SALT LAKE CITY — No matter the style of music, there’s always one thing that makes a crowd go wild: hearing the name of their city.

With most concerts still postponed until some unknown future date, Utah music lovers will have to settle for bands singing about the Beehive State.

Here are a few songs that mention Utah or Salt Lake City:

'Salt Lake City' — The Beach Boys

Back in 1965, the Beach Boys wrote a song that was basically a love letter to Salt Lake City:

"The guys and I dig a city called Salt Lake / It's got the grooviest kids / That's why we never get tired of Salt Lake / And the way the kids talk so cool / Is an out of sight thing."

And they weren’t just paying lip service. Outside of California, Utah radio stations were some of the first to play The Beach Boys, and the group has played Lagoon more than a dozen times.

'Salt Lake City' — MXPX (feat. Bad Cop/Bad Cop)

Washington pop-punkers MXPX also wrote a song called "Salt Lake City." This one’s definitely not a love letter:

"I’m not going to Salt Lake City / Even if they tell me I can stay / Even if they resurrect my brain / I don't want to go there / I don't want to go insane."

Luckily, their (likely good natured) disdain for Salt Lake City doesn’t keep them from playing here. They plan to reschedule their August show after the pandemic.

'Summer of Boats' — Local H

The alt-rock duo Local H is best known for their 1996 hit "Bound for the Floor." But in 2008, they released an entire album of bitter breakup songs called "Twelve Angry Months." And where did the ex-girlfriend go after the breakup? Salt Lake City:

"You’re allowed to change / You have permission to try / You’ve moving off to Salt Lake / And no one will ask why."

The saddest line (and best of the whole album) comes in the chorus:

"Life was perfectly sad / It’s perfectly sadder now."

'Wow.' — Post Malone

When you’ve got a bunch of hits like Post Malone — his latest release, "Hollywood Bleeding," sold 500,000 copies — you can have a bunch of houses, including a five-bedroom house in Cottonwood Heights.

"Everywhere I go / Catch me on the block like I'm Mutombo / 750 Lambo in the Utah snow."

Let’s hope that Lamborghini has snow tires!

'The 801' — The Aces

It’s been eight years since The Aces formed in Provo. Since then, they’ve released two full-length albums and found the perfect balance between pop hooks and biting lyrics.

And there’s no better example than the ode to their area code, "801:"

"Growing up in the 801 / There’s only one club / So we blow it up."

Everyone at The Bay better watch out, The Aces are going to shut it down!

'The Story I Heard' — Blind Pilot

From 2008 to 2015, any time someone asked me for a band recommendation, I would give the same answer: Blind Pilot. (Today I say The Interrupters.)

If you listen to "The Story I Heard," you’ll know why. Plus, there’s a little local mention:

"Hey you, JoJo / Yeah, I know your name / I thought I saw you / Jump a Utah train."

Hey JoJo, bring the band with you next time!

'Friend of the Devil' — Grateful Dead

Throughout the history of the world, the devil has gotten a pretty bad rap. But Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead crew had a much more positive experience. After being chased out of Reno by 20 hounds, they made their way to the Beehive State:

"I ran into the devil, babe / He loaned me 20 bills / I spent the night in Utah / In a cave up in the hills."

I hope they paid him back.

'The Mess Inside' — The Mountain Goats

The Mountain Goats is the ongoing project of John Darnielle. Though the band’s sound changes a bit based on who he’s playing with, his observational style of lyrics stays pretty consistent:

"We took a weekend, drove to Provo / The snow was white and fluffy / A weekend in Utah won't fix what's wrong with us / The gray sky was vast and real cryptic above me."

If a trip to Provo won’t save a relationship, nothing will.

We didn’t list all the Utah shoutouts out there. Share your favorites in the comments!

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