Long Island mentions in songs by artists from Billy Joel to Bayside

“Wonce Again Long Island” by De La Soul

Long Island rappers De La Soul's 1996 song, "Wonce Again Long Island," references towns throughout Nassau and Suffolk. Lyrics from the verse mentions "kids from East Mass, Amityville, to all my people out in Whinedance, Bayshore... Brinkwood, Hempstead, all my brothers out in Roosevelt, Freeport, Uniondale to Long Beach, to them girls out in Huntington."

"National Anthem" by Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey sings "take me to the Hamptons" in the chorus for her 2012 song "National Anthem."

"It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" by Billy Joel

In Billy Joel's 1980 hit "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me," he asks "Are you gonna cruise the miracle mile?" referring to the nearly mile-long shopping strip in Manhasset near where Joel grew up.

“Dangerous Ground” by Method Man

Wu-Tang Clan's Method Man remembers his hometown in his 1998 song "Dangerous Ground" when he raps, "one love to Long Island, Hempstead in my heart baby."

“Memory Motel” by The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stone's Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote "Memory Motel" in 1976 while staying at Andy Warhol's house in Montauk. The lyrics, "we spent a lonely night at the Memory Motel," references an actual motel in Montauk.

"Play Crack the Sky" by Brand New

Formed on Long Island, rock band Brand New mentions Montauk in their 2003 song "Play Crack the Sky." The full verse is: "In the shallows off the tip of Montauk Point, they call them rogues they travel fast and alone."

"New Americana" by Halsey

Halsey sings about a new generation of Americans who are "Monaco and Hamptons bound" in her 2015 song "New Americana."

“My Man Rich” by Biz Markie

Biz Markie, who graduated from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1982, rapped in 1989, "around Suffolk he wasn't known but in Eastern Long Island, he did have a home" in "My Man Rich."

“Fire Island” by the Village People

The Village People sang about one of Long Island's favorite nightlife spots, Fire Island, in 1977 singing that when you go there it's sure to be "a funky weekend" and that "it's the place where you'll find me, the sun and sea, the place where love is free."

"Hard Candy" by Counting Crows

In 2002, Counting Crows wrote "Hard Candy," with lyrics: "And in the evenings on Long Island when the colors start to fade, she wears a silly yellow hat that someone gave her when she stayed."

“They Call Me Flava” by Public Enemy

In Public Enemy's 2008 single, LI native Flavor Flav raps: "After dark, Centennial Park, go to Jones Beach, get on the back of a shark." The group had been inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame the previous year.

"Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)" by Straylight Run

Straylight Run, formed in Baldwin, know the Island well, giving directions to where to find them in their 2004 song "Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)." They instruct, "Go east on Sunrise Highway, turn left at Carman's Avenue, go right at the first stoplight, and I'll be outside waiting for you."

“Vibes and Stuff” by A Tribe Called Quest

Though A Tribe Called Quest was founded in Queens, in 1991 they rapped "found my thrill in Amityville, I'm always in the Island."

"Long Island Shores" by Mindy Smith

Long Island singer-songwriter Mindy Smith sang, "oh, my soul craves to go home, to Long Island shores again, take me back to old north pole, to breathe in the harbor wind" in her 2006 song "Long Island Shores."

“Farmingdale (The Downtown)” by They Might Be Giants

Rock band They Might Be Giants sang "I'm living on the bar food here at The Downtown," which references a former music venue in Farmingdale, in their 2005 song "Farmingdale (The Downtown)."

“Long Island Sound” by James McMurtry

James McMurtry paid homage to the North Shore in 2015 singing, "here's to all you strangers, the Mets and the Rangers, long may we thrive on the Long Island Sound."

“Montauk” by Bayside

Bayside's 2005 song, "Montauk," has lyrics that read: "The lights went out And darkness filled the house On a tiring night under a Long Island sky."

“John My Beloved” by Sufjan Stevens

Indie singer Sufjan Stevens sings about the simple things in life, including his "order of fries, Long Island kindness and wine," in 2015's "John My Beloved."

“After School” by LL Cool J

Bay Shore rapper, LL Cool J rapped about "Little Shaniqua, from Massapequa" in his 2002 song "After School."

"Flipping Out" by Hoodie Allen

Plainview's Hoodie Allen, who left Long Island when he went to college, rapped about his homecoming in 2011 in his song "Flipping Out" saying, "What up to Long Island, I came back so I could say what's good."