Maybe what San Jose needs is a feel-good theme song to help put the city on the map. That’s what San Jose City Councilman Forrest Williams thinks, anyway. At last week’s council discussion, where the group was considering ways to promote the city’s best features to help draw business and visitors, Williams suggested the city write a song that will make San Jose well known across the globe, and even said he would consider taking it to the arts commission as a proposal. “When you say ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame,’ it’s a song that people know is about baseball,” Williams said. “We want something that’s on the lips of everyone when they get up in the morning and when they get home ... when they want to feel good they sing about San Jose.” He suggested that local bands and artists write the tune on behalf of San Jose; maybe even make it into a contest. But his fellow council members clearly thought he was whistling Dixie. “Please, Forrest, tell me that’s not part of the resolution here,” said Councilwoman Nancy Pyle. What the council did do was sign off on the $150,000 pay raise for GlobalFluency to help San Jose get a little more media attention. The city hired the communications firm last year to help the city get more recognition in the media. The council extended the firm’s contract, with the intention to get more media coverage and have the firm work to help make San Jose’s airport an international gateway. “We are competing with every large city in the United States and we don’t have the uniforms on yet,” Pyle said.
San Jose Inside
San Jose Inside (https://www.sanjoseinside.com)
Good old Nancy Pyle is at it again. I thought she’d have learned her lesson about picking on people by now. I guess Council Members don’t have to follow the same “new” behavior code that we have to follow in a council Meeting. Hum… I wonder if an unequal balance of enforcing rude or disruptive behaviors falls under discrimination? Of course not! ALL cities allow that kind of discrimination, what was I thinking?
Any way, many big cities have songs written after them that draw people to visit. It isn’t such a dumb idea. At least Forest made an honest attempt at thinking up an idea. We have some pretty talented musicians that could do a great job on this. They could even hold a contest across the US to bring attention to SJ!
WOW! That is a lot of money to pay a media firm you have no control over. Didn’t the city pay out a fortune under Les White’s management to get good press for SJ, only to get a slap in the face instead? I believe the excuse was, they can’t control the press…;-)
Hmmm, Here’s one off the top of my head I just wrote:
Writing a song about San Jose reminds about the song “Do You Know The Way To San Jose”. It was recorded by Dionne Warwick and reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. Lyrics were written by Hal David and the music composed by Burt Bacharach.
There is already a song that everyone in the world associates with SJ—“Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
Plus the city has already paid once to have a song written about itself, which I recall was titled something along the lines of “Yes I Know the Way to San Jose”.
I believe it was done in the early 1970s. I’ve heard it on one of our fine local radio stations—KFJC, KKUP or KSJS, I don’t remember which. (If you are looking for the real strengths of this area, the quality of our local radio is one of them.)
Why not dig out that old song as a start? Does anyone remember it other than me?
Other songs not commissioned by city governments:
Goin’ Back to Big Sur—Johnny Rivers
Santa Cruz is not that Far—The Thrills (?)
Monterey—Eric Burdon
San Francisco Nights—Eric Burdon
San Francisco Girls—Fever Tree
Girls from Santa Cruz—Lacy J. Dalton
etc.
My point is that people generally write songs about places that are ALREADY known for something, so that it adds a certain character to the song. We should consider ourselves lucky there is any song about SJ at all.
Anyway, “Abilene” is a nice song too, but I doubt that it has had much impact on the economy of that Texan metropolis.
I will admit the existence of a counter-example. I once saw a pub in Ireland called the Gloccamora Inn whose basic business plan was to attract American tourists looking for the non-existent Irish paradise mentioned in that song. But I don’t know if it’s still in business.
Couldn’t we like swipe all San Jose Costa Rica’s songs and translate ‘em to english?
I agree with most of the posters here. San Jose’s theme song should be what Dionne Warwick sang about nearly 40 years ago. It’s even been covered by a local punk band and a local rapper.
“Do You Know the Way to San Jose” would be a prime example of how San Jose’s leadership should use what it already has to promote itself as a city. No six-figure consultants needed.
I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves.
I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,
I’d bring the world to San Jose and keep it company.
EVERYbody sing!
Now sway!
Now a biiiiiiiiiiig hug!
