ASIAN COUNTRIES & CITIES SONGS

AFGHANISTAN

Afghan Woman-T-REX (1968)
It’s Alright-PET SHOP BOYS
(1989 / Dictation being forced in Afghanistan - see: South Africa, Eurasia)
Modern Dance-LOU REED (2000 / Afghanistan)




BABYLON (ancient city & state - see: Babel)

Babylon Sisters-STEELY DAN (1980)
Babylon's Burning-RUTS (1979)
Every Beat Of My Heart-ROD STEWART (1986 / lonely road to Babylon)
Gates Of Babylon-RAINBOW (1978)
The Miracle-QUEEN (1989 / the Hanging Gardens of Babylon & Tower of Babel)
On eBay-CHUMBAWAMBA (2004 / from Babylon back to Babylon)
The Riddle-NIK KERSHAW (1984 / Babylon)
The Richest Man In Babylon-THIEVERY CORPORATION (2002)
Rivers Of Babylon-THE MELODIANS (1970), BONEY M (1978)




BANGLA DESH

Bangla Desh-GEORGE HARRISON (1971)




CAMBODIA

Cambodia-KIM WILDE (1981), APOPTYGMA BERZERK (2005)
Holiday in Cambodia-DEAD KENNEDYS (1980)




CHINA

Beautiful Day-U2 (2000 / see China right in front of you)
Break My Stride-MATHEW WILDER (1984 / I sailed away to China)
Canton-JAPAN (1981)
China-TORI AMOS (1992)
China Doll-JULIAN COPE (1989)
China Girl-DAVID BOWIE (1983)
China In Your Hand-T’PAU (1987 / refers to Chinese porcelain)
China Tea-RUSS CONWAY (1959)
Chinatown-THIN LIZZY (1980)
Chinese Chockers-BOOKER T & THE MGS
Chinese Eyes-FANCY (1984)
The Chinese Way-LEVEL 42 (1983)
Eve Of Destruction-BARRY MCGUIRE (1965 / think of all the hate there is in Red China)
Girls, Girls, Girls-SAILOR
(1975 /Stepping on that slow boat to China - also see: Japan)
Half The World-BELINDA CARLISLE (1991 / The sun comes up in China ... the lights go on in Rome)
Living In China-MEN WITHOUT HATS (1983)
Nobody Told Me-JOHN LENNON (1984 / China, Katmandu & UFO’s over New York)
Queen of China Town-AMANDA LEAR (1977 /Shanghai)
Shanghai-LEE MARROW (1985)
Shanghai Breezes-JOHN DENVER (1982)
Shanghai'd In Shanghai-NAZARETH (1974)
Souvenir De Chine-JEAN MICHEL JARE (1982)
Strange Honey-BLOOMSDAY (1990 / Chinese combs)
Walking On The Chinese Wall-PHILIP BAILEY (1984)
Weather With You-CROWDED HOUSE (1992 / There's a small boat made of China)
Who's That Girl-EURYTHMICS (1983 / China cups)




EDEN (placed in ancient Mesopotamia)

Adam & Eve-PAUL ANKA (1960 / In the Garden of Eden)
Jenseits Von Eden-NINO DE ANGELO (1983 / #1 in Germany)
Like Flames-BERLIN (1986 / in dust they die, while Eden lies near)
The River Of People-LOVE & MONEY
(1987 / when lovers look as though they’re in Eden when they kiss)
She’s Always A Woman-BILLY JOEL
(1978 / she will promise you more than the Garden of Eden)
Waiting For The Sun-THE DOORS
(1970 / At first flash of Eden we raced down to the sea)




FIJI *

Voyage Voyage-DESIRELESS
(1987 / des iles Fiji - also see: Sahara, Fujiyama, Amazone, Gange)

*I won't create a sector for Oceania, so I placed the islands here




HONG KONG

Hong Kong Garden-SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES (their debut single in 1978)
The Magnificent Seven-THE CLASH (1980 / Hong Kong dollars & Indian cents)

GROUP: HONGKONG SYNDIKAT (Hit: Too Much, 1985)




INDIA

Around The World-RED HOT CHILLL PEPPERS (2000 / Bombay)
Bombay Calling-IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY (1968)
Bow Down Mister-JESUS LOVES YOU
(1991 / Hindus - from Bombay to Bangalore ... to Rajastan)
Calcutta-LAWRENCE WELK (1960)
Down Under-MEN AT WORK (1982 / Bombay)
The Miracle-QUEEN (1989 / Taj Mahal)
My Army Of Lovers-ARMY OF LOVERS (1990 / Taj Mahal)
Medicine Show-BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE
(1985 / in India we’re all at the rave - aslo see: Japan, Middle East)
On Your Own-BLUR
(1997 / Holy man tiptoed his way across the Ganges)
Secret Agent Man-BRUCE WILLIS
(1987 / laying in a Bombay alley the next day)
Sympathy For The Devil-ROLLING STONES
(1968 / troubadours who get killed before they reached Bombay)

