In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
Since I was born
And now it's alright, it's okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive
Oh, when you walk
Well now, I get low and I get high
And if I can't get either, I really try
Got the wings of Heaven on my shoes
I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose
You know it's alright, it's okay
I'll live to see another day
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive (oh)
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive (oh)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk
Music loud and women warm
I've been kicked around since I was born
And now it's all right, it's okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive (hey)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah (ah, ah, ah)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah (ah, ah, ah, ay)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah (oh)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk
Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around
Since I was born
And now it's alright, it's okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive
Oh, when you walk
Well now, I get low and I get high
And if I can't get either, I really try
Got the wings of Heaven on my shoes
I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose
You know it's alright, it's okay
I'll live to see another day
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive (oh)
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive (oh)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk
Music loud and women warm
I've been kicked around since I was born
And now it's all right, it's okay
And you may look the other way
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive (hey)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah (ah, ah, ah)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah (ah, ah, ah, ay)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah (oh)
Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah
I'm stayin' alive
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Stayin' Alive Lyrics as written by Robin Hugh Gibb Maurice Ernest Gibb
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The lyrics, New York Times effect on man literally means the day to day stresses that take its toll on one living in New York City during the 70;s. As outsiders you can try and understand it but you will not fully comprehend it until you have spent a day in the shoes of a New Yorker
"You know it's alright, it's okay, I'll live to see another day, But we can try to understand the new York Times effect on man... Whether you're a brother Whether you're a mother you're staying alive...
It is a general comment on the life and times of living in NY
@gary760985 your interpretation seems quite reasonable.
This song is legendary, everyone has heard it, and everyone can sing at least a little to it, and very catchy.
PEOPLE! Can we stay on topic and answer the member's question?
The original story and screenplay for the film Saturday Night Fever were inspired by a 1976 article entitled "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night", which appeared in New York magazine (erroneously referred to as the New York Times in the song).
No, we cannot. There, I said it. And what 'cha gonna' do 'bout it ;) BTW, what waz the question anyway???
I always thought "New York Times effect on man" was poking fun at intellectualism vs. survivalism (aka "stayin' alive"). While the upper-class & academics trot out their theories on WHY everything is so terrible, the speaker of the song and most regular people are actually living that reality and trying to survive.
This is virtually the ONLY song that EVER gives me the urge to just get up and DANCE.
So very true.
sorry fellas, youre all wrong. the song only makes sense if youve seen saturday night fever, for which the song was meant for...ya know, with john travolta....bad movie....about disco...(good song though)
I'm from the Isle of Man....and so were the BEE GEES, hence why I love them. This song is absolutely stunning. As is the movie. Blah blah blah, Santon Post Office, Ellen Vannin etc. etc. Sorry, I just think they're amazing. This song....to me, just means a brilliant night and a disco classic.
I came to this site because my friend has maintained for years that 'Staying Alive" was about being homless and living on the streets of New York. I tend to doubt that, but I have tried to decipher it in that way once or twice (for humor's sake). What I came up with is that "the New York Times affect on man" refers to homless people trying to keep warm by blanketing themselves with newspaper when they sleep, or stuff it into thier clothing as insulation. Not a good explination, but it was just to mess with my freinds idiotic interpetation. I think I believe the one about the lies about men and male culture in the TIMES, though.
I believe it has something to do with how we can be influenced by newspapers and the media
somewhat right but it also has to to do with the lies printed at that time about modern men, and the coverage they used just to sell... the new york times been around for ages and it would be the bible to the daily new yorker