I got my first real six-string...

As any fule kno, the guitar is the world's finest instrument when it comes to rockin' and, indeed, rollin'. No surprise then that songsmiths in need of inspiration look down at their Martin/Gibson/Fender and think: "Hey! I'll slip in a few lines about this here guitar!". And so another list is born.

Here is the playlist on Spotify

Some highlights:

Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams. I got my first real six-string/ Bought it from the five-and-dime/ Played it till my fingers bled/ It was the summer of '69.

Guitar Man - several different songs of the same name by Elvis, Bread, and J. J. Cale

Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen. Well I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk.

This Old Guitar - Neil Young

Sound of the Suburbs - The Members. Johnny's upstairs in his bedroom sitting in the dark/ Annoying the neighbours with his punk rock electric guitar.

The Wood and the Wire - Fairport Convention. In a high-street window it winked and beckoned/ Turned his head in a single second/ First month's wage, heart's desire/ Under the spell of the wood and wire.

Thanks to the taxi drivers and radio stations of Kaliningrad for inspiration. Good to know that Bon Jovi are still rocking Russia.

Many rivers to cross

Songs about rivers. Only real rivers, named in the song title. Only one entry per river.

Anna Liffey - The Dubliners

Banks of the Bann - various

Blackwaterside - Oysterband and others. There are lots of River Blackwaters.

The Blue Danube - Johann Strauss II - not a song, so disqualified.

Clyde Water - Dave Swarbrick & Martin Carthy

Cuyahoga - R.E.M.

The Miller of the Dee - Isaac Bickerstaffe

River of Jordan - Peter Paul & Mary

Kern River - Emmylou Harris and/or Merle Haggard

L.A. River - Rancid

Moon River - Henry Mancini. Controversial. The song was not written about a particular river, but after it became successful, an inlet near lyricist Johnny Mercer's hometown of Savannah, Georgia was renamed "Moon River". So now there is a river for the song to be about.

My Lagan Love - Sinead O'Connor

Ferry 'cross the Mersey - Gerry and the Pacemakers

Banks of the Nile - Sandy Denny

Ohio River Boat Song - Bonnie Prince Billy

Ohoopee River Bottomland - Larry Jon Wilson

Orinoco Flow - Enya

Red River Valley - Slim Whitman

Rio Grande - Brian Wilson

Rio Grande - traditional sea shanty. Yes I know but it's about a different Rio Grande (the one in Brazil)

Broad Majestic Shannon - The Pogues

Oh Shenandoah - just about everybody.

Go little Swale - Jake Thackray

Swanee - George Gershwin (but not "Old Folks at Home" by Stephen Foster as river not in title)

Dear River Thames - Richard Digance

Both Sides of the Tweed - Mary Black

Fog on the Tyne - Lindisfarne

Song of the Volga boatmen - Red Army Choir etc