GROUPS & ARTISTS: TAJ MHAL, HINDU LOVE GODS




IRAN (PERSIA)

Alexander The Great-IRON MAIDEN (1986 / Persia, Persepolis, Susa - also see: Gordion knot, Babylon, India, Alexandria etc.)
In A Persian Market-SAMMY DAVIS JR. (1956)




IRAQ

Baghdad-THE OFFSPRING (1991 & 2004)
Kashka From Baghdad-KATE BUSH (1978)




JAPAN

Alone In Kyoto-AIR (2004)
Big In Japan-ALPHAVILLE (1984)
Hiroshima-SANDRA (1990)
I'm A Cuckoo-BELLE & SEBASTIAN (2003 / I'd rather be in Tokio)
Kyoto Now! -BAD RELIGION (2002)
Kyoto Song-THE CURE (1985)
(The Lament Of The Cherokee) Indian Reservation-
DON FARDON (1968 / Made in Japan)
Life In Tokyo-JAPAN (1979 & 1982)
Madam Butterfly-MALCOLM McLAREN (1984 / Nagasaki)
Lies-THOMPSON TWINS
(1982 / Japan - also see: Egypt-Cleopatra)
Lost In Tokyo Subway (instrumental)-MARCOS VALLE (2001)
Love Missile F1-11-SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK (1986 / ultra violence in Japan)
Mr. Roboto-STYX (1983 / Made in Japan)
My Army Of Lovers-ARMY OF LOVERS (1990 /Tokyo....& various others)
Not Now John-PINK FLOYD
(1983 /got to compete with the wily Japanese - also see: Vietnamese, Russian, Swedes, Argentina)
Tokyo-NENA (1986)
Tokyo Joe-BERTIE HIGGINS (1983)
Tokyo Nights-KROKUS (1979)
Tokyo Storm Warning-ELVIS COSTELLO (1986)
Tonight In Tokyo-SANDIE SHAW (1967)
Turning Japanese-THE VAPORS (1980)
Voyage Voyage-DESIRELESS (1987 / Fujiyama)
What You Waiting For-GWEN STEFANI (2004 / Osaka, Tokyo)
Woman From Tokyo-DEEP PURPLE (1973)
The Walk-THE CURE (1983 / I saw you look like a Japanese baby)
Ziggy Stardust-DAVID BOWIE (1972 / Ziggy really sang, screwed up eyes and screwed down hairdo like some cat from Japan)

Also see:
Ναγκασακι /Nagasaki-ΜΟΥΣΙΚΕΣ ΤΑΞΙΑΡΧΙΕΣ / MOYSIKES TAXIARHIES (1984)
Samurai-MICHAEL CRETU

GROUPS: BIG IN JAPAN, JAPAN




JORDAN

Jordan The Comeback-PREFAB SPROUT (1990)
People Get Ready-THE IMPRESSIONS (1965),
JEFF BECK & ROD STEWART (1985 / for the train to Jordan)




KASHMIR

Kashmir-LED ZEPPELIN (1975)




KOREA

Everything Counts-DEPECHE MODE
(1983 / the turning point of a career in Korea being insincere)
Korean Bodega-FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS (1998)




KUWAIT

Karmacoma-MASSIVE ATTACK feat. TRICKY (1994 / Duplicate, then you wait for the next Kuwait)




LEBANON

Beirut-PETER SARSTEDT
Ghostdancing-SIMPLE MINDS (1986 / you talk about the Lebanon)
The Lebanon-HUMAN LEAGUE (1984)
Shake for the Sheik-THE ESCAPE CLUB
(1988 / from the holy temples of Beirut to the factories of Japan)
Time For Laughter-LITTLE EDEN (1987 /on the streets of Beirut)
War Crimes-THE SPECIAL A.K.A. (1984 / From the graves of Belsen where the innocent were burned To the genocide in Beirut, Israel was nothing learned? ... Bombs to settle arguments, the order of the boot From the graves of Belsen, to the ruins of Beirut)




MESOPOTAMIA (see Eden)

Mesopotamia-B 52’s (1981)




MYANMAR (BURMA)

Rangoon Moon-DOUBLE (1986)




NEPAL

Nobody Told Me-JOHN LENNON (1984 / north of Katmandu)
Katmandu-BOB SEGER (1975)
Shake Your Bon Bon-RICKY MARTIN (1999 / Himalayas)

GROUP: KATMANDU (group formed by Bobby Caldwell when he was 19)




