What are the best British songs? That really scream Britain to you?

[jinglebitch]

Need to think of some songs for an end of year assembly, on a British theme. Any ideas gratefully appreciated.

Fog on the Tyne
Penny Lane

Common People or Do You Remember the First Time by Pulp
Wonderwall by Oasis
Bitter sweet Symphony by the Verve
Why Does it Always Rain on Me by Travis
Smile by Lily Allen
Laid by James
Lucky you by the Lightening Seeds
Firestarter by the Prodigy
Glory Box by Portishead
Teardrop by Massive Attack

Penny Lane, When I'm 64, loads of Beatles ones, in fact. Kinks too as mentioned, Waterloo Sunset. Madness very British, Our House etc. West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys. This is the Life, Scottish singer, forgotten her name. Wuthering Heights, songs from Oliver! I love Who Will Buy in particular. I'm sure there are loads more.

As said,,, Parklife and Solsbury Hill
Glastonbury Song by The Waterboys
Selling England By The Pound (Genesis)

I got that wrong and meant 'Dancing with the moonlit knight' from the album Selling England By The Pound.
Probably too oldfashioned and obscure for an assembly though

For me it's sunny in England by three colours red. Although I'm not sure that answers your question as it's England not Britain- it always reminds me of home when I hear it though.

Making your mind up, from the time when we could BEAT EUROPE. (And, er, make our minds up.)

LDN

The Colours by The Men They Couldn't Hang

Common People
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Village Green Preservation Society

What a Beautiful Day - Levellers

Common People
Parklife
Wonderwall

Elizabeth My Dear - Stone Roses
Wish you were here - pink floyd
My Generation -The Who
Anarchy in the UK - Sex Pistols
Englishman in New York - Sting

Not so suitable for an assembly though 😂

I want to break free by Queen

I would walk 500 miles

Another brick in the wall - Pink Floyd
Mr Blue Sky - ELO
Away from here - The Enemy
Plan B - ill manors (as an aside - where is all the brexit related music? Unsettled and dangerous political climates used to breed brilliant anarchic music)
Maggie May - Rod Stewart
Let’s dance - David Bowie
Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
Killer Queen - Queen
Wannabe - Spice girls

I'd suggest focusing on songs sung in an English / Scottish / Welsh accent [I realise there's no such thing as an 'English' / etc accent, but YKWIM], rather than a generic American accent.

So - many of the above, also Sophie Ellis-Bexter.

ELP - Jerusalem

Up The Junction by Squeeze

Ichycoo Park , Baker Street, and anything by the Jam, UB40 and Blur.

Sound of the suburbs -the members

Ghost Town

Common People (!), She's Electric (Oasis)

But those not suitable for end of yr Assembly. Suitable:

Fields of Gold (Sting)
Penny Lane, Waterloo Sunset, London Calling
Some Pogues songs, Runrig.

Making Your Mind Up - Bucks Fizz

The Floral Dance - Terry Wogan

God Save The Queen - Sex Pistols

My Generation - The Who

All You Need is Love - The Beatles

Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks

That's Entertainment - The Jam

Parklife - Blur

The Chicken Song - Spitting Image

Anything by Chas n Dave esp the Margate one

The Birdy Song - ?

Superman - Blacklace

Three Lions - ?