Reaching Inspired Locations

Find Your Inspired Locations

From Google Earth to the FourSquare location-based networking site, there are numerous examples today to point to our continued fascination with physical locations.

What are the qualities that make a particular place special — the people, the food, the geography, the culture, or some combination thereof?

Without doubt, locations can fascinate and inspire.

I recall reading an interesting TOWN & COUNTRY article years ago that examined the city-inspired lyrics and titles of many popular songs written by some of the world’s most famous musicians.

Rough Guides recently posted a list of the Top Five Places Mentioned in Famous Songs.  And, here’s a recent Sidetracked blog post that highlights top songs written about the state of California.

As the Los Angeles-based Red Hot Chili Peppers sang in Aeroplane, music in general can be “an aero plane” that elevates listeners to another world.  When a specific city or place is called out in song lyrics, the “getaway factor” of the song can rise.

For example, when you hear Paul Simon’s Graceland lyric, “I’m going to Graceland,” where or what do you envision?   Or, when you hear Waylon and Willie sing about, “Luckenbach, Texas,” what is your response?  When Ryan Adams sings about the street La Cienega, does the lyric make you smile?  Every time I hear James Taylor sing “Carolina in My Mind,” I see the streets of Chapel Hill, the location of my college alma mater.

What locations do you think are worthy of commemoration with song?  Which places would make your “Most Inspirational Locales” list?  Give it some thought.  My list would obviously include my SheCave.