List of songs with “Duluth” in the lyrics or title

This post was launched in 2009 and the list of Duluth songs continues to expand as new ones are reported. In mid-2018 the gradual process was begun of including links to posts with audio (and video if available) of the songs.

Abort Scene – “Born Pinned to the Duluth Wheel
Teague Alexy – “Christmas Bells, Holiday Drums (Jingle, Jangle)
Richard Lee Armstrong – “Landlord of Duluth
Big Jon Arthur – “Cincinnati Dancing Pig
Atmosphere – “Say Shh …
Autumn Leaves – “Back to Me
Dan Bern with Jane’s Great Dane – “Cowboy
Olivia Blair – “Duluth
Will Branch – “Duluth
Bullet – “Duluth Blues
Charles Atlas – “Duluth (Alan Sparhawk Mix)”
Chris Blanchard’s Band – “Duluth”
Mary Bue – “The Shit I Left in Duluth
T-Bone Burnett – “Every Time I Feel the Shift
Joe “Fingers” Carr – “Cincinnati Dancing Pig
Alice Cooper – “Remarkably Insincere
Vic Damone – “Cincinnati Dancing Pig
Darling Drive – “At a Loss
Dave Rave and the Governors – “Duluth”
Da Yoopers – “I-500 Snow Machine Race”
The Decemberists – “Traveling On
Dirtbike Boyfriend – “Duluth”
David Dondero – “Oh Minnesota
De Elliot Bros. – “I Like it in Duluth
Detroit – “I Like it in Duluth
Bob Dylan – “Something There is About You
Maya Hawke – “Sweet Tooth
Father Hennepin – “I Like it in Duluth
Fattypants – “Blue Light Special”
The Feelin’ – “Bob Dylan Loves Duluth
The Felice Brothers – “Aerosol Ball
Finian’s Rainbow cast – “The Begat
Fish Heads – “I Like it in Duluth
Red Foley – “Cincinnati Dancing Pig
Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Cincinnati Dancing Pig
Giljunko – “St. Paul Caves”
Goats in Trees – “Midnight Road to Duluth
Good Knight – “Duluth Minnesnowta
Good Knight – “Two Eighteen (Duluth Minnesnowta Part II)
Betty Grable & Dick Haymes – “The Back Bay Polka
Merv Griffin – “Christmas City
Jim Hall – “Duluth Blues”
Jacob Hermann – “Duluth”
Richard G. Hofacre – “City Lights of Duluth
The Hoot Owls – “Scandinavian Hot Rod
Dave Hudson – “Samson in Duluth
Annie Humphrey – “500 Years”
Ian Gillan Band – “Clear Air Turbulence
Idle Generican – “Go to Duluth”
Japancakes – “Duluth 7.5
The Jayhawks – “Life Floats By
Mason Jennings – “Duluth
Brian Just – “Duluth
Gene Krupa and His Orchestra – “Cincinnati Dancing Pig
Brianna Lane – “Duluth
Jay Leonhart – “The Couple from Duluth
Jenny Lewis – “Heads Gonna Roll
Lindula Brothers – “A Cold Day in Duluth”
LowH1Funk – “Looking for Love
Heller Mason – “Duluth”
Matt the Electrician – “Sad Lisa Waltz
Clare Means – “Duluth Song
Bob Merrill – “The Couple from Duluth
Charlotte Montgomery – “Duluth’s Song
James Moors – “Welcome to Duluth
The Magnolias – “Playing to Win
Marty Marflow – “Duluth, St. Paul & Winona”
Meat Puppets – “Lake of Fire
Moe – “Bring You Down”
The Moose Wallow Ramblers – “I Like it in Duluth
More Then Merry – “Duluth
Nicholas Mrozinski – “Bob Dylan Loves Duluth”
David Munyon – “Coffee in Duluth
Josh Musikantow – “Duluth 99
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Cast – “What a Pleasant Journey
Natural’grass – “I Like it in Duluth
Jeb Loy Nichols – “Say Goodbye to Christopher
Nirvana – “Lake of Fire
Noon – “Duluth
Peter, Paul & Mary – “Love City (Postcards to Duluth)
Phish – “Halfway to the Moon
The Red Clay Ramblers – “Blue Duluth”
Luke Redfield – “Ides of May
The Repairmen – “Duluth Song
The Replacements – “Treatment Bound”
Jonathan Richman – “They’re Not Tryin’ on the Dance Floor
Haroula Rose – “Duluth
Ben Rosenbush and the Brighton – “Duluth
Tom Russell – “Mesabi
Saturday Night Live Cast – “Fly High, Duluth
Jeremy Schwarze – “Duluth
Doug Setterberg & Stan Boreson – “Scandinavian Hot Shot
Sexhawk – “Duluth is Still Afloat (In Our Hearts)
Shuggy Ray Smith – “Ruth from Duluth
The Slamming Doors – “Goddamn Duluth
Jim Snidero Quartet – “Duluth at Noon
Stevenson – “I Love My Lips
Claire Stewart – “Duluth, My Home Town
The Stonemans – “Two Kids from Duluth, Minnesota
Pierre Tanguay – “Madame Duluth”
Eric Thiegs – “Duluth
They Might Be Giants – “Rabid Child
Dylan Thomas – “Duluth Street
Greg Tiburzi – “Perfect Duluth Day
Tin Can Gin – “Duluth
Al Trace and the Revelers – “Duluth M-I-double-N
Traditional rugby song – “In Duluth”
Trampled by Turtles – “Duluth
VeggieTales – “I Love My Lips
Vinnie & the Stardusters – “Duluth”
Matt Wahl – “Just Look at the Lake
Wet Dog – “Help Me Scream”
White Iron Band – “Drunk in Duluth
Winterwood – “Duluth”
Frankie Yankovic and His Yanks – “Duluth Polka
Yeltzi – “Duluth”
Luke Zimmerman – “Duluth

