tubechallenge.com

Following on from my observation that only one Tube station has given its name to the title of a Eurovision winning song, this has got me wondering what songs or pieces of music there are that either share their names with or mention Tube stations. I'm going to discount Jay Foreman's tube station song, because it mentions all of them!


The ones I can think of:

"Waterloo" by ABBA
"Warwick Avenue" by Duffy
The theme tune to "Paddington"
The theme tune to the Wombles "The Wombles of Wimbledon, Common are we."
The theme tune to "Grange Hill"
"It's a long way to Tipperary" mentions both Piccadilly (minus Circus) and Leicester Square
The Two Ronnies sang a song about Camden Town https://youtu.be/jgdOMuZ2ghA?t=218


Any others?

I suspect that the station which has the most mentions in song lyrics is Angel. Examples would include: A Wonderful Life - Tom Odell; A Dangerous Thing - AURORA.

Angel is also the title to a track by Massive Attack (and probably to many other artists and bands too).

I suspect many song lyrics also mention Banks, Monuments, Temples, and potantially Ovals (maybe a Manor House of sorts).

Edward the Confessor by Breton mentions Kennington in the outro.

Kayleigh by Marillion - "Do you remember loving on the floor in Belsize Park"
Finchley Central by The New Vaudeville Band - "Finchley Central is two and sixpence, From Golders Green on the Northern Line"
Lots of songs called "Angel" - Shaggy, Simply Red, and Madonna all reached the top 10.

Then there’s this ol’ favourite, which mentions 270 of them…

(Was this really over 10 years ago? )

Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty

Mornington Crescent by Belle & Sebastian

Mile End by Pulp

London Bridge by Fergie

White City by The Pogues

Victoria by The Fall

And God Created Brixton by Carter USM

Kings Cross by Pet Shop Boys

Camden Town by Suggs

Plaistow Patricia by Ian Drury & the Blockheads.

White Man in the Hammersmith Palais by Clash

The Royal Oak by Pirates for Sail

Tower Hill by Clannad

RJSRdg wrote: ↑30 May 2025, 21:54 I'm going to discount Jay Foreman's tube station song, because it mentions all of them!

Except, since 2021, it doesn't.

Gilbert & Sullivan's comic opera Iolanthe contains The Nightmare Song ("When you're lying awake with a dismal headache"), which contains a great many tongue-twisters, including:

"And you're giving a treat
(Penny ice and cold meat)
To a party of friends and relations.
They're a ravenous horde
And they've all come aboard
At Sloane Square and South Kensington stations."

The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset

"Millions of people
Swarming like fireflies
Round Waterloo Underground.
But Terry and Julie
Cross over the river
To where they feel safe and sound."

Oggm wrote: ↑30 May 2025, 22:16
I suspect many song lyrics also mention Banks, Monuments, Temples, and potantially Ovals (maybe a Manor House of sorts).

Ah yes, as someone who normally picks the hymns for services at my church I should have thought of a few.


Hark The Herald Angels Sing is an obvious one
On Jordan's Bank the Baptist Cries is less well known, although it did get a mention in "Yes Prime Minister".
Love Divine All Loves Excelling includes the line "Never more thy Temples leave" - or God is in his Temple, the Almighty Father.

Maybe I'm starting a whole new subset of religious tube songs!

Did anyone mention Going Underground, The Jam
Sound of The Underground, Girls Aloud

RJSRdg wrote: ↑19 Jun 2025, 00:48 Maybe I'm starting a whole new subset of religious tube songs!

“Stepping in the Light” may not be a very well-known hymn, but it does contain “Epping”…

Blue Piccadilly by The Feeling which is about the tube line from the album Twelve Stops and Home (Leicester Square to Bounds Green)

RJSRdg wrote: ↑19 Jun 2025, 00:48 Maybe I'm starting a whole new subset of religious tube songs!

Gracious saviour, loving king,
Before Thy cross I bow.
Road is narrow, yet, O Lord,
I’ll follow Thee, somehow.

It may not be the best bit of religious poetry (though the theology is sound). But! Where else are you going to find a hymn that contains “Bow Road”?

** Co-incidental Bonus ** - This can be sung to the tune “Royal Oak”!!

"Girl VII" by Saint Etienne contains the lyrics

Primrose Hill, Staten Island, Chalk Farm, Massif Central, Gospel Oak, São Paolo, Boston Manor, Costa Rica, Arnos Grove, San Clemente, Tufnell Park, Gracetown, York Way, Videoton, Clerkenwell, Portobello, Maida Vale, Old Ford, Valencia, Kennington, Galveston, Holland Park, Studamer, Dollis Hill, Fougeres, London Fields, Bratislava, Haggerston, Lavínia, Canonbury, Alice Springs, Tooting Graveney, Baffin Island, Pollard's Hill, Winnepeg, Plumstead Common, Hyderabad, Silvertown, Buffalo

which contains numerous stations. In fact it could make an interesting tube challenge to visit all the (London) locations as fast as possible!

RobbieM wrote: ↑12 Jul 2025, 21:19

RJSRdg wrote: ↑19 Jun 2025, 00:48 Maybe I'm starting a whole new subset of religious tube songs!

Gracious saviour, loving king,
Before Thy cross I bow.
Road is narrow, yet, O Lord,
I’ll follow Thee, somehow.

It may not be the best bit of religious poetry (though the theology is sound). But! Where else are you going to find a hymn that contains “Bow Road”?

** Co-incidental Bonus ** - This can be sung to the tune “Royal Oak”!!

It also mentions Kings Cross