(Theme)
VOICE 1:
Most Americans have a city they like best. It may be the citythey were born in. It may be the city they would like to call home.Over the years, American songwriters have described these feelingsin music.
I’m Shirley Griffith.
VOICE 2:
And I’m Rich Kleinfeldt. The story of songs about American citiesis our report today on the VOA Special English program, this isAmerica.
(“New York, New York”/FrankSinatra)
VOICE 1:
“New York, New York.” More songs have been written aboutAmerica’s biggest city than about any other city. More thaneight-million people live in New York. Many others dream aboutleaving their small towns to go there. They want to become rich andfamous. Frank Sinatra sings about this dream in the most popularsong written about New York.
(MUSIC)
VOICE 2:
Almost three-million people livein the middle-western city of Chicago, Illinois. It is now America’sthird-largest city. It used to be the second largest city. So, ofcourse, it needed its own song. Judy Garland sings the song,”Chicago, Chicago.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE 1:
Near Chicago is the small industrial city of Gary, Indiana. Thiscity was made famous by a song in a musical play called “The MusicMan.” The play opened on Broadway in New York innineteen-fifty-seven. In the musical, a young boy sings about hishome town. Here, Eddie Hodges sings “Gary, Indiana.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE 2:
Right in the middle of America is the city of Kansas City. It isthe largest city in the state of Missouri. In the nineteen-sixties,songwriters Jerry Leiber [lee-ber] and Mike Stoller [stole-er] wroteabout going to Kansas City. Why? Because they said it was filledwith many wonderful women. James Brown sings the song, “KansasCity.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE 1:
Americans love cities near the ocean. One of the most popular isMiami, Florida. Visitors go there all year because the weather iswarm. This song about Miami was written in nineteen-thirty-five. TheHot Mustard Jazz Band sings, “Moon Over Miami.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE 2:
One of America’s most exciting cities is Las Vegas, Nevada. Thereyou can play games of chance all night long. The city’sentertainment centers are open all night, too. Innineteen-sixty-four, Elvis Presley starred in a movie called “VivaLas Vegas.” Here is the song from that movie. It is sung by thegroup Z-Z Top.
(MUSIC)
VOICE 1:
One of the most beautiful citiesin America is San Francisco, California. It is between the PacificOcean and San Francisco Bay in the northern part of the state. Themost popular song about the city is called “I Left My Heart in SanFrancisco.” Tony Bennett recorded it in nineteen-sixty-two. It soldmore than three-million records.
(MUSIC)
VOICE 2:
Many people love Los Angeles,California. It is now America’s second-largest city. More thanthree-million people live there. Los Angeles is popular because theweather is warm and the sun shines almost all the time. Randy Newmansings about his feelings for the city in the song, “I Love L.A.”
(MUSIC)
VOICE 1:
Not everyone, however, loves Los Angeles. Some people do not likeall the big roads around the city. They call Los Angeles “a greatbig freeway.” They like living in a smaller place. A place like SanJose, California. Dionne Warwick sings about going back to thiscity. The song is, “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
(MUSIC)
VOICE 2:
Today’s program was written by Shelley Gollust. It was producedand directed by Lawan Davis. I’m Rich Kleinfeldt.
VOICE 1:
And I’m Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for anotherreport about life in the United States on the VOA Special Englishprogram, this is America.
(“New York, New York”/Peter Nero instrumental)