52 Comments

happy_ignorant_itinerant

about 16 years ago

"Treatment Bound" by the Replacements

We get a noseful from our so called friends. We're gettin' nowhere, quick as we know how. We whirl from town to town, Duluth to Madison Treatment bound ...

"Lake of Fire" by the Meat Puppets

I knew a lady who came from Duluth
She got bit by a dog with a rabid tooth.

Barrett

about 16 years ago

Perhaps you should check out this book.

Paul Lundgren

about 16 years ago

Oh Lordy, this is already out of control.

Mary

about 16 years ago

They Might Be Giants - Rabid Child
("Chess Piece Face and The Big Duluth call her every day...")

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - What a Pleasant Journey
("The 5:15 from Duluth
Oh my! It just derailed!
The toxic waste is spillin',
The conductor's been impaled.
A benzine cloud has risen,
and the whole town's startin' to cough. 
Within in a matter of daaaaaaays,
All of our skin will fall off.")

Jim Myers

about 16 years ago

Rabid Child by They Might Be Giants;

Chess Piece Face and The Big Duluth 
call her every day 
"Hammer down" and "rabbit ears" 
are the only words they know

udarnik

about 16 years ago

There is a traditional rugby song called "In Duluth."

Paul Lundgren

about 16 years ago

Ah, yes, thanks Udarnik!

Oh the eagles they fly high in Duluth.
Oh the eagles they fly high in Duluth.
Oh the eagles they fly high and they shit right in your eye,
Thank the Lord that cows don't fly in Duluth.

Jonathan Richman

about 16 years ago

What about Not Trying on the Dancefloor by me?

Jonathan Richman

about 16 years ago

they're not movin very much
they just have that certain touch
and that's really all there is to it
if they don't feel it they won't do it
like Centralia or Duluth
well they're tellin ya the truth
They're not tryin' on the dance floor no
they're just movin slow

Matt Perrine

about 16 years ago

I don't know if this counts, but de Elliott Brothers also covered "I Like It in Duluth."

