San Francisco is an old, iron safe filled with gold, glory, disaster, and secrets. SFCentric History is a column, by SF writer V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi, that digs in the vaults of local history and shares the sensational people, places, and things that rocked San Francisco.
Sure, we all know “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” or “San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers in Your Hair),” but what about the more random songs dedicated to the best city in the world? There have been many, but for this week’s SFCentric History we’ll focus on 9 vintage songs starting with a nautical ballad about arriving in ‘Frisco’ during its gold rush, and sailing all the way to the Village People “San Francisco (You Got Me) written in the 1970s.
“Shanghai Brown,” (SF Gold Rush)
Lyrics:
When first I went to Frisco boys, I went upon a spree,My hard earned cash I spent it fast, I got drunk as drunk could be,Before me money was all gone, or spent on some old whore,I made up me mind and was well inclined to go to sea no more.
“San Francisco (At That San-Fran-Pan-American Fair),” Arthur Fields (1915)
Lyrics:
The world is waiting for the date, They’re going to the Golden GateThey’ll want to see your smiling face, You’ll make a dandy meeting placeFrisco, what will you do?San Francisco, open up your gate, hurry, hurrySan Francisco, please don’t make us wait, hurry, hurryGo on and start your fair, the whole world will be there
“Frisco Town,” Memphis Minnie (1929)
Lyrics:
That old ‘Frisco train makes a mile a minuteThat old ‘Frisco train makes a mile a minuteWell, in that old coach, I’m gonna sit right in itI’m on my way, to ‘Frisco town
“There’s A Silver Moon on the Golden Gate,” Irving Berlin/Girls Of The Golden West (1938)
Lyrics:There’s a silver moon on the Golden GateZAnd it’s shining on that blue Pacific shore…My heart is light as I sail tonightOn a crest of the Western sea
“Frisco Blues,” John Lee Hooker (1963)
Lyrics:I left my heart in San FranciscoI left my heart, people, in San FranciscoHigh on the hill, at the Golden Gate, ‘cross the bayIn San Francisco, on the hill, the mornin’ fogAnd the cool, cool nightThat’s where I wanna be: San FranciscoThat’s where my heartUp in New York CityI’ve been to ChicagoBut found no place like San FranciscoWith the cable car high, high on the hill
“I’m Always Drunk in San Francisco,” Carmen McRae (1967)
Lyrics:But tell me why does San FranciscoLike a lover’s kiss go straight to my brainGuess it’s just the mood I’m inThat acts like alcohol
“San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native),” Fever Tree (1968)
Lyrics:Oh, San Francisco girls withSan Francisco waysDon’t try to stop me girl, you can’t have your wayDon’t try to stop me girl, nothin’ you can sayLive like you wanna live and stay where you wanna stayI just gotta go and get back to the Bay
“San Francisco (You Got Me),” The Village People (1977)
(Folsom), Folsom Street, on the way to (Polk and Castro)(You don’t find them finer)(Freedom), freedom is in the air, yeah…
Dress the way you please and put your mind at easeIt’s a city known for its freedom, (freedom)…
(San Francisco), San Francisco(San Francisco), City by the Bay yeah(San Francisco), he he he he hey(You’ve got me)
“San Francisco Bay,” Lee Oskar (1978)
A million people in San FranciscoA million people I don’t really knowNine hundred thousand doing 9 to 5A hundred thousand staying up all nightHey la la la la da da hey heySan Francisco bayLa la la la da da hey heyIt’s San Francisco’s way
The post SFCentric History: 9 Lesser-Known Vintage Songs About San Francisco appeared first on Broke-Ass Stuart's Website.