PALESTINE / ISRAEL

Armageddon Days Are Here-THE THE (1989)
Armageddon It-DEF PEPPARD (1987)
Been to Canaan-CAROLE KING (1972 / Χαναάν)
Crucified-ARMY OF LOVERS (1991 / Yherushalaim)
Eve Of Destruction-BARRY McGUIRE (1965 / Jordan River)
Every Day Is Like Sunday-MORRISSEY (1988 / Armageddon)
Happiness Is Easy-TALK TALK (1986 / little ships of Galilee)
Into The Fire-THIRTEEN SENSES (2004 /from Samaritan to sin)
Israel-SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES (1980)
Israelism-ARMY OF LOVERS (1993)
Jericho-SIMPLY RED (1986 / Ιεριχώ)
Jerusalem-HERB ALPERT (1970), DALIAH LAVI (1971)
Loving The Alien-DAVID BOWIE (1985 / Palestine a modern problem)
Mad About You-STING (1991 / Jerusalem)
Palestina-MATIA BAZAR (1983)
Seven Ways Of Going-PATTI SMITH
(1979 / Swept through the seas of Galilee and the Seven Hills of Rome)
Ship Of Fools-WORLD PARTY (1987 /I’m sure you’ll built your Sodom)
Sodom & Gomorrah-VILLAGE PEOPLE (1978)
Tel Aviv-DURAN DURAN (1981)
Tel Aviv-MATISSE (2007)
Tommy Gun-THE CLASH
(1978 / standing there in Palestine lighting the fuse)
Viva La Vida-COLDPLAY (2008 / I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing Roman Cavalry choirs are singing)
Walls Come Tumbling Down-STYLE COUNCIL (1985 / Jericho)
The Weight-THE BAND (1968 / I pulled into Nazareth - according to Robbie Robertson, the song refers to Nazareth, Pennsylvania)
You’re History-SHAKESPEAR’ SISTER
(1989 / like the Dead See scrolls - also: Jordan)

GROUPS:
EYELESS IN GAZA
NAZARETH
THEN JERICO




PAPUA

Papua-CHINA CRISIS (1983)
Papua New Guinea-FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON (1991)




SAUDI ARABIA

Mecca-GENE PITNEY (1963)
Miss Sarajevo-THE PASSENGERS (1995 / Is there a time to turn to Mecca)
Prodigal Song-PURESSENCE (2002 /Mecca's obsolete)
The Secret Life Of Arabia-DAVID BOWIE (1977),
BEF featuring BILLY MacKENZIE (1982)




SIAM (THAILAND)

One Night In Bangkok-MURRAY HEAD (1984), ROBEY (1984)
Lips Like Sugar-ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (1987 / Siam)
Summer In Siam-THE POGUES (1990)
LP Siamese Dream-SMASHING PUMPKINS (1993 / Their 2nd LP)




SINGAPORE

On A Little Street In Singapore-THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER (1978)




SYRIA

There’s Always Something There To Remind Me-
THE HOUSEMARTINS (1988 / from Berlin to Damascus)




TAIWAN

For America-RED BOX (1986 / made in Taiwan western scenes)

TIBET

Take Me I'm Yours-SQUEEZE (1978 / across Tibetian mountains)




TURKEY

The Gates Of Istanbul-LOREENA McKENNITT (2006)
Istanbul (Not Konstantinople)-THE FOUR LADS (1953), FRANKIE VAUGHAN (1954), THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS (1990)
She Took My Soul In Istanbul-MARC ALMOND (1989)
Uska Dara EARTHA KITT (1953 /Üsküdar, district of Constantinople: formerly Greek town named Skoutari / Almost all turkish contemporary toponyms come from the originally Greek name of the city fronted by the word Eis=to, "to the city" / For example Eis-Tin-Poli (Poli stands for Konstantinoupoli) became Istanbul, Eis-Smyrni became Izmir, Eis-Skoutari became Üsküdar etc.)




VIETNAM

Beatles & the Stones-HOUSE OF LOVE (1990 / Vietnam)
Born in the USA-BRUCE (1984 / Khe Sahn, Vietcong, Saigon)
Camouflage-STAN RIDGWAY (1986)
Goodnight Saigon-BILLY JOEL (1982)
The Love Of Richard Nixon-MANIC STREET PREACHERS (2004 / Love rains down like Vietnam's leeches - also: China)
19 (Nineteen)-PAUL HARDCASTLE (1985 / Vietnam, Saigon)
Vietnam-JIMMY CLIFF (1970)
Yellow River-CHRISTIE (1970 / although "Yellow River" is referring to a fictional place, it was considered by many back then as a "Vietnam song")




VARIOUS

Cantaloop-US 3 (1992 / from here to Asia)