(Okay, sort of about being on tour, which is actually what all of the Old 97's songs are about, but… "We galloped through the boroughs like a pair of horny thoroughbreds," come on.)
flamin' groovies – city lights which contains the absolute best line about nyc, ever. "gotta see the empire's tallest building, where the plane shot that big monkey, and it killed him."
"Ticking" by Elton John is a great song about New York, even if the notion of a downtown bar in Queens has a bit of the salt tang of the seacoast of Bohemia about it.
at the risk of being one of those hip-hop fans, i respectfully submit black star's "respiration". bonus points for opening with a sample from the classic NYC documentary style wars, which is sadly not in the video.
With a million neon rainbows burning below me
And a million blazing taxis raising a roar,
Here I sit above the town
In my pet pailletted gown
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
While the crowds at El Morocco punish the parquet
And at "21" the couples clamor for more,
I’m deserted and depressed
In my regal eagle nest
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
Once in your life you find her
Someone that turns your heart around
And next thing you know you're closing down the town
Wake up and it's still with you
Even though you left her way across town
Wondering to yourself, "Hey, what've I found?"
When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the Moon and New York City
The best that you can do ……
The best that you can do is fall in love
Arthur he does as he pleases
All of his life, he's mastered choice
Deep in his heart, he's just, he's just a boy
Living his life one day at a time
And showing himself a really good time
Laughing about the way they want him to be
When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the Moon and New York City
The best that you can do …..
The best that you can do is fall in love
When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the Moon and New York City
The best that you can do …..
The best that you can do is fall in love
'Slip Away' David Bowie. Although if you want to go earlier 'DJ' works quite well for capturing the splintered paranoia of New York in the late 1970's.
I love a lot of these songs, but can I add a bit of crappy nostalgia for someone my age? "Motorcycle Drive By" Third Eye Blind… now before you judge I was in middle school, but it certainly skewed my perception of the city.
Hmm. It only feels like "Empire State of Mind" has New York in the title.
"Dance to the Underground," Radio 4.
"Rockaway Beach" by the Ramones. OR ISN'T QUEENS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?
You can pretty much take your pick. I've always been partial to "All's Quiet on the Eastern Front."
"Mercy on Broadway," Laura Nyro
"Babylon," New York Dolls
"Last Night," Northern State
"Manhattan Avenue," Nellie McKay
and those are just the most overt ones coming to mind quick.
Yeah and what about plain old "On Broadway"?
Let's have Neil Young's cover for that one.
Made you flinch.
Also, I call bullshit. "Rhapsody in Blue" never mentions anything to do with New York. Not once!
I always thought the opening monologue in "Manhattan" was the lyrics of Rhapsody in Blue.
"Miami 2017," Billy Joel. Yes, Billy Joel. Don't judge me!
Billy Joel is responsible for many songs that do not suck.
This is true.
And this one in particularly is quite unsucky.
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Elton John
"I'm Waiting For My Man"
("Dirty Boulevard"?)
"Dirty Boulevard" was the most accurate description of the NYC I left in 1989.
"Doreen," the Old 97's.
(Okay, sort of about being on tour, which is actually what all of the Old 97's songs are about, but… "We galloped through the boroughs like a pair of horny thoroughbreds," come on.)
"you can roll your eyes and nod but i swear that i saw god, in the moonlight, on a side street, in the wreckage we call 'queens'".
"Broadway" by the Old 97's is also an excellent choice.
"Shattered"?
I think 'Miss You' would work; it's pretty New York-y and from the same album.
"53rd & 3rd."
flamin' groovies – city lights which contains the absolute best line about nyc, ever. "gotta see the empire's tallest building, where the plane shot that big monkey, and it killed him."
"Ticking" by Elton John is a great song about New York, even if the notion of a downtown bar in Queens has a bit of the salt tang of the seacoast of Bohemia about it.
"See America" – Grant-Lee Phillips. Always reminds me of 9/11.
