Casablanca to Marrakech and immerse themselves in the colour and chaos of Jemaa el-Fna square (pictured). Today, Marrakech is reached by the high speed Al Atlas train – no ducks and pigs and chickens as referred to in the song these days – but the appeal of the city remains the same, with coloured cottons still hanging in the air and men charming cobras in the square.
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It’s not just cities that have captured the imagination of songwriters. Entire continents have beguiled them too. For the US band, Toto, it was the wild savannahs of Africa and the cries of wild dogs at night that caught their imagination. Africa remains the world’s premier safari destination, from the traditional game parks of South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania to lesser-known destinations in Congo and Zambia.
High octane, rambunctious and fuelled by high-stakes adrenaline, no other song encapsulates the irresistible allure of Sin City better than Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley. Its bright lights really will set your soul on fire. And with so much to see and do beyond the casinos – like the downtown walking tour, Neon Museum and the new music and entertainment venue, The Sphere – you really will wish there were more than 24 hours in the day.
In the 1950s and 1960s Rome was the epitome of romance for performers, especially for members of the Rat Pack, an informal collection of stylish singers that included Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Sinatra got the ball rolling with Three Coins In The Fountain in 1954. Then in 1962, Dean Martin released Dino: Italian Love Songs, jam-packed with songs like On An Evening In Roma and Arrivederci Roma – guaranteed to make lovers who wander the streets of the Eternal City swoon to this day.
When Bob Seger famously sang about getting away to the Nepalese capital in his song Katmandu, it was more about a state of mind rather than a particular place. He was sick of touring constantly and in the Seventies, Kathmandu was seen as distant and authentic; a place to get away from it all and find yourself. In many ways, it still is. Wandering through the city’s ancient pagodas and stupas is like stepping back in time.
The song people most associate with the stunning beaches and laid-back lifestyle of Australia doesn’t even mention the name of the country at all. Instead, Men at Work use a popular nickname – Down Under – and protest about greed and rampant development in the country. But the jaunty flute line and references to Vegemite, a popular local breakfast spread, mean that it is regarded as a patriotic song – it was even chosen to close the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
While people have been singing about New York for decades, South Korea's capital Seoul only entered the world’s musical consciousness in 2012 when a man in a tux danced like he was riding a horse and introduced the world to the concept of Gangnam Style. Gangnam is Seoul's trendiest suburb, full of high-end eateries, galleries and shops and home to the Bongeunsa Buddhist temple built in AD 794. Outside the COEX shopping centre, you’ll find a statue of two giant hands, one wrist on top of the other, in honour of singer and rapper PSY’s signature Gangnam Style dance move.
Wander the narrow streets of Old Havana and along the seafront on the Malecon and you’ll be serenaded by a soundtrack of salsa, rhumba and Cuban jazz, blasting from transistors balancing in apartment windows or on the radios in battered US classic cars. The Buena Vista Social Club captured this old school vibe perfectly on their 1997 album of the same name, produced by Ry Cooder. For the city’s sensuous side, listen to Havana by Camila Cabello, who sings about leaving her heart there.
While Argentina is divided about former president Juan Peron and his lasting impact on the country, there is no denying the musical legacy inspired by his wife, Eva. She was the subject of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita and the plaintive song, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, is now inextricably linked to the country. The song is based on a famous speech she gave from the balcony of Casa Rosada, the seat of government in Argentina. Next time you’re in Buenos Aires, head down to Plaza de Mayo and belt out a few bars. You won’t be alone.
If it wasn’t for Nutbush City Limits by Ike and Tina Turner, this small city in Haywood County would be just another anonymous town in Tennessee’s cotton belt. But Nutbush was Tina Turner’s rural hometown and now people travel from all over the world to get their photo taken at the ‘city’ limits (pictured, littered with cotton). The one-room schoolhouse mentioned in the song is actually in nearby Brownsville and was turned into a museum in 2014. It contains memorabilia sent by the star herself.
Thanks to The Beatles, Liverpool in northwest England is one of the most famous musical cities in the world. You can drop by various places across the city namechecked in songs like Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever; as well as visit The Cavern Bar, where The Beatles played in their early years; and The Beatles Story Museum on Albert Dock. Here you can pay homage to another famous song about the city, Ferry Cross The Mersey by Gerry and the Pacemakers. The service between Pier Head and the Wirral still runs. They even play the song over the ferry’s loudspeaker during the crossing.
Kokomo, as rhapsodised about by the Beach Boys, is a utopian island off the Florida Keys, but in reality it could be anywhere in this beautiful part of Florida, where there’s a tropical drink melting in your hand to the rhythm of a steel drum band. Just start in Key Largo and work your way out from there. Or you could island hop through the other gorgeous Caribbean destinations mentioned in the song, from Bermuda to the Bahamas and beyond.
In the 20th century the south London suburb of Brixton was a popular destination for Caribbean immigrants. It remains one of the city’s most vibrant, multicultural communities with bustling food markets, a great mix of restaurants and buzzing bars and cafes. Back in the 80s, poverty and racial discrimination led to riots here, referenced in Eddy Grant’s hit, Electric Avenue. It was an apt metaphor: Electric Avenue was the first market street in London to be lit by electric lights but had fallen into disrepair. Today it is pedestrianised and marked by a jaunty neon sign.
