8 Incredible Songs That Mention Philadelphia: A Playlist Celebrating the City of Brotherly Love

8 Songs That Mention Philadelphia: A Playlist Celebrating the City of Brotherly Love

Philadelphia has been the backdrop for many moments in American history, and it continues to inspire artists from all genres. The city’s rich culture, historic landmarks, and unique vibe have found their way into countless songs. From heartfelt ballads to energetic anthems, here are 8 songs that mention or are inspired by Philadelphia, along with YouTube links so you can give them a listen.

Elton John’s 1975 hit "Philadelphia Freedom" was written in honor of his friend Billie Jean King and her tennis team, the Philadelphia Freedoms. It’s a vibrant, upbeat anthem that embodies the spirit of the city, even if it wasn’t directly about Philadelphia itself.

Listen to "Philadelphia Freedom" by Elton John

Bruce Springsteen wrote "Streets of Philadelphia" for the 1993 movie Philadelphia, starring Tom Hanks. The song's haunting melody and lyrics reflect the struggles of the movie’s protagonist and resonate deeply with the urban landscape of the city. Plus, who doesn't love The Boss?

Listen to "Streets of Philadelphia" by Bruce Springsteen

Boyz II Men, a group formed in Philadelphia, captured their roots and the city’s musical heritage with "Motownphilly." This 1991 hit blends classic Motown sounds with contemporary R&B, creating a smooth track that helped put the group (and Philly) on the map. Trust me, this song will be in your head all day long!

Listen to "Motownphilly" by Boyz II Men

This soft, folk-inspired song by Nils Lofgren expresses the feeling of missing someone while in the city. "I’m in Philadelphia" carries an introspective and melancholic tone, perfect for a rainy day reflection on the city’s quiet charm.

Listen to "I’m in Philadelphia" by Nils Lofgren

Before becoming the pop legends we know today, Daryl Hall & John Oates were heavily inspired by their Philadelphia roots. "Fall in Philadelphia" talks about the changing seasons and the reflective mood it brings to the city. It’s a soulful track that showcases the duo’s early sound.

Listen to "Fall in Philadelphia" by Hall & Oates

Few songs are as closely tied to Philadelphia as "Gonna Fly Now," the iconic theme from the Rocky movies. Written by Bill Conti, this triumphant anthem is inseparable from images of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s steps, where Rocky’s famous training montage takes place.

Listen to "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti

The Orlons’ "South Street" is a fun, danceable tune about one of Philadelphia’s most famous streets. Released in 1963, this song celebrates the vibrant, youthful energy of South Street, where "all the hippies meet." It’s a nostalgic nod to the city’s history and lively street culture.

Listen to "South Street" by The Orlons

"TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" is a disco-soul classic that was a theme song for Soul Train. Released in 1974, the song by MFSB (a group of session musicians) and The Three Degrees became a signature sound for Philadelphia’s contribution to music, known as "The Philly Sound."

Listen to "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB ft. The Three Degrees

With this condensed list of 8 songs, you'll get a well-rounded feel for how Philadelphia has influenced artists across different genres and eras. From the Rocky anthem to classic R&B, these tracks showcase the spirit and culture of the city. Enjoy the playlist!

The Wait is almost over. Eagles football is back. This Friday, we finally get Eagles Football. The Eagles head down to Brazil, to open up their season vs the Packers.

Coming off a weird season where they started 10-1, but finished 1-7, including the playoff loss, it is hard to get a read on this team. Will they get back to dominating like they did in 2022, or will the struggles from last season carry over into the 2024?

We might not get the answer to that question week 1. Whether they win or lose, dominate or struggle, 1 game may not be enough to answer the burning questions heading into this season.

Related: Week 1 Eagles Power Rankings Roundup- A Fresh Slate

So much has changed. The defense looks completely different. Fletcher Cox and Haason Reddick are both gone, which will definitely hurt. Meanwhile CJ Gardner, and a promising rookie class are in. Quinyon Mitchell has upside through the roof. he should be a massive upgrade at Corner. Everyone expects Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis to take the next step.

But there are problems there too. Edge Rusher looks weaker than a year ago, with Haason Reddick now holding out in New York. Linebacker, while improved, is still a question mark. And as promising as the young guys are, none of them are proven in the NFL yet.

We might not know until late in the season if this team has fixed their problems. But they can make us feel a lot better at least in week 1.

Who needs to step up in order for them to beat the Packers? Which Eagles players are in store for massive week 1s? Will the Eagles leave Brazil with a week 1 victory? Leaving out the obvious of Jalen Hurts, let's look at the Philly plays in store for massive games in Brazil.

The last couple seasons, the Eagles did not do much to scheme WRs open. They relied on Brown and Smith beating their man. It happened a lot, because those 2 guys are very good. But they had to work harder for their yards than other top WRs, and you say them getting the ball in space far less often.

With Kellen Moore, expect that to change. We will see slant routes to Brown. We will see designed plays that break them open into space. We will see both of them move around the field to find mismatches. We will see them use the middle of the field. We will also see motion. Nick Sirianni's offense created on average some of the worst separation for WRs, despite having great WRs, Moore is the opposite. This goes for the entire season, but you should be very excited to see those 2 in action for the first time in this new offense.

The Packers do have a very good secondary, but Safety is better than Corner. Outside Jaire Alexander, the rest of the cornerbacks are very beatable, and you should expect the Eagles WRs to prey on them.

Again, with it being week 1, you are going to see a lot of the names on this list just be guys who will be great overall. Carter was tremendous through 11 games last year. Then he and Jordan Davis fell off a cliff. But now that he is in year 2, and got past the rookie wall, expectations should be sky high. James Palmer told The Best Show Ever he is getting love to be DPOY around the NFL.

The Packers interior O-Line is fine. It is not great, but also not terrible. That type of average o-line play is an area Carter should still takeover though.

Arguable the Packers biggest weakness is at Left Tackle. David Bakhtiari is gone. Due to injuries, they have mostly been without him the last 3 seasons, but now he isn't even in the building. They did not not get ahead of it either. They will rely on former 7th round pick Rasheed Walker at LT, who has been ok, but not special.

Josh Sweat struggled late last season as he ran out of steam due to an increased snap count. But week 1, he should be in tip top shape. He started out last season incredibly hot, getting 5.5 sacks over his 1st 7 games. He will get a chance to start hot again week 1 vs the Packers with them being vulnerable at LT.

The Packers are switching from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3. Meaning they are going to have 3 off ball Linebackers on the field a lot. It is not yet clear yet if they have 3 linebackers worthy of being on the field. Linebacker for the Packers is a huge question, with very little proven talent on the roster.

All the better for Saquon. As the Packers go through growing pains in the new defensive system, Barkley can benefit with open running lanes if the Packers LBs find themselves out of position.