"The Big Country" — Talking Heads
"Every Talking Heads Song Ever" – Talking Heads
Sig-huh. Bait: taken.
Famous Blue Raincoat
Great one. (Clinton Street!) Also, "Chelsea Hotel"
Also, Luna's "Chinatown"
"Bleecker Street."
Good on you for including PJ's great ode in that list. But I have to agree with whoever posted Velvet Underground
"Up On The Roof"
"South Bronx", Boogie Down Productions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iepqptjVwD4
at the risk of being one of those hip-hop fans, i respectfully submit black star's "respiration". bonus points for opening with a sample from the classic NYC documentary style wars, which is sadly not in the video.
Dude, this whole thread could be on a listicle of 'Whitest Listicles About Music'
"C.R.E.A.M."
With a million neon rainbows burning below me
And a million blazing taxis raising a roar,
Here I sit above the town
In my pet pailletted gown
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
While the crowds at El Morocco punish the parquet
And at "21" the couples clamor for more,
I’m deserted and depressed
In my regal eagle nest
Down in the depths on the ninetieth floor.
Dumbed down and numbed by time and age…
It's on there!
It's ironic that that song made them too big to play a BK venue. Radio City = MEH.
"Desolation Row"
"Jungleland"
Mark Eitzel's "Lower East Side Tourist" and I'm also partial to Fountains of Wayne's "No Better Place."
"Detachable Penis" by King Missile. (Also: "The Boxer")
"On the Corner," Miles Davis
North American Scum by LCD Soundsystem.
Does "An Open Letter To NYC" count?
Everything by the Beasties?! Certainly, No Sleep 'til Brooklyn.
Certainly "Stop That Train"!
Jayne County, "Max's Kansas City"
"Chelsea Morning" is about Chelsea, London.
Also: "The Message" (Grandmaster Flash Etc.)
Well what about Keren Ann's very fine "Chelsea Burns"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A1thQqUvAI
Am I losing my shit, or was there a once well-circulated quote from Choire expressing a desire for Chelsea's imminent immolation?
Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)
HOW DID NO ONE MENTION THIS BEFORE ME????
Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Liza Minelli's ex-husband Peter Allen.
"When you get caught between the moon and New York City…
I know it's crazy,
but it's true…"
Number one on the charts. Won the Academy Award and the Golden Globe. #79 on the AFI's list of 100 best songs in movies EVER….
Once in your life you find her
Someone that turns your heart around
And next thing you know you're closing down the town
Wake up and it's still with you
Even though you left her way across town
Wondering to yourself, "Hey, what've I found?"
When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the Moon and New York City
The best that you can do ……
The best that you can do is fall in love
Arthur he does as he pleases
All of his life, he's mastered choice
Deep in his heart, he's just, he's just a boy
Living his life one day at a time
And showing himself a really good time
Laughing about the way they want him to be
When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the Moon and New York City
The best that you can do …..
The best that you can do is fall in love
When you get caught between the Moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between the Moon and New York City
The best that you can do …..
The best that you can do is fall in love
'Slip Away' David Bowie. Although if you want to go earlier 'DJ' works quite well for capturing the splintered paranoia of New York in the late 1970's.
I'm pretty sure the sun does not "pour in like butterscotch" in London, like, ever. Team Chelsea New York.
Nas, "Destroy and Rebuild."
"Times Square" Marianne Faithful nuff said
That PJ record is heartbreaking.
'Somewhere' from West Side Story, sung by Tom Waits. If you havent heard it, you should. Its on 'Blue Valentine.'
I love a lot of these songs, but can I add a bit of crappy nostalgia for someone my age? "Motorcycle Drive By" Third Eye Blind… now before you judge I was in middle school, but it certainly skewed my perception of the city.
Yr City's a Sucker
It's Hard to be a Saint in the City
mekons – i love apple
neil diamond – i am, i said
sonic youth – master-dik
clash – the right profile
Good lord, how did I forget this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5zTmpFLThA
It's not just one of the best songs about NYC etcs. It's one of the best songs EVER about anything.