Actually he did record a song about Brixton under his real name Ram John Holder! And mighty fine it is too!
Yeah I know, the tune was embedded in my original post, but seems to have since been removed from youtube.
In fact, I would venture that there is very likely no district of a city anywhere as celebrated as Brixton in songs.
Now that's a challenge. Do the New York boroughs (or boros) count? There are a billion songs that mention Manhattan or Brooklyn, but if we rule those out and stick to districts in the way Brixton is a district, you may have a point. Hip-hop might put South Central or Compton up there. Greenwich Village must make plenty of appearances across genres. Camden and (London's) Chelsea must crop up a fair bit for local competition. Ah wait. Hollywood and Beverly Hills are going to give you a problem here.
Districts of Kingston (Jamaica) would probably give it a go: Trenchtown Waterhouse aka Firehouse Greenwich Town Jungle aka Dungle Rema Tivoli Gardens August Town
just found this while meandering through some ska / reggae on mew tube Brixton Reggae Festival, The Setters
When I saw this thread, I had to post this! (from Wikipedia) With a nod to The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St., Brixton-based band Alabama 3 named their debut album Exile on Coldharbour Lane after the road. Although Woke Up This Morning on this album mentions Coldharbour Lane, the mention is omitted from the "Chosen One Mix", used as the theme song for The Sopranos.
Florrie Forde (music hall star of Brixton road) sang a version of this 1920's song: WHO PUT THE BRICKS IN BRIXTON? A bright intelligent lad one day Was asking his dear old Dad The meaning of this and the meaning of that The questions were answered by Dad, pit and pat The Kiddie said, 'Dad, before bye bye I go There is another thing I'd like to know, Chorus: Who put the bricks in Brixton? Who put the bat in Battersea? Who put the 'eye' in Highbury? Who put the shore in Shoreditch? And there's another thing I'd like to know Who left the King in KIngsway? And who put the jerry in Jericho?' 'Plums come from Plumstead I know that quite well And wool comes from Woolwich too From Glasgow, I know we get plenty of glass Inside the basoon there's plenty of bass Roses they bloom out in far Picardy They don't bloom like the noses in sweet Bloomsbury.' Chorus: Who put the bricks in Brixton? Who put the bat in Battersea? Who put the 'eye' in Highbury? Who put the shore in Shoreditch? And there's another thing I'd like to know Who left the King in KIngsway? And who put the jerry in Jericho?'
Ah, the Telegraph! Perhaps we need a thread about mentions in song of no longer existing Brixton landmarks.
Trams of Old London by Robyn Hitchcock Trams of old London Taking my baby into the past And it's trams of old London Blow my mind Ludgate, Fenchurch, Highgate Hill Rolling slowly up there still, uh-huh Waterloo and Clerkenwell Out to Aldgate East as well, uh-huh On a clear night you can see Where the rails used to be Oh it seems like ancient myth They once ran to Hammersmith Trams of old London Taking my baby into the past And it's trams of old London Blow my mind Through Electric Avenue, Brixton down in southwest two, uh-huh Teddington and Kennington Twickenham and Paddington, uh-huh In the Blitz they never closed Though they blew up half the roads Oh it hurts me just to see 'em Going dead in a museum Ah... Trams of old London Taking my baby into the past And it's trams of old London Blow my mind Trams of old London Taking my baby into the past And it's trams of old London Blow my mind
But it WAS represented as a car-bearing thoroughfare in the film Johnny Was, which, apart from a flashback scene, was shot entirely in Brixton, and which includes surprisingly impressive performances from Vinnie Jones and, err... Lennox Lewis.
this evening's wanderings on mew tube found brixton rocket, the rudies (who also did 'brixton cat' as above - the band were from brixton - more here)
Shakespeare references Brixton, indirectly, when Hamlet can't see what bus it is. "2B or not 2B, that is the question"
