Singer Petula Clark has expressed shock and disbelief that her 1964 hit Downtown was aired just minutes before a bomb detonated in Nashville on Christmas morning.

“I was told that the music in the background of that strange announcement – was me – singing ‘Downtown’! Of all the thousands of songs – why this one?” Clark wrote in a Facebook post.

Clark said she loved Nashville and wished she could give everyone in the city a hug.

The explosion took place in the heart of Nashville’s historic city centre.

The blast killed the bomber, injured several people and damaged dozens of buildings.

The RV blared a warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes then switched to a recording of Downtown before the blast.

“(Millions) of people all over the world have been uplifted by this joyful song,” Clark wrote.

“Perhaps you can read something else into these words – depending on your state of mind. It’s possible.”