Berkeley Square features in the well-known romantic British popular song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square", which has lyrics by Eric Maschwitz and music by Manning Sherwin and Jack Strachey.
The song was originally published in 1940, and was later performed by both Ray Noble and then by Vera Lynn. Since then numerous artists have sung versions of it including Rod Stewart, Nat King Cole, Glenn Miller, Stephane Grappelli, Bobby Darin, Harry Connick Jr. and Sonny Rollins.
More recently in the UK's hit comedy Peepshow, the character Mark Corrigan (David Mitchell) sang some of the song's lyrics.
The lyrics are as follows:
When true lovers meet in Mayfair, so the legends tell,
Songbirds sing; winter turns to spring.
Every winding street in Mayfair falls beneath the spell.
I know such enchantment can be, 'cos it happened one evening to me:
That certain night, the night we met,
There was magic abroad in the air,
There were angels dining at the Ritz,
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
I may be right, I may be wrong,
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.
The moon that lingered over London town,
Poor puzzled moon, he wore a frown.
How could he know we two were so in love?
The whole darn world seemed upside down.
The streets of town were paved with stars;
It was such a romantic affair.
And, as we kissed and said 'goodnight',
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.