10 Best Architecture Songs

Feb 2009

By Sebastian J — Filed under: News , Music

Cesar Dubó sent us this link to Flavor Wire (Flavorpill’s Blog). It shows the very best songs related to architecture. Please, feel free to submit your own favorites in the comments.

1. “Government Center” by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
The only anthem to bureaucracy – and the architectural altar at which all lesser bureaucratic buildings worship, Boston’s Government Center- we’re aware of. Richman and Co. confirm that, even with “a lot of great desks and chairs,” the best way to animate a space is with a dance party.

2. “Don’t Worry About the Government” by the Talking Heads
Architecture as savior: “My building has every convenience, it’s gonna make life easy for me.” If the Bauhaus had a theme song, it’d be this one.

3. “Brick House” by the Commodores
Yes, architecture can be sexy. Brick houses might not really be the hottest buildings out there, but we admit it’s hard to rhyme anything with Guggenheim.

4. “Who Do You Love?” by Bo Diddley
That’s one creepy house.

5. “Norwegian Wood” by the Beatles
A song about hipster apartments, falling in love, and bad seating arrangements (hasn’t she heard of Ikea?).

6. “White Room” by Cream
A song about loneliness in a crowd and loneliness alone – and, OK, maybe cocaine? – this one moves between the train station and Clapton’s empty apartment.

7. “Little Room” by the White Stripes
The room in question is definitely a modernist affair. White walls, surely, with maybe a red-trimmed window in the corner. The song’s about how any room can be a prison, and how the grass isn’t always greener, real-estate-wise, no matter what Craigslist says.

8. “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
A love song to suburban domesticity. Bo-ring, but that’s the point.

9. “Mansion on the Hill” by Hank Williams
Architectural envy. Also a metaphor for McMansion soullessness, before it really existed.

10. “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash
The problem with architecture altogether: It doesn’t change, and when it’s bad, you’re stuck inside like Jonah. Outside on the train, “Those people keep a-movin’, and that’s what tortures me.”

59 comments »

mariomeira says:

Just want to remember the latest dEUS album – Vantage Point, which contains a track called “The Architect”…

(sorry my english)

# February 19, 2009 at 11:56

Kat says:

“the architect” by DEUS,
its about Buckminster Fuller, great video too…

# February 19, 2009 at 11:58

matt says:

“so long, Frank Lloyd Wright” by Simon & Garfunkel

# February 19, 2009 at 12:02

Chris Schmitt says:

The Replacements “Skyway” is one of my favorites. A Minneapolis band singing about a Minneapolis architectural peculiarity.

# February 19, 2009 at 12:16

Nom_de_Guerre says:

“The Hexx” by Pavement:

“Architecture Students are like virgins with an itch they cannot scratch
Never build a building until you’re fifty what kind of life is that?”

“Here I dreamt I Was An Architect” by The Decemberists

“Here I dreamt I was an Architect,
And even though my work is unparalelled
I built this balustrade to keep you warm, to keep you safe
When I am not around”

# February 19, 2009 at 12:25

“Whats He Building In There?” By Tom Waits

”
Whats He Building In There?
What the Hell is he building in there??

I tell you one thing he’s not building a playhouse for the children…”

Scary song, scary video ALSO on a lighter note, “We built this City” by Starship :)

“We built this city on Rock n’ Roooollll!!!”

# February 19, 2009 at 12:29

Dantestraw says:

“Respect the Architect” by Guru. Including the couplet:
“Floor to ceiling, constantly building
with power to construct towers of rap”

# February 19, 2009 at 12:30

Theo Jones says:

Anything by Architecture in Helsinki?

# February 19, 2009 at 12:51

diego says:

our house, MADNESS

# February 19, 2009 at 13:19

David says:

Pink Floyd – The Wall (whole album),
Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of The Moon (whole album)
Pink Floyd – Echoes.

# February 19, 2009 at 13:43

:) Dante that one slipped past me!

# February 19, 2009 at 13:44

Tengo says:

Spiral Architect – Black Sabbath!!!

# February 19, 2009 at 13:59

Colin H. says:

“Grave Architecture” by Pavement.

# February 19, 2009 at 14:39

bp says:

psh, that decemberists’ tune is a cover of morrissey

# February 19, 2009 at 15:20

Wyatt O'Day says:

Animal Imagination by Glass Candy – for those electronica fans out there

# February 19, 2009 at 15:34

rob in chicago says:

Um, “Little Pink Houses,” anyone?!

