Jacques Brel, “Le Port d’Amsterdam”, Les adieux à l'Olympia-Octobre, 1966
* * *
Tom Waits, “Telephone call from Istanbul”, Franks Wild Years, 1987
…
My pet old monkey rode the blade
On an overhead fan
They paint the donkey blue if you pay
I got a telephone call from Istanbul
My baby’s coming home today
Will you sell me one of those
If I shave my head
Get me out of town
Is what Fireball said
Never trust a man in a blue trench coat
Never drive a car when you’re dead
…
* * *
Gotan Project, “Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)”, La Revancha del Tango, 2001
* * *
Jeff Buckley, “Vancouver”, Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk, 1998
* * *
Madness, “Night Boat to Cairo”, One Step Beyond…, 1979
* * *
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor, “Jerusalem”, The Lion and the Cobra, 1987
* * *
Ibrahim Maalouf, “Beirut”, Diagnostic, 2011
* * *
The Clash, “London Calling”, London Calling, 1979
* * *
Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Out in L.A.”, Out in L.A., 1994
We’re all a bunch of brothers living in a cool way
Along with six million others in this place called L.A.
L.A. is the place, sets my mind ablaze
For me, it’s a race through a cotton picking maze
The town makes me jump, it’s got a bunch of bad chicks
Well sure, it’s got some chumps but I still get my kicks
…
* * *
Fun Lovin’ Criminals, “The King Of New York”, Come Find Yourself, 1996
* * *
Rammstein, “Frühling in Paris”, Liebe ist für alle da, 2009
* * *
Japan, “Suburban Berlin”, Obscure Alternatives, 1978
* * *
Beirut, “Santa Fe”, The Rip Tide, 2011
* * *
Pere Ubu, “30 Seconds over Tokyo”, 390° of Simulated Stereo, 1981
…
Toy city streets crawling through my sights
Sprouting clumps of mushrooms like a world surreal
This dream won’t ever seem to end
And time seems like it’ll never begin
Thirty seconds
And a one way ride
Thirty seconds
And no place to hide
Thirty seconds over Tokyo
…
* * *
Tony Bennett, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”, MTV Unplugged, 1994
