<\/p>
From the 17th century composer Orlando Gibbons to Ray Davies, lead vocalist of The Kinks, composers have long been inspired by the vibrancy and energy of London. But which are all-time best songs about London, and what makes them so iconic? Here are fourteen of our favourites.<\/p>
It may be one of the most famous songs ever about London, but nobody is quite sure what this well-known nursery rhyme is actually about. Many believe that it refers to the state of disrepair into which London Bridge fell after the Great Fire of London in 1666. Some experts, however, argue quite convincingly that it refers to an alleged Viking invasion in 1014, during which London Bridge was pulled down. This darker subtext means that ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ is also, in all likelihood, one of the darkest nursery rhymes<\/a><\/strong> in the canon. <\/p> Though the attack has never been proven, a collection of Old Norse poems written in 1230 contains a verse that sounds much like the nursery rhyme, translating as \u2018London Bridge is broken down. Gold is won, and bright renown.\u2019 So who knows. A well-known English folk song referencing the iconic bridge.<\/p> George Gershwin<\/a><\/strong>‘s jazz standard reflects on the melancholic atmosphere of London during a time when fogs were common due to pollution. It was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 musical comedy film film A Damsel in Distress, <\/em>which was based on a novel by P.G. Wodehouse, and has since been performed by various artists, including Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>George Gershwin: ‘A Foggy Day (In London Town)’<\/strong><\/h3>