There are some songs that are inextricably linked to a city. From Camden to Kensington, the streets of London have been inspiring musicians for years. The Running in Heels contributors put their heads together and came up with a playlist that represents the best (and worst) of the Big Smoke. You can listen to the whole selection on Spotify here.

London Calling – The Clash

Gritty, black and white montages over the South Bank spring to mind with this tune playing in the background, with leather-clad mods and rockers rebelling in the streets. This song epitomises the seventies and everything ‘London’ around that time and since.

Chosen by Becky

Living for the Weekend -  Hard Fi

The title just captures the London mindset – work hard all week and let it all out once the weekend comes. London has so much frenetic energy, and most of the time Londoners are so tightly wound, and the weekends are such a contrast; so much to see and do, and time to do it. The anticipation, that Friday feeling, that is what this song is all about.

Chosen by Jennifer

Time for Heroes – The Libertines

Before he was on the front page of every tabloid, before La Moss, when buying a ticket generally guaranteed that you actually saw the band, there was just Pete and Carl and their band of scruffy London urchins, inciting those stylish kids to riot, inviting them back to their flat and prompting adulation and dancefloor sing-a-longs all over the capital. Era defining.

Chosen by Lucy

London – The Smiths

“Smoke, lingers round your fingers, Train, Heave on to Euston.” In this tale of leaving your northern home for London, Morrissey tells it like it is, as always. Manages to make Euston romantic

Chosen by Harry

Up the Junction – Squeeze

This is a beautiful tale of love and loss, done the London Way. An upbeat riff and catchy melody fuse perfectly with the heartbreaking tale to conjure up the classic London optimism.

Chosen by Becki

Don’t Mug Yourself – The Streets

Because well, let’s face it, London isn’t always glam. There’s plenty of “beer-laryness”, greasy spoons and best-forgotten alcohol induced conquests!

Chosen by Laura

Parklife – Blur

Parklife is an up-beat track about monotonous day-to-day life in the brit-pop era of East London. Blur are one of the great British bands who helped to define London in the early 90s with their catchy and quintessentially British tunes before they headed for reinvention, down the American-Indie route. It has been said that the novel ‘London Fields’ was a huge influence for the content of Blur’s ‘Parklife’ album.

Chosen by Nicky

LDN – Lily Allen

Allen’s soprano snapshot of a sunny London afternoon, complete with all its deceptive flaws. Not many people could make the mugging of a granny and the mistaking of a ‘fella’ and a ‘slapper’ for a “pimp and his crack whore” sound poetic.

Chosen by Pippa

London Belongs to Me – Saint Etienne

This is London on the days when you can leave your umbrella at home. London really is at it’s best when the sun is shining and you can head to one of the parks with a picnic and some friends and while away a summer’s afternoon doing nothing in particular, except being glad you’ve chosen this city as your home.

Chosen by Alice

Mile End – Pulp

Although this track featured on the Trainspotting soundtrack (which, as you’ll know was set in Glasgow), Pulp’s upbeat and somewhat mischievous song about squatting in Tower Hamlets is every bit the dollop of London-centric Britpop. It’s sentiment is seedy and a little depressing, but underpins east London in the 90s.

Chosen by Plum

I Still Remember – Bloc Party

Beautiful melody and tender lyrics. Bloc Party is the one of the best British bands around right now. Very few songs capture London life so beautifully. The song finds gentle moments in an otherwise chaotic city. This is definitely one of my favourite songs on the album entitled ‘A Weekend in the City’.

Chosen by Dina

Waterloo Sunset – The Kinks

Fantastically romantic in a way only The Kinks can be, this ditty follows a couple and their starry-eyed escapades through Waterloo underground and over Waterloo bridge – arguably one of the best views of the city.

Chosen by Robyn

Fuck me Pumps – Amy Winehouse

Not only is Miss. Winehouse the embodiment of the typical North London lass (plus or minus the raging drug habit),  I remember hearing Amy for the first time on ‘Late Night with Jools Holland’ when she was just a wee 17 year old with her guitar. This song off her debut album ‘Frank’ always reminds me of a typical night out on the town with the girls when i still lived back home in London.

Chosen by Bassma

A Foggy Day – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

Composed by Gershwin, this is a great classic jazz song set in London.

Chosen by Caitlin

Kensington Square – Vincent Delerm

The lyrics capture the essence of London romanticism in a mixture of nostalgia and cliches.

Chosen by Lucie

Pomp and Circumstance – Elgar

The traditional end to the Proms, the most Londonite of all London nights

Chosen by Lucie

Add the whole playlist to your spotify account here.