The Y! Music Playlist Blog

Ode To Chicago

By | The Y! Music Playlist Blog – Tue, Sep 4, 2007 2:44 PM EDT

Chi-town has played second fiddle to New York City since it was incorporated in 1837. This number two spot on the "greatest cities in America" list has earned it the nickname "Second City", in addition to numerous other labels. 

This fine Illinois metropolis is a ganglion of American culture, and it's musical heritage could spin off piles of fine playlists.

For this one however, we focus on songs that pay homage to the city in some way. Of course, the list contains no-brainers like "Sweet Home Chicago" by Robert Johnson, "My Kind Of Town" by Frank Sinatra and "The Night Chicago Died" by Paper Lace, but also contains lesser-known odes from scads of musical genres.

Sufjan Stevens kicks off this playlist with "Chicago" from my favorite album of 2005, Illinois, which is the second effort in his audacious attempt to create on full-length album for each of the 50 states. (Also, see Michigan). Other artists in the list include Ryan Adams, Wilco, Jim Croce, Merle Haggard, Smashing Pumpkins and more.

So if you love the city, don't miss the soundtrack.

 

The Playlist:

1. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens

2. Dear Chicago - Ryan Adams

3. Via Chicago - Wilco

4. The El - Rhett Miller

5. Born In Chicago - Paul Butterfield

6. Sweet Home Chicago - Robert Johnson

7. Chicago Bound - Jimmy Rogers

8. My Kind Of Town - Frank Sinatra

9. Chicago (That Toddling Town) - Count Basie

10. Jesus Just Left Chicago - ZZ Top

11. Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins

12. In The Ghetto - Elvis Presley

13. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce

14. Chicago - The Doobie Brothers

15. Take Me Back To Chicago - Chicago

16. Chicago - Tossers

17. The Woman Downstairs - The Handsome Family

18. Chicago Wind - Merle Haggard

19. Little Joe From Chicago - Nat King Cole

20. Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago - Soul Coughing

21. Chicago, Damn - Bobbi Humphrey

22. Windy City Rag - Alison Krauss & Union Station

23. Chicago Song - David Sanborn

24. Windy City - Sweet

25. And On To Chicagoland - Tomfoolio

26. Chicago (Chi-Town) Blues - Earth, Wind & Fire

27. Lake Shore Drive - Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah

28. Dead End Street - Lou Rawls

29. Chicago Is So Two Years Ago - Fall Out Boy

30. Chicago Fanphair '93 - Local H

31. Second City Blues - Ben Hollis

32. L.A. Goodbye - The Ides Of March

33. C.H.I.C.A.G.O. - Suede

34. Chi-Town Stranglers - Deadliest Niggas Alive

35. The Eggplant That Ate Chicago - Sadie Green Sales Ragtime Jugband

36. North Side Story - Street Brats

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