# February 19, 2009 at 16:05

mfrech says:

“Thru These Architect’s Eyes” by David Bowie.

…stomping along on this big Phillip Johnson…
http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Albums/O/TTAE.html

# February 19, 2009 at 16:51

Malwina says:

“Two Grey Rooms” by Johni Mitchell

# February 19, 2009 at 17:18

Jordan S. says:

Nice with the Pavement and Tom Waits songs.

Cant forget “The house where nobody lives” by Tom Waits. Its sad but true.

# February 19, 2009 at 20:00

Azul says:

Well.. What about: The House of The Rising Sun?

# February 19, 2009 at 23:49

Normm says:

New Frontier
Donald Fagen

Yes we’re gonna have a wingding
A summer smoker underground
It’s just a dugout that my dad built
In case the reds decide to push the button down
We’ve got provisions and lots of beer
The key word is survival on the new frontier…

Well I can’t wait ’til I move to the city
‘Til I finally make up my mind
To learn design and study overseas…

# February 20, 2009 at 00:19

Duncan says:

The Architects by At The Gates…

Ornaments in silent darkness,
the image of man now torn from its structure

Pulsating waves of colour,
bleeding off into the black
A whisper of red screams through the night
The architects and the flesh…

# February 20, 2009 at 02:47

Aktu1 says:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bWUfpDDVi4

# February 20, 2009 at 04:22

freddy wolf says:

Rammstein with Stein um Steim (stone by stone)

Ich habe Pläne, große Pläne,
ich baue dir ein Haus,
jeder Stein ist eine Träne,
und du ziehst nie wieder aus,
ja ich baue ein Häuschen dir,
hat keine Fenster, keine Tür,
innen wird es Dunkel sein,
dringt überhaupt kein Licht hinein

Ja ich schaffe dir ein Heim,
und du sollst Teil des ganzen sein

Stein um Stein,
mauer ich dich ein,
Stein um Stein,
ich werde immer bei dir sei

translation:
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Stein-Um-Stein-English-Translation-lyrics-Rammstein/05181E731805E8CD482570CC002C611D

# February 20, 2009 at 04:31

daidalos says:

David Byrne

Glass, Concrete & Stone, it is just a house not a home.

# February 20, 2009 at 04:43

Tolga says:

“The Architect in Hell” by Shipping News
“Glass House” by Damon & Naomi

# February 20, 2009 at 04:56

Jean Vounelle says:

Something AWESOME about architecture haha,

Hip Hop rocks in architecture too : ))

3-2-1 Contact: Architecture

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=151165400007&h=r06fx&u=7Pb3V

Greats from Paris

# February 20, 2009 at 06:01

borki says:

The Counting Crows- Perfect Blue Buildings..

asleep in perfect blue buildings, beside a green apple sea…

# February 20, 2009 at 06:17

Donpedro says:

What about “Architecture & Morality”, the 1981 release from “Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark”. By the way, check out the cover, by graphic genius Peter Saville.

# February 20, 2009 at 06:31

clickclickjim says:

I second that call from Nom De Guerre for “Here I dreamt I was an Architect” by The Decemberists.

“And I am nothing of a builder
But here I dreamt I was an architect”

Oh, and “The Village Green Preservation Society” by the Kinks!

# February 20, 2009 at 06:54

srdjan says:

from a serbian band called ‘disciplina kitschme’ a song named ‘do not throw concrete blocks from the top of your house!’ :)
very cool song!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZIsWxUH9cI

# February 20, 2009 at 07:36

martin says:

May I contribute with some other songs:

- Empty house, by Air
- Take me back to your house, by Basement Jaxx (great video btw)
- Truckdrivin neighbours downstairs, by Beck
“Truck-driving’ neighbors downstairs
Oh, yeah…yeah”
- Homecoming, by The Teenagers
- A window, by The Radio Dept.
- May Nothing But Happiness Come Through Your Door, by Mogwai
- Architecture in Helsinki (this is a band)

# February 20, 2009 at 08:14

voxish says:

Yaah Yaah Industrial Estate!
Yaah Yaah Industrial Estate!
- The Fall

# February 20, 2009 at 08:26

Oh, and…
My new house
Keep away from my new house
Wash the drawers of pills
It’s got window sills
With lead centred in the middle of them
- The Fall

# February 20, 2009 at 08:34

Gnarls Barkley “Feng Shui”:

“In this house the decor is obvious obscure.
It’s clearly the theory of Less is More.”

