Songs that mention Memphis

Subject: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Rufus
Date: 27 Jul 98 - 10:00 PM

Hey there,

Memphis is mentioned in more songs than any other city in America (the world?). How many are there? That is a good question. A question that I am attempting to answer.

So, if you know of any, lemme know. They can mention Memphis in the title or in the lyrics, either one. Any help is greatly appreciated and when I have compiled an acceptable list I will post to this thread and let you know how to get to it so's you can take a gander.

Thanks again and now back the BBQ.

Rufus

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Nora
Date: 27 Jul 98 - 10:41 PM

Of course there are zillions. A quick search of CDs near the surface of the pile near my desk reveals the following (none of which are 'traditional' or even 'folk,' but then neither is that gin-soaked barroom queen you mentioned)

Memphis mentioned in lyrics:

From Galway to Graceland by Richard Thompson You Took My Joy by Lucinda Williams on Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (does West Memphis count?) Love in a Memory by Nanci Griffith on Lone Star State of Mind Graceland (duh) by Paul Simon

Memphis is implied but not mentioned by name in Elvis' Rolls Royce by Was (not Was) on Are You Okay?

I'm sure there's more across the room but I'll be up all night if I start looking.

Nora

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Barry Finn
Date: 27 Jul 98 - 11:17 PM

Old Dollar Mamie
18 Hammers
Prettiest Train

Try a search of Memphis, 11 hits, try Huston, about the same, try New Orleans, a little better, try San Francisco, better still & close to Liverpool, try Boston, still better, New York does Memphis by almost X20, & still doesn't take a close call to London. I'd like to try Hilo & Mobil Bay but I'll wait for winter. Barry

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: alison
Date: 28 Jul 98 - 12:46 AM

Hi,

Honky tonk women (where the title of the thread comes from).

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Jeremy J Woodland
Date: 28 Jul 98 - 03:00 AM

Robert Johnson (From Four Till Late)

From Memphis to Norfolk It a thirty six hour drive

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 28 Jul 98 - 03:21 AM

G'day,
From The City Of New Orleans by Steve Goodman:-

Night time on the City of New Orleans
Changin' cars in Memphis, Tennessee

Cheers,
Alan

P.S. If you want to cheat do a search of the DT. This will get you 10 songs plus one by Memphis Slim.

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Brack&
Date: 28 Jul 98 - 04:06 AM

Of course!!!!!! Memphis Tennessee .......Chuck Berry

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Rufus
Date: 28 Jul 98 - 09:25 PM

Nora, ain't that Lucinda Williams CD great? I was floored the first time I heard it. If ever you are up all night anyway, go across the room and let me know what you find.

Barry Finn. I'm not talking about what shows up in searches. I'm talking about real songs that do exist. You can press search buttons all day and not find "Memphis Thing" by Rob Jungklas. If I were looking for the word Memphis in a song would a search turn up "Tennesssee Jed" by the Dead? Here, I'll challenge you. Pick any city you like (barring Memphis, where the Rock and Roll hall of fame SHOULD be) and compile your list. Meet me back here in six months and we will compare.

Most of all, thanks everyone. Keep 'em coming.

Rufus

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Cindy in OK
Date: 09 Aug 98 - 05:15 AM

There's a grammy winning tune by Marc Cohn - "Walking in Memphis." I guess it's nice but I wouldn't pay for it.

Love, Cindy

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 Aug 98 - 01:08 AM

BIG RIVER
by Johnny Cash

...I found her trail in Memphis but she just walked up a bluff,
Raised a few eyebrows & wandered off alone.

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Anne
Date: 14 Aug 98 - 02:32 AM

MEMPHIS IN THE MEANTIME by John Hiatt

I Loooove Chris Smithers toe-tapping, foot-slapping Rhythm on it from HAPPIER BLUE.

Let's go to Memphis in the Meantime........

Happy Listening Anne

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 14 Aug 98 - 10:56 AM

"Don't Think About Her (When You're Trying to Drive)", written by John Hiatt and performed by Little Village (Hiatt, Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner) on their eponymous album, includes the line:

"You'll wake tomorrow morning, prob'ly be in Memphis or somewhere..."

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 14 Aug 98 - 06:43 PM

"The Blues in the Night" --Arlen and Mercer, I think.
"From Natchez to Mobile, from Memphis to St. Joe"

Speaking of Chuck Berry, "Sweet Little Sixteen", if memory serves

A rock-n-roll blues song that I always think is by the great Adrian Belew. It starts something like
Train, train, take me on out of this town. (twice)
The woman I'm in love with, Lord, she's Memphis bound.

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 14 Aug 98 - 06:53 PM

By the way, Rufus, there were 15 or so hits at the International Lyrics Server. ("Or so" because I didn't check to see which were different versions of the same song.) I used the "fulltext" search, so not all had "Memphis" in the title. My favorite was "Ultimo Tango a Memphis", by Luciano Ligabue. I couldn't follow the words, but it mentions Elvis.

I don't see how you can say a song doesn't exist if it's in the DT. True, most of them don't get much airplay, but...

Incidentally, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is in EXACTLY the right place. When my brother and I were in Cleveland visiting the folks, we even got comps (because we got there 45 minutes before it closed--I thought 45 minutes was EXACTLY the right amount of time).

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: JB3
Date: 15 Aug 98 - 02:39 AM

"I've been living on the wrong side of Memphis", sung by Tricia Yearwood, don't know the author.

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From:
Date: 15 Aug 98 - 04:41 PM

Stuck inside of Memphis with those Mobile Blues again...

by Mr. Robert Zimmerman

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: O'Boyle
Date: 16 Aug 98 - 03:55 PM

Warren Zevon's "Jesus Mentioned" of The Envoy album (it's not on CD): I'm going down to Memphis, Memphis Tennessee, I'm going down to Graceland, Digging up the King, Begging him to sing, About those heavenly mansions Jesus mentioned

Slainte,

Rick

Subject: RE: I met a gin soaked barroom queen in Memphis
From: Rufus
Date: 18 Aug 98 - 10:23 PM

Alright now! Progress. I have the (still growing) list of tunes with Memphis in the title listed at

http://members.tripod.com/~memphisfringe/memphissongs.html

The list of tunes with Memphis in the body is slowly but surely being readied for it's glorious debut. Again, thanks and keep 'em coming.

And to Jerry Friedman re the songs in the DT. You are absolutely right. However, until someone proves me wrong I will continue to believe that Memphis Rules!

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Memphis
From: GUEST,joey
Date: 31 May 12 - 02:51 PM

maybe it was memphis   Pam Tillis
mott the hoople all the way from memphis
ccr traviln band
proud mary
little feat, I saw the bright lights of Memphis
Johnny Bye Bye by Springsteen

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Memphis
From: Padre
Date: 31 May 12 - 10:49 PM

Uncle Dave Macon song, "Way Down the Old Plank Road" has this verse:

Nashville's got some pretty girls,
Memphis has some beauties;
Want to see the best of all,
Just hop to Chattanoogie

Chorus:

Won't get drunk no more (x3)
Way down the old plank road