Streets of London (song) Streets of London (song) "Streets of London" is a song by Ralph McTell, who first recorded it for his 1969 album "Spiral Staircase." It was not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. The song has been covered by over 200 artists. The song was re-released, on 4 December 2017, featuring McTell with Annie Lennox as a charity single for CRISIS, the Homelessness Charity. The song was inspired by McTell's experiences busking and hitchhiking throughout Europe, especially in Paris and the individual stories are taken from Parisians. McTell was originally going to call the song "Streets of
Anyone Who Had a Heart (song) the Land of Make Believe" and included session drummer Gary Chester. According to published reports, Warwick nailed the tune in only one take – though an alternative remix of the take appears on a compilation album released in 1976 by Springboard International. Released on the Scepter label in November 1963, "Anyone Who Had a Heart" broke in Detroit, where it reached No.1 that December. The track became Warwick's first Top Ten single in January 1964, peaking at No.8 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and the "Cash Box" Pop 100 that February, also reaching No.6 on the "Cash Box" R&B chart.