From Tulsa to Cleethorpes...

One of the big differences in popular music between Great Britain and the United States is the use of place names in song titles.  Americans love to use the names of towns or states, and it is easy to rattle off any number of songs, from any era. Things like 24 Hours from Tulsa, New York State of Mind, Kansas City, Walking in Memphis, Moonlight in Vermont, and Abilene.

Maybe it's because American place names sound more attractive and appealing, I don't know.  However, I can't really see songwriters having huge successes with things like 24 Hours from Cleethorpes, or Moonlight in Gloucestershire!

Having said that, there are some.  Not necessarily known outside of the UK, but you can't have everything!  Of course, there are those that have their roots in folk music, the same as in the US.

As far as the 20th century is concerned, quite a few of the British songs are derived from the Music Hall, and the subsequent popularity of regional singer/comedians.  What I mean by that is artists like George Formby and Gracie Fields, who were both from Lancashire, and sung about Lancashire and its towns).

Strangely enough, there was another short-lived boom period of the theme during the punk and new wave era, with a number of songs about lesser-known towns, such as Eton, Hersham, and Billericay (see below).

There are plenty of songs about London (Streets of London, London Calling, A Foggy Day in London Town, etc), so I will forget the capital, and list some of the other places used.

I Don't Want to Go to Chelsea (Elvis Costello)
With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock (George Formby)
Long-Haired Lover from Liverpool (Little Jimmy Osmond)
Belfast (Boney M)
The Castleford Ladies Magical Circle (Jake Thackray)
Durham Town (Roger Whittaker)
Hersham Boys (Sham 69)
She's a Lassie from Lancashire (Gracie Fields)
Winchester Cathedral (New Vaudeville Band)
In My Little Wigan Garden (George Formby)
Swansea Town (Max Boyce)
White Cliffs of Dover (Dame Vera Lynn)
The Jarrow Song (Alan Price)
Rochdale Cowboy (Mike Harding)
Mull of Kintyre (Paul McCartney & Wings)
I Belong to Glasgow (Will Fyffe)
Margate (Chas and Dave)
The Eton Rifles (The Jam)
Billericay Ricky (Ian Dury & The Blockheads)