Paul Lundgren

about 16 years ago

Jonathan, I'm not familiar with that song, but the Internet confirms it exists, so on the list it goes.

Matt, thanks! I forgot that version. Now we're up to four!

edgeways

about 16 years ago

If you go here http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll and type in "Duluth" you'll get about ~20 songs with Duluth in the title.

ms dean

about 16 years ago

Trampled by Turtles' and Yeltzi's latest albums both have songs called "Duluth."

Matt Perrine

about 16 years ago

Totally forgot about this one: Nicholas Mrozinski of the Feelin Band's "Bob Dylan Loves Duluth"

The Big E

about 16 years ago

We were deeply moved when we caught our 6 year-old singing along to "I Like it in Duluth" a couple weekends ago.

wild phil

about 16 years ago

is a PDD-sponsored mix cd/box set inevitable? i want one

Tony D.

about 16 years ago

I can't believe nobody has postd this one yet:

The Jayhawks' "Life Floats By"

"We hit Duluth on a jag, baby...."

banjoteeth

about 16 years ago

Wet Dog's "Help Me Scream"

First Line:
"I know a city
it's called Duluth"

There's also references to the NorShor AND it's sung by Jamie Ness, so that's about as Duluth as you get.

nick s

about 16 years ago

da yooper's  I-500

Elias

about 16 years ago

No "Duluth" in the lyrics, but there's a real beautiful / haunting kinda-Christmas song by Holopaw that seems to be about the loss of certain sleigh over Lake Superior. You can hear a snippet at electricfetus.com, it's on the album "Quit +/or Fight".  Couldn't find any lyrics online but here's my best shot at the relevant parts:


Without a thought he said, 
"Go Dasher, go Dancer," 
and they dropped their heads 
disappeared into the cloud bank 
following those silver sparks 
gathering the distance 
between this chilly flood 
and sugar plums dancing.

Those silver bells didn't make a sound 
when they fell to rest at the bottom of Superior.  

Just above earshot he said, 
"Go Dasher, go Dancer," 
and they dropped their heads 
disappeared into the Lake 
through the splintery ice 
into the slippery waters 
towards the falling embers...

...Remembers velveteen dust
the season's first snow
he's sorry to have left you 
but there was so far left to go 
and the lake was icing over...

...All is calm, all is bright
and they're dragging the Lake 
with peppermint hooks...

boywonder

about 16 years ago

Are these referenced to Duluth, MN only? I would hate to share with our 'bizzaro friend' in Georgia.

Liz

about 16 years ago

Wow - what a list - thanks for this, everybody : )

eco eco

about 16 years ago

Don't think it was part of the regular lyrics and don't even recall the song right now, but at a show in Pequot Lakes, MN a few years ago, Greg Brown made reference to a "sadass up in Duluth."

c-freak

about 16 years ago

fattypants - 
blue lite special : "is it west duluth, is it lincoln park, the west end or spirit valley?...please tell me"

Dan Elsenrath

about 16 years ago

I did an interview with Ian Gillan of Deep Purple back in 2001 before a show at the Target Center. After the interview, Gillan asked me where I was from and I said "Duluth" ... to which he started singing "get in to Duluth, get in to Duluth." I asked him what that was from and he said it was a song from one of his solo albums from the 70s ... and he wrote it about a really rough plane ride that Deep Purple had taken for a gig in Duluth!  Pretty cool huh?

Anyway, the song is called "Clear Air Turbulence" by the Ian Gillan Band.

