City by the Bay: Essential songs about San Francisco

There is no doubt that Tony Bennett probably has one of the most famous songs about the Bay Area city with his single "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." On the track, he initially discusses how cities like Paris, Rome, and Manhattan just don't compare, and how he feels the most at ease in San Francisco. As he sings on the second verse, "I left my heart in San Francisco / High on a hill, it calls to me / To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars / The morning fog may chill the air, I don't care." 

In 2006, rock band Arctic Monkeys released their promotional single "Fake Tales of San Francisco." On the track, the band sings of a person who claims to know more about the city than what he's leading on. As they sing on the bridge, "He talks of San Francisco, he's from Hunter's Bar / I don't quite know the distance, but I'm sure that's far / Yeah, I'm sure it's pretty far." 

Jazz singer Carmen McRae details how she indulges in libations on her track "I'm Always Drunk in San Francisco." On the song, McRae highlights how it's something about the city that makes her do things that she typically doesn't partake in. It's evident from the first verse as she sings, "I'm always drunk in San Francisco / I always stay out of my mind / But if you’ve been to San Francisco / They say that things like this go on all the time." 

In 2004, pop singer Vanessa Carlton released her sophomore album Harmonium. One of the album's standout tracks is "San Francisco," in which Carlton highlights spending a day in the Bay Area city with a lover. They do everything from going out to coffee shops to embracing the city's landscapes. 

San Francisco is located near the Pacific Ocean, and boating activities are a huge pastime among natives and tourists. Legendrary soul singer Otis Redding knows this all too well on his 1968 single "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." On the track, Redding describes sitting near the water and watching boats passing by. 

The members of rock band Train all hail from the San Francisco Bay Area, it's no wonder they showed love for their hometown on their 2011 single "Save Me, San Francisco." On the track, the band details different areas and attractions that make up the city, such as Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the city's famous cable cars. They highlight how other cities are cool, but there's nothing like the comfort of their hometown. 

There was a time in which San Francisco was considered a vibrant and laid-back city, something that Scott McKenzie described on his 1967 hit song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)." It helped showcase the burgeoning hippie movement arising in the city at that time. As he sings on the first verse, "If you're going to San Francisco / Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair / If you're going to San Francisco / You're gonna meet some gentle people there." 

Singer and actress Jeanette MacDonald starred in the 1936 musical film San Francisco, which included the theme song of the same name. Judy Garland soon sang her own rendition in concert, in which she alludes to MacDonald's character in the film. On the track, Garland details her love for the city as she sings, "San Francisco, right when I arrive / I really come alive / And you will laugh to see me / Perpendicular, hanging on a cable car."

In 2015, Australian pop band 5 Seconds of Summer released their sophomore album Sounds Good Feels Good. On the album cut "San Francisco," the band reminisces on a past love and wanting to get that feeling back. In order for them to go back to those good times, they want to go back to San Francisco, when life was good. 

Rock band Journey hails from San Francisco and they made sure to show love to their hometown on their 1978 single "Lights." The soothing rock sound is perfect for a city that is often referred to as a laidback area. "Lights" has often been used during celebrations and promotions for San Francisco sports teams like the Giants, 49ers, and the Golden State Warriors. 

The soothing sound of Glenn Yarbrough on his song "So Long, San Francisco," always makes listeners feel like they never want to leave the city. On the track, Yarbrough highlights how he was in the city for a visit, and although he feels like he's overstayed his welcome, he finds it pretty difficult to leave a city that he loves. 

In 2014, singer-songwriter Moses Sumney released his first EP Mid-City Island. One of the standout tracks is "San Fran," in which Sumney uses different metaphors of people chasing their dreams and describes different iconic elements of the city such as the fog and the wharf. 

Hip-hop duo Zion I hails from Oakland and has never shied away from showing love to their hometown. On their 2005 track "The Bay," they detail different parts of the Bay Area, including Oakland, Vallejo, and of course, San Francisco. As they rap in the first verse, "Unique so to speak in a whole lot of ways / We hardly get the love 'cause we close to LA / We got our own slang / But everybody took it / Now we going dumb down the ave driving crooked."

In 1977, the Village People came on the disco scene with their debut single "San Francisco (You've Got Me)." On the track, the group details different parts of the city while also highlighting how it's a place that believes in freedom and liberation. As they sing on the track, "Dress the way you please and put your mind at ease / It's a city known for its freedom / Cycles shining bright break the silence of the night / Inhibitions, no, you don't need them." 

Acclaimed producer Quincy Jones worked with Peggy Lee on her 1962 album Blues Cross Country. Deemed a concept album, Lee uses the album to highlight different cities across America. On "San Francisco Blues," Lee details different activities in the city like riding on the cable cars, going to Fisherman's Wharf, and relaxing at Golden Gate Park. 

Although rapper San Quinn was born in Oakland, he grew up in the Fillmore District of San Francisco. On his 2008 single "San Francisco Anthem," he samples the aforementioned Scott McKenzie song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)." On the track, Quinn and featured artists Big Rich and Boo Banga details different parts of the city, including Hunter's Point, Fillmore, Hayes Valley, and Sunnydale, and how much they have pride for the city that raised them.

Singer-songwriter Chris Isaak may have grown up in Stockton, Calif., but he made sure to have a song about San Francisco on his fourth album titled San Francisco Days. On the track, Isaak reminisces about a past lover who he spent a lot of time with in the Bay Area city. As he says on the third verse, "Walking down on Market Street and feeling my heart skip a beat / To see someone that looks like you I guess that I'm not through / Dreaming of the one I love you know what I'm dreaming of / San Francisco days, San Francisco nights."

Rock band Starship hails from San Francisco, and they made sure to show love to their hometown on their debut single "We Built This City." On the track, Starship calls out how corporations and industry politics were shutting down music clubs, so they want to iterate how musicians keep the city alive. "We Built This City" shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release in

Blues musician Buddy Guy details visiting the Bay Area city for the first time on his 1972 track "Hello San Francisco." He tells the story of being in San Francisco because a past lover of his is now in that city, and he's ready to look for her and win her back by any means necessary. 

In 2020, pop singer Niall Horan released his sophomore album Heartbreak Weather. On the deep cut track "San Francisco," Horan is reminiscing on a past love that he wants back. He clearly had good times with his past lover in San Francisco and wants to go back to the city with hopes they can rekindle what they had in the past.