You see a lot of American cities get referenced in movies and music. Sleepless in Seattle is a movie that comes to mind and Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” is a classic. I get it, there’s something romantic about big cities and they can inspire all sorts of artistic output.
I was curious to see if Tri-Cities showed up in any consequential lyrics and was pleasantly surprised to find several quality songs. Check them out!
If I had to guess, considering Lynyrd Skynyrd being very proudly from the south, that in a song called “Mississippi Kid” the Tri-Cities in question is probably Tri-Cities, Tennesee. Still cool, nonetheless.
Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Mississippi Kid”
Well I’m going to fetch my woman, people
Tri-Cities here I come
Oh well I’m going to fetch my woman, people
Tri-Cities here I come
This next song seems to be entirely about eastern Washington, with Yakima also getting a mention at the beginning of the song. From their 2001 record Pure Rock Fury, this one is a good groovy alt-rock banger from a bygone era from the turn of the millennium. Instant nostalgia. For the record, Clutch is from Maryland.
Clutch – “Sink Em Low”
Run son, get on in
We must get to Kennewick
Sodom and Gomorrah
Followed up by;
The ash turned to confetti, Alleluia!
In the great Tri-Cities, Alleluia!
Oh God gave his great mercy, Alleluia!
Vine, Viche, Veti, Alleluia!
This next band is a hardcore punk outfit from San Francisco, California. In an already loud and rowdy song, Kennewick is the word shouted the loudest on the whole track. They seem to be a newer band, but they’re signed to a legendary punk record label, Fat Wreck.
Western Addiction – “Laurette”
Get loose among the prey
Sun-drenched, slaked and grazed
Kennewick, drift and drift
Laurette let them in
Tender mercenaries
I don’t know much about this next artist, but I did like this song. David Prince sings an emotional diddy, describing a depressed haze while eating at a popular Tri-Cities restaurant.
David Prince – At the Three-Eyed Fish
It’s just a little joint inside the Pasco airport
Don’t ask me if the food there’s good or bad
While we aren’t New York or southside Chicago, Tri-Cities has been namedropped a surprising amount in music. Are these songs good enough for your playlist?
44 of the Best Musicians to Have Hailed From Washington State
We all know about the influential grunge scene of Seattle that brought the end of hair metal at the dawn of the 1990s. But did you know even more artists have called Washington home? A lot of these artists come from Seattle but some come from Spokane and even the Tri-Cities.