As well as obviously political or protest songs put out down the years, there are plenty which draw in an explicit or implicit way rather on the language and practice of diplomacy.

And the time has come for a former senior diplomatic practitioner (ie me) to draw the planet’s attention to some of the finer examples.

So as a starter.

If it is tense Cold War confrontation you want, try the Clash’s Ivan Meets G.I. Joe:

He wiped the earth – clean as a plate
What does it take to make a Ruskie break?
But the crowd are bored and off they go
Over the road to watch China blow!

If you are a close follower of variations in US Embassy opening hours round the world, try Donald Fagen’s The Goodbye Look:

Now the Americans are gone except for two
The Embassy’s been hard to reach
There’s been talk and lately a bit of action after dark

Behind the big casino on the beach

And for those who support the application of the EU’s odious Working Time Directive even to American diplomats, here is So it Goes by Nick Lowe:

Now up jumped the U.S. representative
He’s the one with the tired eyes
747 for the midnight condition
Flyin’ back from a peace keepin’ mission

(This album, by the way, also has the finest ever song about being eaten by one’s own dogs.)

To be continued.