How funny! You guys are right. I forgot all about that song! I used to hear it when I was a kid. May be a song wasn’t such a great idea. But at least he tried.
Only in a village like San Jose could a guy like Forrest find support for his goof-ball idea. This is the same guy who said the new city hall building was on par with the great landmarks of the world like the pyramids, and the Eiffel Tower.
C’mon people, do you really want other folks to know about a city like this? Wouldn’t it be better to kind of keep it quiet for a while until the city grows up (assuming that happens some day)?
In the meantime, the out-of-date Bachrach/David tune can fill-in for those desperate for a song.
This is so Disney…
Why not exploit the historical incident that really put San Jose on the map?
It would be sung to the tune of the Beach Boys’ hit song, “Wendy”.
It goes something like this;
Wendy’s, Wendy’s of San Jose. (san jose).
On the Highway called Monterey. (oooooh).
It’s right next to the county fair.
You get fingers in your chili there.
At Wendy’s, Wendy’s of San Jose.
9. Interestingly enough, there is a plausible historical argument that Gustave Eiffel’s design of the Eiffel Tower (1889) was inspired by San Jose’s Electric Light Tower (1881).
In its early years SJ had a large French community—Pellier, Auzerais, Mirrasou, etc.
Hey Forrest, here’s an idea. Instead of paying someone to write some contrived cheese-ball song about San Jose (that will die a horrible death because it’s forced), how about spending your valuable time finding ways to improve the city to give someone an organic reason to write a song from the heart about San Jose? Doesn’t that sound like a better use of your councilship?
I wonder if we took the money and filled in a few potholes instead if visitors would think more highly of San Jose. I wonder how many people come to San Jose and think it is a tired and worn city because we don’t keep up our infrastructure.
Fixing fiscal challenges starts with common sense. Unfortunately we can’t buy common sense, just elect it.
Sounds like we should write a Blues Song.
How about ‘DO YOU KNOW THE WAY OUT OF SAN JOSE’ by THE POLICE STATE’ I think that fits perfect with our current police force in our downtown…
How about—- “Another One Bits the Dust” Perfect way to refelct SJ’s ever-expanding music scene…
Perhaps, in keeping with the good citizens of San Jose, some type of Gangsta Rap “song” would be appropriate.
Then we can all hear it at every stop light as the Boom Boom cars serenade us with their tunes, and sing along to the refrain. “San Jose. Mother F!#$$%^”
I have to agree;this city needs more than a song. Kinda Disney or dizzy dependent on your perception. I’ll now share my tune I once wrote (with help) for New Jersey which also needs much more than a song.
New Jersey is the place to be….
Dump living is the life for me….
Toxic waste dumps spreading far and wide..
Keep California, just give me that pesticide.
I think San Jose should commission someone like Flo Rida to update “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” That would be awesome.
KFOX Raidio hosted a theme Song for Sanjose song contest back in 1997 along with the sanjose mercury and the mayor of Sanjose , The winner of that contest was the song Jewel in the night Written by my myself Glenn Bransford under the band name Glennie B and Friends Lyrics:
Oh how this Jewel in the night lights this sky before us is this a dreem or reel life these city lights oh city lights
City of the people city for the children city of love Sanjose
They came in 1777 to grow food to feed our soldiers became the first chosen city to lead our state litigate this california coast line. How time ,time moved on, how this world would change, who was to Know we’d take the lead and become this cilicon Valley.
Gather round everybody see all that we can be living and working together to make this world a home for you and me
City of the people city for the children city of love Sanjose
Sun shine on San Pedro Square Park center we’ll be there suit on up for the convention center or get wild at the SanJose arena, come on baby lets head downtown just the place for an evening strole it’s solid state, sate of the art oh how we love our city.
Come on lets stand together feel this harmony love and caring for people gives a feeling of joy that lifts us up to deliver our children to a brite new day where all of us can live together and smile in a world that we have built today.
City of the people, city for the children, city of love Sanjose
City of the people, city for the children, city of love Sanjose.
I was born in SanJose in 1959 and Im now living and playing music in Santa cruz. Writing and recording the janjose song was fun and excilerating experiance and would love to refitalize that joy and perform the song again for some city events. Lets famp up some city spirit!
That song contest Theme song for Sanjose was in 1994 not as I had noted in my previous message as 1997 oops sorry!