This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Come see the vampires of New York
Come lose your mind in Central Park
But don't leave your soul behind
Come take in 8th street after dark
Such peculiar people you'll remark
You might even see a murder
And all the whores on Bleecker Street
They wear the blissful grin
Caused by the drugs they take
To relieve them of their sins
And "oh lord I think she's dying"
I heard somebody say
I think she's dying
And "oh oh lord I think she's dying"
Or maybe she's already dead
And maybe she's gone to Mars
Maybe we could even write
Her epitaph in the stars
It'd say "If you go away from here
If you go a million miles"
Come downtown to see them go
Into the den of the vampires of New York
But please watch your step
As you're getting off, kids
Come lose your mind in Central Park
But don't leave your soul behind
Come take in 8th street after dark
Such peculiar people you'll remark
You might even see a murder
And all the whores on Bleecker Street
They wear the blissful grin
Caused by the drugs they take
To relieve them of their sins
And "oh lord I think she's dying"
I heard somebody say
I think she's dying
And "oh oh lord I think she's dying"
Or maybe she's already dead
And maybe she's gone to Mars
Maybe we could even write
Her epitaph in the stars
It'd say "If you go away from here
If you go a million miles"
Come downtown to see them go
Into the den of the vampires of New York
But please watch your step
As you're getting off, kids
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i love the satirical greatness of this song...marcy playground- underrated
its about how FUCKED up NYC was before
i like this song. there's something about the part when he sings "or maybe she's already dead" that really bothers me though. it sounds wait too sing-songy; it seems wrong some how. it's still a way cool song though
I agree sunksses, kinda like the line "You might even see a murder"....lol, its like...oh boy...how lovely ya know. the way he sings it kicks ass i think....in all of marcy playgrounds songs....the strangest words come out of his mouth in such nice ways.
I totaly love the ending its so rad.."but please watch ur step as ur getting off kids' so so rad.. makes the song seem like a ride.. that might be wat it soppose to be like.. like ur on a ride through the grungy streets of NY.. n u see hookers and dark people and what not.. la la la have a nice day
the beginning too.. "come see the vampires of NY".. like u kno how carnies call out to the croud at carnivals?
Vampires of New York I think is making fun of how poeple go to New York to see it as if it's a freak show. And when they visit it they view it as a carnival ride to see all of the crimes and the "vampires", meaning the criminals and whatnot. And making fun of how people go there to see a murder as if it's a fucking sight seeing trip.
which also explains the tone of the song. He made some of the lyrics "singy-songy" to be sarcastic about the way people think of new york.
I think this song started off as him showing us how attracted by violence we actually are, even if we pretend were not. then, he actually gets into detail by going to one of the most violent cities. He talks about going through this ride and seeng all of these things and enjoying the "you might even see a murder"... You see the worst things on this "ride", but you're enjoying it. Like, TV, it keeps getting more violent every day... Well, thats what I got from it,
~just a thought
"the strangest words come out of his mouth in such nice ways." Love it! :D
I always picture Woz as a circus ringmaster when I hear this.