Saturday, June 07, 2008

The New York Mix

When we were getting ready to move here I made a New York mix CD. I didn't listen to it for most of our time here but it's been my theme music for the last month (again, love the ipod.) There are almost as many songs about New York as there are movies set here (another cool thing about watching movies now is recognizing stuff, especially Ed's building.) The mix represents well the crazy mixed feelings this place evokes. It's such an amazing place with energy, sites, and experiences to offer, but it can also be tough. It's nice to know I'm not the only one with such bipolarity.

Unfortunately playlist.com only offers a sampling of the songs for you to hear, and some of the more catchy ones are missing, but here's the list, plus a few of the more relevant lyrics:

#1 New York City - They Might Be Giants
Statue of liberty, staten island ferry, co-op city, katz’s and tiffany’s
Central park, brooklyn bridge, the empire state where dylan lived
Coney island and times square, rockefeller center
Wish I was there

'cause everyone’s your friend in new york city
And everything looks beautiful when you’re young and pretty
The streets are paved with diamonds and there’s just so much to see

But the best thing about new york city is you and me
#2 New York's Not My Home - Jim Croce
Things were spinning round me
And all my thoughts were cloudy

And I had begun to doubt all the things that were me

Been in so many places

You know I've run so many races


I know that I gotta get outta here

I'm so alone
Don't you know that I gotta get outta here
'
Cause New York's not my home

Though all the streets are crowded

There's something strange about it

lived there about a year and I never once felt at home

I thought I'd made the big time
You know I learned a lot of lessons awful quick and

Now I'm telling you that they were not the nice kind

And it's been so long since I have felt fine
#3 Streets of NYC - American Ambulance
Folks down in Virginia
They could never see
Why the streets of New York City

Look so good to me

Lord, they look so good to me
(What are the odds of finding those lyrics?)

#4 Leaving New York - R.E.M.
It's easier to leave than to be left behind
Leaving was never my proud
Leaving New York, never easy
I saw the light fading out
#5 An Englishman in New York - Sting

#6 New York State of Mind - Billy Joel

#7 New York Groove - Kiss & Ace Frehley
Many years since I was here, on the street I was passin’ my time away
To the left and to the right, buildings towering to the sky

It’s outta sight in the dead of night

Here I am, and in this city, with a fistful of dollars
And baby, you’d better believe

I’m back, back in the new york groove

I’m back, back in the new york groove
I’m back, back in the new york groove

Back in the new york groove, in the new york groove
#8 A Heart in New York - Art Garfunkel

#9 New York City Rhythm - Barry Manilow
The poundin' beat of the city's streets
That keep my dreams alive
I'm lost, I'm found
I'm up, I'm down
But somehow I survive
It's got to be the New York City Rhythm in my life
It's got to be the New York City Rhtym in my life
#10 New York, New York - Ryan Adams
Hell, I still love you New York
#11 Fairytale of New York - The Pogues

#12 New York Boy - Neil Diamond

#13 New York - U2
In New York summers get hot, well into the hundreds
You can't walk around the block without a change of clothing

Hot as a hairdryer in your face
Hot as a handbag and a can of mace
In New York, I just got a place in New York

New York, New York
Irish, Italians, Jews and Hispanics
Religious nuts, political fanatics in the stew,

Living happily not like me and you

That's where I lost you... New York
#14 I Love NYC - Andrew W.K.
I love New York City
Oh yeah, New York City

love New York City

Oh yeah, New York City
#15 New York City - Norah Jones
I rode the train for hours on end
And watched the people pass me by

It could be that it has no end

Just an action junkie's lullaby

New York City

Such a beautiful disease

New York City

Such a beautiful,
Such a beautiful disease
#16 New York Girls - Gaelic Storm

#17 New York, New York - Tony Bennett & Frank Sinatra

If I can make it there,
I’ll make it anywhere!

8 comments:

KRISTIN said...

Funny thing. I guess one of my favorite bands as a teenager (CUB) covered that They Might be Giants Song. It's always been one of my favorites. Another one that I always sing in my head while riding my bike through Brooklyn is "53rd and 3rd" by the Ramones...oh to be 16 again!

KRISTIN said...

Oh yes, and one that you might want to add to the list, just because of what it takes to survive here is: "Don't stop don't give up" from Yo Gabba Gabba. Pierson and I both rock out to that one when we get yelled at by grouchy New Yorkers.

Disco Mom said...

Kristin, you know what, it was originally a CUB song and TMBG covered it. I read about it. One of the Giants heard it on the radio and loved it. They got permission from the label to cover it and CUB never knew until they heard it on the radio themselves. They were pretty excited, as I would be if TMBG wanted to do one of my many songs I've written. I've never heard the CUB version, or the Ramones song but now I'll try to. What's actually at 53rd and 3rd, either in Manhattan or Brooklyn?

Lindsay said...

What an awesome CD! Makes me want to go dig up some NY music.

KRISTIN said...

I do believe it is referring to Manhattan. The Ramones are from Queens, so I doubt they would be hanging out in Brooklyn a lot, let along making a single about it. I remember the first time I visited NY as a teenager, all I knew about this place was from punk rock songs like theirs...pretty funny.

Matthew said...

Nice mix. My only quibble is that I would have gone with "Only Living Boy in New York" (which is one of my all time favorite S&G songs) over Heart in New York.

Disco Mom said...

Matt, did you notice I put it in the playlist.com list? I was looking for heart in ny and found this one which I now like better as well.

Maren said...

I love S7G, as you know, and Only Living Boy in New York is a favorite. I love the line "I can gather all the new I need on the weather report." It runs in my head frequently.

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