Here are the lyrics:

Get up
Get right up
Get it up
Up in the sky
White knuckles and blank staring faces
Get a leg up head for them spaces

Panic
And confusion
Electric voices
Creating morbid delusions
White knuckles and blank staring faces
Get a leg up head for them spaces

Ten thousand
Astral explorers
Head for the lights
Ace cosmic tours
Caught up in slow races
Motionless jets in turbulent spaces

Smooth blue sky
Feeling high
Turn back the page
Peaceful as a bygone age
Chariot to the sun Safe as a gun
Get in to Duluth

I've got it
Now I'm learning
A million souls
Helplessly returning
To blue dawn before the beginning
Ancient bells are ringing

ms dean

about 16 years ago

My co-worker just played a song that has Duluth in the lyrics.  Band is Autumn Leaves, song is Back to Me.

Merle

about 16 years ago

"Duluth" was also the title of a 45rpm single from 1977 by Winterwood, part of a WEBC sponsored "I Love Duluth" campaign. It is included on the Duluth Rocked compilation, "Volume 111 - Air Play." duluthrocked.com

Andrew Olson

about 16 years ago

Little Black Books: "They're Never Wrong"

swen

about 16 years ago

"Playing to Win" by the Magnolias off of Off the Hook (featuring Drummer Guy for those down with Common/Dan from Woodbury)

"Hide away in Duluth/Hide away if you can; Go halfway 'round the world/Stand out in Japan"

Lauree

about 16 years ago

In Duluth I saw Christopher
That's a place I'll never go again
Foggy breath, coat buttoned up
To keep away the winter wind

You might think it was Georgia until you read the last two lines. The song is "Say Goodbye to Christopher" by Jeb Loy Nichols.

From Duluth to Birmingham
He's the pork chop Dapper Dan,
He's the keenest ham what am,
Cincinnati dancing pig

I heard it sung in a Porky Pig voice on the 365 Music Project. The title of the song is "Cincinnati Dancing Pig".

Lauree

about 16 years ago

Almost forgot. I think the name of the song was "Scandinavian Hot Shot". In the old polka, the line is "He's a hotshot from Duluth".

heybiglive

about 16 years ago

moe.

I don't want to go to Duluth
I just want to leave this town
I don't want to know the truth
I just want to bring you down ... here with me

I don't want to go home now
I just want to go home soon

heybiglive

about 16 years ago

Name of the song by moe. is "Bring You Down'

kc

about 16 years ago

sad lisa waltz by matt the electrician

it's a long way home from duluth minnesota
in the ice and cold
where the ships come in

you can hear it on the sample here:

http://www.pandora.com/music/song/matt+electrician/sad+lisa+waltz

Kim Curtis-Monson

about 15 years ago

Hey Paul, met you at the thing for Doug Hatten, we are the Fish Heads...we have two recorded versions of I Like It In Duluth...one with Natural'grass and the other with the Fish Heads...and of course we perform this all the time now when we play with John Berquist..the writer. I enjoyed hearing you guys at the Sacred Heart, too bad we could not have just been playing music for some other reason...like you said that night...it would be fun to jam sometime...thanks...:) Kim

Paul Lundgren

about 15 years ago

Kim, I think you have me confused with someone else. I wasn't at the thing for Doug Hatten, I've never performed at Sacred Heart and I don't jam.

But, ironically, my girlfriend has a Fish Heads album, and it got jammed in her car CD player the first time she tried to play it. Seriously. It wouldn't play and wouldn't eject. After a few months she eventually removed it with a tweezer. 

I've added the Fish Heads version of "I Like it in Duluth" to the list. Is the other one just Natural'grass, or is it "Fish Heads (with Natural'grass)"? Your use of "we" has me not quite sure.

Kim Curtis-Monson

about 15 years ago

Paul, sorry for the confusion...I guess I thought that was you, but hey...now I know it wasn't. Natural'grass is just on it's own...tell your girlfriend I'd like to get her another copy...if the CD doesn't work we have all our info on the cover just for that reason, in case . We make them at home, so sometimes that happens. Please let me know how I can do that. And thanks for the addition. I am enjoying this website...Chip Stewart from Amazing Grace is a very close friend and I heard about this from him and Dave Hopkins... Again, sorry about the confusion...you looked familiar from that setting. :) Kim

Kim Curtis-Monson

about 15 years ago

Paul, I think I may have met Lindquist...that's where the confusion is...does he play with the Fat Hens???? Kim

Paul Lundgren

about 15 years ago

Kim, I think the CD works, it just got jammed.