Just makes me think of Mies at the turntables. :)

# February 20, 2009 at 08:50

vitez says:

“Concrete jungle” by Bob Marley :))))))

# February 20, 2009 at 08:57

smalltown says:

a lot of older songs….thats fun
a penny of punk…

RISE AGAINST – BRICKS
We’re setting the fires to light the way,
We’re burning it all to begin again,
With hope in our hearts and bricks in our hands,
We sing for change.
We run on the fumes of injustice,
We’ll never die with the fuel that you give us,

only during 1:30 min.
maybe isn’t an architectural song… but defintly is
an sustentable song… jjjjj

# February 20, 2009 at 09:10

leave the link
Rise against, Bricks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCHR4IM9NGo

Rise against, Ready to fall (uncut)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dScutbJpHoA
this video are really great…
Now I’m standing on the rooftop ready to fall (ready to fall)
I think I’m at the edge now but I could be wrong
I’m standing on the rooftop ready to fall

sustentable songs… jajaja

# February 20, 2009 at 09:17

Partick Bateman says:

Kate Bush – An Architects Dream
The Smiths – Back to the Old House
The Smith – Barbarism begins at Home
Oasis – The Masterplan
XTC – Making Plans for Nigel
The Stone Roses – Made of Stone
The Jam – A Town called Malice
The National – Apartment Story
Radiohead – Life in a Glass House
Mogwai – Stop Coming to my House
Modest Mouse – Tiny Cities made of Ashes
Talking Heads – Burning Down the House
The Small Victories – Rusting All Over Town (http://www.myspace.com/thesmallvictories)

# February 20, 2009 at 09:35

marti says:

damien rice – grey room :D

# February 20, 2009 at 09:47

Russ Harvey says:

The Kinks, “Preservation” and Genesis, “Get ‘em Out By Friday”…
Urban Planning gone wild!

# February 20, 2009 at 14:26

Eric says:

I’d say Cathedrals by Jump Little Children

# February 20, 2009 at 16:27

momar says:

the entire Illinois album by Sufjan Stevens shouldn’t be omitted.

# February 21, 2009 at 02:28

Gisela says:

Einstürzende Neubauten records

Tabula Rasa (1993)
Strategien gegen Architekturen 80-83 (1984)
Strategies Against Architecture II (1991)
Strategies Against Architecture III (2001)
Musterhaus:Anarchitektur (2005)

Song by Roxy Music In Every Dream Home A Heartache

Standards of living
They’re rising daily
But home oh sweet home
It’s only a saying
>From bell push to faucet
In smart town apartment
The cottage is pretty
The main house a palace
Penthouse perfection

but it’s actually about this guy who buys an inflatable doll…

# February 21, 2009 at 10:15

aik says:

Love – A House is not a Motel
Calexico – House in Valparaiso
Paul Simon – You can call me Al (”he looks around, around, He sees angels in the architecture”)
Spacemen 3 – Big City
Brian Eno&David Byrne – The Lighthouse

# February 21, 2009 at 11:55

runningforasthma says:

No-one has mentioned the most obvious (although probably totally obscure) band:

The Barcelona Pavilion – New Materiology

# February 22, 2009 at 07:41

Sebastian says:

If nobody said this before:

The bands “Einstursende Neubauten” and “Architecture of Helsinski”

# February 22, 2009 at 18:54

macapuf says:

croatian hit for croatian architects about croatian reality…
all ex Yu can enjoy too

# February 23, 2009 at 05:57

sory, I forgot to paste the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9xAd5HqPqM

# February 23, 2009 at 05:58

Bilouba says:

Hey! What about “Mmm Skyscraper I Love You” from Underworld? You can’t beat that title! :D

# February 23, 2009 at 15:28

Kerwin says:

“Hoover Factory” by Elvis Costello — a song about historic preservation by the best songwriter of his generation

# March 2, 2009 at 14:20

LLuiggi says:

What about “Little Boxes” by Malvina Reynolds?
The song was used as opening theme for Weeds (the tv series).
It´s a beautiful song about suburbia and all the BENEFITS for those who which to LIVE there… Or not!

# March 4, 2009 at 15:43

Basulto David says: