1) Oasis – Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (1994)

There are clips throughout the music video of the band having fun at Adventure Island (Peter Pan’s Playground at the time), on Southend Pier and the bowling alley that used to be on the Pier.

Favourite Lyrics: 

I live my life in the city
There’s no easy way out
The day’s moving just too fast for me
I need some time in the sunshine

2) Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday (1988)

Just Morrissey being depressing, hanging around on the seafront and in the Victoria Plaza (before old Victoria got a roof over her head). You get to see the castle “Ye Olde Chippy” Shop and Peterpan’s.

Favourite lyrics:

Trudging slowly over wet sand
Back to the bench where your clothes were stolen
This is the coastal town
That they forgot to close down

3) The View – Temptation Dice (2009)

The View performing on the pier and in Adventure Island in front of Rage. Again, just hanging around on the seafront and in the arcades.

Favourite Lyrics:

Don’t let them tell you that you don’t matter
Life’s more than a chip shop wrapper

4) The Bloody Beetroots & Greta Svabo Bech – Chronicles of a Fallen Love (2012)

On the beach, swimming, sledge-hammering watermelons, the regular seaside activities…. Kind of retro-y electropop music with vintage visuals. Question is: is there a dubstep remix? (God, I sound like a hipster after having said all that…)

Favourite Lyrics:

I’m in the dark, I’m underwater
Searching for a teardrop in the water

5) Modestep – Sunlight (2011)

Here’s the dubstep now! Video may contain offensive material. But that’s just because there’s old people smoking, gambling and playing drinking games – and any of them could be your grandparent. As is the Southend way. It’s quite amusing to see them walking along Southend seafront drinking and generally just being rebels though.

Favourite Lyrics:

Put on those shades
And wave to yesterday
The sunlight hurts my eyes

6) Drumsound and Bassline Smith – Through The Night (2012)

Visiting the seafront arcades and the newsagents. Splashing around in the water and wreaking havoc on the Southend Pier train with their hypersexual teenage ways. (You could never get away with that in real life. All the old ladies that seem to be on every carriage would have a right go at you.)

Favourite Lyrics:

Hold out your hand
Let me feel you
As the sun comes up again
I’ve never felt
So free 

7) La Shark – A Weapon (2010)

The usual: arcades; Kursaal; bowling; random bits of odd imagery….

Favourite Lyrics:

(Can’t actually find lyrics for this one.)

8) The Japanese Popstars – Song For Lisa (2011)

The music video follows the journey of a young girl whose life seems to be going downhill (she seems like the sort that would walk up and down York Road at 3 o’clock in the morning, if you know what I mean), as she revisits her childhood as an adult. Flashbacks of her with her mother playing on the beach, going to Adventure Island, riding the pier train, playing in the arcades and going to the café. But the parallel story line is that she’s visiting all of these places on her own now. You get the gist, just watch the video. Quite moving.

Favourite Lyrics:

We go walking far from here,
I see nothing in the lines of your face!

9) Joe Lean & Jing Jane Jong – Lonely Buoy (2007)

Black and white indie song with shots of Southend seaside and the pier. Nuff said.

Favourite (and Funniest) Lyrics:

My jacket wasn’t meant to be touched
Why did they touch it?

10) The Virgon Intacta – New Friends Better (2008)

Fun song, just driving around Southend in a van from The Railway Hotel. Hanging out on the seafront and the highstreet.

Favourite Lyrics:

Can’t find any to this one too, I’m afraid!

 

Know anymore?

Let’s try and collect every music video shot in Southend! :D

 

11) The Milksnatchers – Original Daddies

The Milksnatchers would like their song Original Daddies to be added to this list… And who am I to argue with one of Southend’s favourite ska punk bands! (There can’t be a lot of them.)

12) Beans on Toast – Peter Pans Playground

Amazing song about Southend-on-Sea and Essex in general. Beans on Toast has played at Glastonbury Festival and has supported the likes of Frank Turner at both the Wembley and 02 Arena, and is even credited as the reason for Frank Turner’s change to acoustic.

13) Bad Manners – Walking in the Sunshine

Why am I not surprised that Bad Manners have a music video shot in Southend-on-Sea? Hilarious music video too! Though it does look a little chilly in the water.

14) Jim Wilson – The Southend Song

Filmed in Southend-on-Sea for Jim Wilson’s mate’s degree, Schlep Dog, who directed and produced the video. “I’ve played the Southend Song a few times in a few local pubs, generally well received. Should re-record the audio for it one day…”

15) George Michael – Jesus To Child

Partially filmed in Southend, but you’ll have to look out for it. More toward the end.

16) Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Walking On The Milky Way

Some very trippy views of Southend seafront and high street.

17) Thunder – Castles in the Sand

Some fantastically eerie views of Southend seafront and Southend’s iconic seaside features.

18) Emma Blackery – Go The Distance

Essex’s very own YouTube superstar, Emma Blackery, has made quite a happy music video in Sunny Southend-on-Sea!

19) Alison Moyet – When I was Your Girl

Dramatic scenes on Southend Pier, reminiscent of the music video for Adele’s Someone Like You in my opinion. Brilliant Southend music video. Love it.

20) The Banners – Summertime

Patsy May, the world’s most prettiest puppet from Britain’s Got Talent 2014, enjoys the joys of British Summer time in Southend-on-Sea. With scenes at the seaside, Adventure Island, on the pier and Southend Central station. Eating fish and chips, cuddling cats getting drunk in the pub, and having a Rossi ice cream! There’s even a Delorean!