There are songs that don’t have much meaning. Other songs have meaning, but it’s difficult to tease out from the lyrics. Don Henley’s fifth and final single from his 1989 album The End of the Innocence is neither of these. Let’s look closer at the meaning of “New York Minute” by Don Henley.
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Henley tends to be straightforward with his lyrics, so there’s usually not too much guesswork around the message he is trying to send with a particular song. In “New York Minute,” Henley sings about the importance of appreciating the people you love while they’re still in your life. While the title correctly implies that the song takes place in the Big Apple, the message would resonate in any setting. However, if it wasn’t for Henley having New York on his mind, the rest of the song may not have followed.
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The Title Came First, Then the Lyrics
Before Henley decided to write a song about how quickly we can lose our loved ones, he knew he wanted to write a song called, “New York Minute.” Legendary guitarist and songwriter Danny Kortchmar, who co-wrote the music for “New York Minute” with keyboardist Jai Winding, told Songfacts that Henley came up with the title first and then wrote lyrics to create a New York vibe.
Kortchmar said, “He wanted to capture the essence of autumn or early winter in New York.” Once Kortchmar came up with a chord sequence that he thought fit that mood, he played it for Henley. The former Eagle agreed that it worked, and the songwriting process got under way in earnest.
A Specific Setting, a Universal Message
Henley’s lyrics evoke images of Manhattan at every turn, but the important details of the scenes that he sketches could happen anywhere. The first two verses of “New York Minute” are a perfect example of how Henley merges the particular with the universal. Even if we don’t know the song’s title, Henley lets us know in the first verse where the action is happening.
Harry got up, dressed all in black
Went down to the station, and he never came back
They found his clothing scattered somewhere down the track
And he won’t be down on Wall Street in the morning
Did Harry jump, or was he pushed? Henley doesn’t follow up on those details, because they’re not central to his message. He turns his focus in the second verse to “New York Minute”’s overarching theme—about how the ones we love can be gone in a minute that goes by especially fast (i.e., a “New York minute”).
He had a home, love of a girl
But men get lost sometimes as years unfurl
One day he crossed some line, and he was too much in this world
But I guess it doesn’t matter anymore
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And then, to hammer home the point made in the second verse, Henley sums up the loss in the chorus.
In a New York minute, everything can change
In a New York minute, things can get pretty strange
For the third, fourth, and fifth verses, Henley acts as a narrator roaming the city. He finds sign after sign of people losing someone important to them. The line Someone’s going to emergency, someone’s going to jail depicts people being torn apart. So do these lines: On some solitary rock, a desperate lover left his mark / “Baby, I’ve changed, please come back.” Henley suggests that this is happening all over the city because “the wolf is always at the door.”
About Henley’s Co-Writers
Kortchmar has worked with numerous artists, including Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, and Toto., He was also a member of the jazz fusion band The Section, which released three albums. Members of The Section served as backing musicians (individually and collectively) for many artists, including Carole King, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne. Kortchmar’s work with Henley extends back to his 1982 debut album I Can’t Stand Still, which he co-produced. On Henley’s second album, Building the Perfect Beast, Kortchmar was co-producer, and he wrote or co-wrote nine tracks. He is one of six credited producers for The End of the Innocence, and he co-wrote six of the album’s 10 tracks.
Jai Winding is a session keyboardist, as well as a songwriter and producer. In addition to co-writing “New York Minute” and contributing keyboards to two other tracks from The End of The Innocence, Winding co-wrote and played keyboards for four tracks on Henley’s 2000 album, Inside Job. Winding has performed with an eclectic collection of artists, including Jackson Browne, Cheap Trick, Olivia Newton-John, Molly Hatchet, and Mötley Crüe.
The Impact of “New York Minute”
“New York Minute” peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100. It had even greater success on the Adult Contemporary chart, reaching No. 5. It’s Henley’s third-most popular song on Spotify (after “The Boys of Summer” and “The End of the Innocence”). As of this writing, it’s received more than 61 million streams. Of the album’s four other singles, three hit the Top 40. The End of the Innocence went to No. 8 on the Billboard 200.
“New York Minute” was included on the Eagles’ 1994 live album Hell Freezes Over. It was the only one of Henley’s solo songs included on the CD version of the album. The song was covered by Herbie Hancock on his 1996 album The New Standard. It was also recorded by John Wetton and the Les Paul Trio. Rapper/singer French Montana sampled “New York Minute” for his own song called “New York Minute,” as well. Henley’s original version of “New York Minute” was used for episodes of The West Wing and Friends.
“New York Minute” wasn’t one of Henley’s biggest hits upon its release. It’s appropriate, though, that it has been getting its due in more recent years. Henley has the ability to write about a relatable human experience in a gripping way. He can also give a song a real sense of place. These are true songwriting achievements.
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