Lindquist isn't technically a member of Father Hennipen, but he was supposed to play with them at Homegrown until he broke a finger that morning.

baci

about 15 years ago

Kim, 

let's all get together @ carmody and work this all out .. I'll line up lindquist, lundgren and lunt so you can get your "L" named sceneirati straight. Then we'll make lundgren jam some Irish music

jay

about 15 years ago

Azure Du Jour has Duluth Blues, i think written by Jim Hall.  lots of evil weather references to duluth. 

"you can't get nowhere when you're stuck in Duluth,  and i'm still here, that's the sad truth.   what can i say, my minds been shattered, 30 below nothin' else matters."

Kim Curtis-Monson

about 15 years ago

who's buying my pint????????

The Big E

about 15 years ago

"Duluth" doesn't appear directly, but these lines are plainly a Duluth reference--I'd never paid close attention to these lyrics before.  Apparently Dylan's father, then 9 years old, lived at 221 Lake, a couple of  blocks from the lynching site.
 
They're selling postcards of the hanging They're painting the passports brown The beauty parlor is filled with sailors The circus is in town Here comes the blind commissioner They've got him in a trance One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker The other is in his pants And the riot squad they're restless They need somewhere to go As Lady and I look out tonight From Desolation Row....

Good Knight

about 15 years ago

I have a song called "Duluth Minnesnowta" on my website.  Check out some MN hip-hop!

Nick

about 15 years ago

In the song "Remarkably Insincere," off his Zipper Catches Skin album, Alice Cooper says, 

"My reputation for exaggeration,
It never got to you?
That's why I left Duluth,
Sometimes I stretch the truth."

He also mentions, on the album, getting a Porsche and leaving Grand Rapids, but given the man's connection to Detroit, I always figured this was the Michigan city he was referencing, and not the smaller Minnesota version.

ms dean

about 14 years ago

We just got an album at KUMD by a woman named Haroula Rose that features a cover of Mason Jennings' "Duluth."

HappyHippo

about 14 years ago

T-Bone Burnett has a song, "Every Time I Feel the Shift" that has the lyric:

"It all comes down to a moment of truth,
clock ticking in a soundproof booth.
From Corpus Christi to Duluth,
from Genghis Khan to Babe Ruth."

Meghann

about 13 years ago

sorry didn't read previous posts.

Paul Lundgren

about 13 years ago

I'm not sure if there are recorded versions of this song in existance, but here's a Duluth song from 1916. (Duluth's Fairy Research Spy hopes a local band will release a rendition of this ditty in time for the August regatta.)




ms dean

about 12 years ago

Luke Redfield has a song called "Ides of May" that mentions Duluth (and rhymes it with vermouth) on his latest album, Tusen Takk.  He was born in Duluth but grew up elsewhere in Minnesota. By the way, he's playing tonight, June 29, at Red Mug, tomorrow at the Brewhouse, and we'll have him live on KUMD today at 2 p.m.

AliK

about 11 years ago

"The Begat" from the musical Finian's Rainbow contains a reference to Duluth (although whether it's Duluth, MN or Duluth, GA is unclear):

"It was a-pleasin' to Jezebel
A-pleasin' to Ruth.
It pleased the League of Women Shoppers
In Duluth."

Paul Lundgren

about 6 years ago



"They're Never Wrong" by the Little Black Books was mentioned above, but it never actually mentions Duluth by name. Cloquet is mentioned by name. Aladdin's Castle and Pizza Luce are mentioned by name. But the word "Duluth" isn't in there.

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