New York City has always loomed large over the music world. Think of the way it hosted the Brill Building. Or how about its role at the epicenter of movements like punk and rap? It never seems to be far out of the music spotlight.
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Countless songs have paid tribute to New York. And many more have captured something indefinable about it. In any case, we think you could start a particularly sharp NYC-leaning playlist with these four tracks.
“Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters” by Elton John
You’ll find that artists coming from foreign countries often have a knack for getting to the heart of the city’s special nature. Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin were enamored with American music and culture before they even arrived. Their travels around the country once they toured here inspired many amazing songs from the pair. Taupin allegedly got the idea for “Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters” after seeing the stark disparity between NYC’s rich and poor. In the song, with John as his avatar, he takes the side of the latter. The narrator insists that the hoi polloi don’t truly experience everything the city has to offer. John gives it one of his finest ever vocal performances to convey the powerful emotions.
“New York City Song” by Dion
It seemed like a match made in heaven: the ultimate New York City artist, Dion DiMucci, collaborating with the ultimate New York City producer (Phil Spector). Sadly, by the time they reunited for the album Born To Be With You in 1975, Spector’s sound had calcified into a thick haze. And his chaotic behavior made the sessions problematic for DiMucci. Perhaps it made sense that the one song that Spector didn’t get his hands on from the album is the one that cast a melancholy but apropos glow. Terry Cashman and Tommy West produced “New York City Song”, written by DiMucci and Bill Tuohy. In the gorgeous song, the city represents the temptations that took Dion’s love away from him.
“Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)” by Billy Joel
Well, we couldn’t very well do a New York City songs list without including Billy Joel, could we? We could have chosen one of several songs from Turnstiles, the 1976 album that coincided with his return to his home haunts after years spent in California. The obvious selection to some might be “New York State Of Mind”. But don’t be fooled by the Florida reference in the title of “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)”. That’s just the getaway place for the lucky few able to survive the city’s downfall in Joel’s sci-fi scenario. He was inspired to write the song by reports of the city’s shaky status in the mid-70s. The song ends up showing off the resilience of the citizens, making it a reliable anthem.
“Shattered” by The Rolling Stones
Some Girls, in 1978, is often considered The Rolling Stones most New York-adjacent album. Mick Jagger, mostly in charge of the artistic direction with Keith Richards dealing with personal problems, led the pilgrimage to the Big Apple. The hit single “Miss You” sat right in the heart of the city’s discotheques. On “Shattered”, the LP’s closing track, Jagger takes a look at the rough urban landscape that characterized the city in the 70s. Plastic bag-wearing people, an ascending crime rate, rats, bed bugs. All kinds of excess get piled up in front of the narrator “on a platter.” The gritty rhythm suggests someone walking through the streets with a purpose and drinking in the dangerous thrill of it all.
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