ReZoom

From a "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" to "Lodi" these towns inspired some of the classics of our time. Visit the namesakes of some of your favorite tunes.

1. Winslow, Arizona At this point, you might be thinking that the group here at ReZoom just can't get enough of good old Winslow, Arizona. In addition to making our list of Top 7 Small Town Stops, Winslow has made our Top 7 Cities of Song as well. In our defense, we really do love the Eagles that much, and if we had it our way, the 1972 hit "Take it Easy" and Winslow itself would live forever. Go to the Standin' on a Corner Park. Live the magic for yourself.

2. Clarksville, Tennessee The peppy tempo of "The Last Train to Clarksville," a number one hit for The Monkees in 1966, often belies the song's more substantive lyrics. "The Last Train to Clarksville" is actually about the final chance for a young GI to see his girlfriend before leaving for Vietnam and was intended as an anti-war song. While most people interpret the song's title as a reference to Clarksville, Tennessee and its nearby Fort Campbell, songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart had no specific city in mind at the time of their composition. Clarksville, Tennessee is still happy to claim the Monkees' hit, and the city can also claim the distinctive musical landmarks of being a former home to Jimi Hendrix and the spot where Sheryl's Crow's "All I Wanna Do" video was shot.

3. Allentown, Pennsylvania As the title of a 1982 song release by the man who brought us "The Piano Man" and "We Didn't Start the Fire," Allentown earned its place in musical geography. Billy Joel's ballad is a thoughtful examination of the slow and often desolate life in a former steel town when manufacturing is in decline. "Allentown" truly captures the plight of working class America as the United States transitioned from an industrial economy to a service-based one in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Oh yeah, and it has a nice beat, too.

4. Pascagoula, Mississippi Pascagoula, a small Southern port, might seem an unlikely town to find its way into a song, but the Ray Stevens hit "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" put it on the musical map. For those unfamiliar with the Stevens' work, here's a little sample of the lyrics: "The day the squirrel went berserk / In the First Self-Righteous Church / In that sleepy little town of Pascagoula!" In addition to being the home of a fictitious trouble-making squirrel, Pascagoula is also the home of former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott.

5. Silver Spring, Maryland Stevie Nicks took the title for the wistful tune "Silver Spring" from a sign that she passed while traveling. The song details her feelings about her break-up with collaborator, love and band mate, Lindsey Buckingham. While the song was written during Nicks' Fleetwood Mac days and included as the B-side to "Go Your Own Way," "Silver Spring" didn't make the cut on the original "Rumors" album. It wasn't until 1992 releases of the band's work that "Silver Spring" would find its way onto a full-length record.

6. Muskogee, Oklahoma In 1969, Merle Haggard recorded the popular "Okie from Muskogee," and Muskogee, Oklahoma passed into musical history. Today, Haggard's legacy and influence on the town can be witnessed in the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Outlaw Motor Speedway. As another pop culture landmark, Muskogee was once the home of "Brady Bunch" dad Robert Reed as well.

7. Lodi, California Wine lovers might know Lodi, California best as the "Zinfandel Capital of the World," while music lovers probably most associate the town with the Creedence Clearwater Revival song of 1969. "Lodi" certainly carries more disdain for the town than love, but in many ways, the name could represent any number of small towns with less than enthusiastic crowds that hosted the band before they broke into the big time. In addition to wine and song, Lodi is also the spot where A&W root beer was invented.