With its gorgeous natural setting and samba-fuelled nightlife, Rio de Janeiro certainly lives up to its nickname of Cidade Maravilhosa ('marvellous city'). It has beguiled songwriters too, with countless songs expressing the many moods of the city. Astrud Gilberto captured Rio’s languid Latin side in 1964 with her Bossa Nova classic The Girl From Ipanema and Peter Allen channelled its more flamboyant character in the irresistible I Go To Rio in 1976.
On first listen, Philadelphia Freedom by Elton John appears to be a paean to the city often dubbed the cradle of American democracy. After all, Philly was the site of the First and Second Continental Congresses and where the Liberty Bell rang out loud. The song was, in fact, about tennis player Billie Jean King, who was part of the professional Philadelphia Freedoms tennis team. It's often played in the city's bars, pubs and restaurants, so why not hum along as you bite into a world-famous Philly cheesesteak?
This important archaeological site, north of the Great Wall in China, is a far cry from the glittery world depicted in Xanadu by Olivia Newton-John. You won’t find a million lights dancing or neon lights shining, as described in her lyrics. Rather, the remains of Kubla Khan’s legendary city, from which he ruled over China, assimilating the nomadic Mongolian and Han Chinese cultures.
In his song Mozambique, Bob Dylan summed up the African country’s charms pretty well. The sunny sky is indeed an aqua blue, as the eponymous track suggests. And with its islands, beaches, nature reserves and history-filled towns, it is indeed a very nice place to "stay a week or two". The song appeared on Dylan's album, Desire, in 1976 – a year after Mozambique declared independence.
Written to celebrate the Catalan capital being awarded the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona by Freddie Mercury and local opera singer Montserrat Caballe is wonderfully over-the-top. At the time of its release, local newspaper El País called it “iconic” and “a musical masterpiece”. And as you look out across the city from the viewpoint of Gaudi's famous Park Guell, it certainly makes sense. “Barcelona!” as Freddie sings, “such a beautiful horizon, like a jewel in the sun."
When Walk Like An Egyptian by The Bangles was a huge hit back in 1986, the dancefloors were full of people with their arms extended, bent at right angles, one arm up, one down. Egyptians never walked that way, of course. The move was inspired by hieroglyphics from the time of the pharaohs. This pose was how the ancient Egyptians projected the three-dimensional human body onto a flat surface. Regardless, the song has inspired many travellers to seek out the wonders of Ancient Egypt, from the Great Pyramids of Giza to the temples of Karnak and beyond.
The German capital has always been an inspiring place for musicians. David Bowie recorded three albums there, including Heroes. Iggy Pop wrote The Passenger after watching the world go by behind the glass of an S-Bahn train. U2 famously decamped to the Hansa Studio in the heart of the city to record album Achtung Baby – their song Zoo Station is named after a Berlin train station. The city remains the clubbing capital of Europe to this day, with visitors flocking to the city for weekend-long parties in industrial warehouses or on floating clubs on the water.
Amarillo is where the southern plains of Texas meet the desert and is a great base to explore the Texas Panhandle. It was also a popular stopping point on the legendary Route 66. George Strait wanted to be in Amarillo By Morning. And English singer Tony Christie had a huge worldwide hit by asking Is This The Way To Amarillo. Fun fact: that song’s famous chorus of “Sha la la la la la la la” was meant to be a placeholder until the song’s writer, Neil Sedaka, came up with better lyrics.
With its long, golden beaches, sunshine and enviable lifestyle, California has long been a source of inspiration for musicians. Some bands have made a career out of the state – we’re looking at you, The Beach Boys – with songs about the surf, sun, girls and cars. The Mamas & the Papas often found themselves California Dreamin. The Red Hot Chili Peppers dreamt of Californication. And Tupac felt a deep and abiding California Love. These songs have inspired people from all over the world to visit the state's golden shores. They are seldom disappointed.
Jordan Bassett from the English music magazine NME described Galway Girl by Ed Sheeran as a "stomping Irish hip hop jig that recounts dancing a merry ceilidh [dance] with the girl of your dreams while Van Morrison parps away in the background." If that’s not a summary of a perfect night out in Ireland, we don’t know what is. Sitting where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean, this colourful town also makes a great pitstop along the Wild Atlantic Way.
You could listen to any Bob Marley song and be instantly transported to the sunny shores of Jamaica, dreaming of the island’s laidback lifestyle. His style of reggae, mixed with ska and rock steady, is Jamaica in a bottle. But Three Little Birds, with its refrain of “Cause every little thing, gonna to be alright”, is arguably the most joyful. It's the perfect soundtrack for watching the sunset over Negril Beach with an ice-cold drink to hand. Don’t worry about a thing.
New York City may have the most songs written about it, but according to the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, its city has the most mentions. It's estimated that there are 800 different songs featuring 'Memphis', from Memphis, Tennessee by Chuck Berry to Graceland by Paul Simon. Considering the city’s rich musical history, it’s hardly surprising. Elvis spent his final days here. The bars on Beale Street (pictured) are still jumping. And the aforementioned Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum contains memorabilia from the 1930s to the city’s musical heyday in the Seventies and beyond.
What New York is to America, London is to Europe, with 102 songs written about the British capital, according to a study by MusicMap. Travellers looking to wander the Streets of London (Ralph McTell) could start by Going Underground with The Jam to meet Gerry Rafferty on Baker Street. Then it's off to Soho to meet the West End Girls with the Pet Shop Boys and enjoy an espresso with Pulp at Bar Italia. Your perfect London day would end, naturally, watching a Waterloo Sunset with The Kinks.
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