Good ol' London town – she has inspired some of the world's greatest musicians to put pen to paper, and continues to arouse a feeling of awe when you hum these tunes in the spot that inspired them. This weekend's 'Lyrics of London' route has turned out quite selfish, with the intention for you to download our MP3 playlist, fasten your headphones and head off for an eclectic lyrical adventure. Perfect for those tired of nagging friends – this is YOUR time to stroll this city's streets and ignore the passers-by. It's the London way.
We're going to keep you on your feet for the whole weekend so make sure you pack the essentials: a travelcard to save on bus tickets (here at Spoonfed we discourage fare evasion on bendy buses… honestly), an A to Z in case we get you lost, your MP3 player for obvious reasons and enough money to keep you lubricated along the way. We're also going to ignore the obvious 'London' song title, as everyone from The Pet Shop Boys to The Smiths and Alanis Morissette to Bowling For Soup have used it at some point.
Saturday
Starting on Saturday morning in Camden, ignore the eager traders and unusual sights – we're taking you on a musical adventure for the next 48 hours. We could start you listening to 'London, London' by Cibelle or how about 3 Doors Down's 'Landing in London'. It's up to you.
If you've arrived in north London around 10am, we suggest you head to the Wellcome Collection for their macabre yet morbidly interesting collection of skeletons spanning 16 centuries. And speaking of all things buried, pop by the Crypt of St Pancras Church for a sound installation that will have you tapping your feet rather than running scared through the catacombs.
Purveyors of London's first musical bingo night, Bring and Share are hosting the annual fundraiser Bring & Share Summer Fete '08 at the Lockside Lounge from midday to 2pm, with the proceeds helping to build an orphanage in Tanzania through Hope Ministries. Filled to the brim with market stalls, live bands and DJs, you can easily get that feel-good moment whilst playing musical bingo.
If you need a lyrical reference to entice you to keep your feet skipping, you have the choice of 'Walking in London' by Concrete Blonde or John Murphy's 'Walk' for a casual stroll through Regent's Park to the Open Air Theatre for Gigi. A light-hearted musical, you'll find even the hardened indie-lover singing 'Thank Heaven For Little Girls'.
Even though Sir Noel Coward would shudder at the state of London now, he believed 'everyone in London likes a damn good show' so we're sending you to the Camden Fringe Festival. Indisputably the centre of the comedy universe this weekend (barring this little event in Edinburgh we've heard about) 'Hold Tight London', as three Camden venues host 101 different shows over the month of August.
I have been told by a very learned colleague that a musical guide to London would not be complete without referencing punk rock legends The Clash. So with this in mind we're heading to Proud Camden and pressing play on 'Guns on the Roof', a song inspired by the band's arrest for shooting pigeons on this very precipice. Be @ Proud is on tonight but that won't stop you sitting back, listening to our playlist and watching the indie-wannabes try to look cool sitting on low couches with tight black jeans.
Feeling Peckish? Indie pioneers Saint Etienne wrote 'Mario's Café' in the late '80s about the Kentish Town haunt. The café opened in 1957 as an Italian restaurant, and this iconic eatery has seen vast swathes of celebrities including Jarvis Cocker and budding writers over the years.
As all good boys and girls know, you must always listen to Morrissey and 'Come Back to Camden' for Gingers Do It Better at the Lock Tavern. The whole night will be run, performed and most likely frequented by the carrot-thatched. But if you believe orange is not the new black, get out quick and rush into the Dublin Castle. With performances from Madness, Blur and Oasis over the years, it is still the epitome of indie cool. From there, it's just a couple 'Dark Streets of London' away from that other great Britpop hangout The Good Mixer, before catching the 'Last Train to London'.
To score yourself Spoonfed's first lyrical itinerary playlist, click on the picture below to be redirected to iTunes.
Use this list to explore the songs in Lyrics of London and visit the Lyrics of London iMix to download some or all of the songs.
Sunday
It's a new morning with plenty more songs to keep you humming through the day. As Morrissey (him again) so eloquently put it, 'London, giddy London, home of the brash, outrageous and free'. We must first get on the 'Northern Line' of the 'London Underground' and head to 'Trafalgar Square' to eat your packed sandwichs under a giant screen showing the Beijing Olympics. Sorry, but it will unavoidable for the next few weeks.
To make sure the battery on your iPod isn't running low after all these musical delights, you can walk into the Apple Store on Regent Street for a recharge. Rest your weary feet at the back of the store, and perhaps sit in one of the various free workshops on everything Apple-related.
Hop on a bus across the Thames gazing upon the 'Waterloo Sunset' until you reach 'London Waterloo' station for Banky's latest project, the Cans Festival. Spend about '30 Minutes In London' checking out the international cutting edge graffiti artists including old school French Blek le Rat before you 'Do The Strand' back across the river. Stop for a quick pint at the no nonsense bar 'Champagne Charlie's' before walking through your choice of 'Leicester Square' or 'Whippin' Piccadily' towards Oxford Street.
As with all best laid plans, something is bound to go wrong. This weekend is looking pretty miserable on the weather front so this gives us the chance for a few unabashed mentions of more London tunes such as 'A Foggy Day in London Town' by George and Ira Gershwin. For those who don't agree with Blossom Dearie's 'I Like London in the Rain', grab 'All the Umbrellas in London' for that 'Rainy Night in Soho'.
We know you donned the glitter and platform heels for Pride London only a few weeks ago, but this Sunday Soho is doing what it does best with Soho Pride 2008. Stripping the 'Streets of London' of traffic, thousands of gay Londoners will visit their Mecca for an afternoon of 'alfresco wining, dining and dancing'. Make sure you turn up your MP3 player's volume up to drown out the sounds of Kylie and Right Said Fred, unless of course that floats your boat. Expect cocktails, Cuervo Shot Boys and cabaret.
Gogo dancing and cosmo-sipping sure does bring on a healthy appetite so toddle towards Ping Pong for a lengthy session of dim sum in this mass-catered Chinese Restaurant. Sing along to Warren Zevon's 'Werewolves of London', as you eat.
When the lights go up in London, there's an abundance of variety entertainment such as Groove Sanctuary at Madame Jojo's, singing ventriloquist Jay Johnson at the Arts Theatre or Sound Sundaze. We've told you what to do for the rest of the weekend so now it's your choice.
As the night slowly comes to a halt and the impending working week draws nearer, we retreat to our humble abodes with this in mind, 'There's No Place Like London'.
To see where this musical adventure will take you, click Saturday or Sunday.
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