As anyone who lives in, or has ever visited, our capital city will be well aware, Londoners love a good whinge. House prices, transport costs, tourists, the unavailability of quinoa beyond Watford... there's precious few things Londoners won't have a good cry about. But one topic above all causes its denizens' blood to boil: news of industrial action impacting upon the Underground network. With the metropolis currently 'crippled' (copyright: The Evening Standard) by the on-going RMT union strike, here's five songs to help the capital's precious pearly kings and queens cope with the unbearable trauma.
Gallows - London Is The Reason
One for angry right-wingers who regard the RMT with the same affection one might reserve for those moments when you arrive home to find your fleshly-flayed partner being dipped in sea salt by a tribe of gourmand cannibals. Altogether now ‘We are the rats and we run this town. We are the black plague bearing down. We have no fear, we have no pity. We hate you, we hate this city…’
The Jam - Down In The Tube Station at Midnight
A cautionary tale of an anonymous commuter who’s set upon by a gang of ne’er-do-wells as he attempts to make his way home with a take-away dinner for his missus. And don’t forget, Boris says this is the Year Of The Bus anyway…
Jimi Hendrix – Hear My Train A Comin’
‘Take me away from this lonesome place…’ Testify Jimi, testify! Tune in to this jaw-dropping guitar solo and you’ll forget all about that 90 minute wait just to get into Liverpool Street station…
ZZ Top – Waitin’ For The Bus
‘Have mercy, old bus be packed up tight. Well, I’m glad just to get on and home tonight.’ That’s the attitude chaps, worse things happen at sea, etc,.
Self-explanatory this one: ‘You cry to weak friends that sympathize. Can you hear the violins playing your song?’ WALK ON HOME BOY!
