The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time

Surprisingly, they’re not ALL by Bruce Springsteen.

I know, right? Now tell your friends!
The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time
Amy Rose Spiegel

1. Tom Waits, “Jersey Girl”

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“Tonight I’m gonna take that ride across the river to the Jersey side, take my baby to the carnival and I’ll take her on all the rides.”

2. Alabama 3, “Woke Up This Morning,” AKA the theme song from “The Sopranos”

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3. Bon Jovi, “Livin’ On a Prayer”

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4. Real Estate, “Suburban Dogs”

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“Carry me back to sweet Jersey, back where I long to be, by the fumes of the yellow and green, next to my darling lady.”

5. The Promise Ring, “Jersey Shore”

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6. Yo La Tengo, “Night Falls On Hoboken (Part I)”

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7. Saves The Day, “You Vandal”

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“I woke up to my cold sheets and the smell of New Jersey. When do I get to wake up to you?”

8. Lauryn Hill, “Every Ghetto, Every City”

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“Every ghetto, every city and suburban place I’ve been make me recall my days in the New Jerusalem.”

South Orange, NJ.

9. Bobby Rydell, “Wildwood Days”

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10. Lifetime, “Theme Song For a New Brunswick Basement Show”

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11. Titus Andronicus, “In a Big City”

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“I grew up on one side of the river. I was a disturbed dangerous drifter. Moved over to the other side of the river, now I’m a drop in a deluge of hipsters.”

12. John Gorka, “I’m From New Jersey”

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13. The Four Seasons, “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)”

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14. World/Inferno Friendship Society, “My Ancestral Homeland, New Jersey”

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15. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, “Counting Down the Hours”

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“Wondering if I’ve got a soul and counting down the hours ‘til it goes, on a dark wet night in April, on a street in Jersey, where I went looking for some writing that I knew would not be there.”

Bruce Springsteen’s entire catalog, basically:

16. Bruce Springsteen, “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”

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17. Bruce Springsteen, “Atlantic City”

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18. Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run”

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19. Bouncing Souls, “So Jersey”

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20. Bon Jovi, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”

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21. Senses Fail, “Garden State”

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22. Frank Sinatra, “Come Fly With Me”

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Hear them all on Rdio:

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Or listen on Spotify:

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    18 Responses So Far

    • jimm39 2 months ago

      No “Devil in Jersey City” by Coheed & Cambria? No “Jersey Bounce” by Ella Fitzgerald (among others)? And really, there should have been at least one Fountains of Wayne song in the list. Show a little love for Stacey’s Mom!

    • patw7 2 months ago

      No Gaslight Anthem? How?

    • 1337Lizzie 2 months ago

      “Call Me Jersey” by Van Atta High should be on here!

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    • LlaronaYPayasa 2 months ago

      #7 Can someone clue me in on what this is? It looks so yummy.

    • traciel 2 months ago

      You forgot the Red House Painters “New Jersey”
      “You’re an American girl
      Out of line in out of time
      A cry for the leading role, your bum childhood stole
      A mother tires and stuck in her love-worn bed
      You’re not as good as your Mom, but you’re as good as dead
      You’re as good as dead, New Jersey ain’t the whole world”

    • anya3   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time  about 2 months ago
    • ricklapolla   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time  about 2 months ago
    • abbyj5 2 months ago

      YES I saw this list and the first song I thought of was World/Inferno’s Ancestral Homeland. Good job!

    • mslindseyjenkins   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time  about 2 months ago
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    • rebeccaw14 2 months ago

      The fact that Titus Andronicus is on this list restores my faith in humanity

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    • babypets 2 months ago

      Titus forever

    • Jamee S. 2 months ago

      This was an excellent post. You missed some that should be on here (Gaslight Anthem) but still excellent.

    • JonnyfortheQuest   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time  about 2 months ago
    • stephaniep27   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time  about 2 months ago
    • ebarron   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time  about 2 months ago
    • astridf 2 months ago

      I second “Bitchin’ Camaro” by the Dead Milkmen.

    • jangeltrain 2 months ago

      Fountains of Wayne- “Hackensack”
      The Gaslight Anthem And even though they’re from California, Yellowcard’s “Ocean Avenue” always made me think of summers in Wildwood.

    • kristie1017 2 months ago

      No The Gaslight Anthem? Blue Jeans & White T-shirts gives the perfect feel of what it’s like to spend the night at the Jersey shore with your friends.

    • Ron W. 2 months ago

      No Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes?

    • kmarrazzo   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time  about 2 months ago
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    • David A. 2 months ago

      Weak. Bouncing Souls, really?
      Where’s Redman, the Artifacts, Lords of the Underground, the Outsidaz?
      Respect to Bruce Springsteen, but the rest of the real spirit of New Jersey comes from the Bricks.

    • jessicab61   The 22 Most New Jersey Songs Of All Time and thinks it’s Win  about 2 months ago
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    • Tim Masterson 2 months ago

      I would have gone with “The Gold Finch And The Red Oak Tree” by Ted Leo + the Pharmacists, but I guess that one doesn’t actually have the word “Jersey” in the lyrics.

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    • adri1220 2 months ago

      How is there no Gaslight Anthem in this list??

    • Cyndi Norrie 2 months ago

      Awesome list, I can’t think of NJ music and not think of Lifetime. I am also still trying to figure out if Sweet Ave Bakery is named after the Jets to Brazil song. I need to know!

    • taylor kristen 2 months ago

      The Marcal Paper factory in in my hometown. Elmwood Park represent! And god bless New Jersey.

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