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New York City Lyrics
You called me last night, on the telephone,
and I was glad to hear from you 'cause I was all alone.
You said, "It's snowing, it's snowing! God I hate this weather!"
Now I walk through blizzards just to get us back together.
We met in the springtime at a rock-n-roll show.
It was on the Bowery when it was time to go.
We kissed on the subway in the middle of the night.
I held your hand, you held mine, it was the best night of my life.
'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.
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.
You wrote me a letter, just the other day.
Said, "Springtime is coming soon so why don't you come to stay?"
Packed my stuff, was on the bus, I can't believe it's true.
I'm three days from New York City and I'm three days from you.
[Repeat 2x]
'Cause everyone's my 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.
and I was glad to hear from you 'cause I was all alone.
You said, "It's snowing, it's snowing! God I hate this weather!"
Now I walk through blizzards just to get us back together.
It was on the Bowery when it was time to go.
We kissed on the subway in the middle of the night.
I held your hand, you held mine, it was the best night of my life.
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.
Said, "Springtime is coming soon so why don't you come to stay?"
Packed my stuff, was on the bus, I can't believe it's true.
I'm three days from New York City and I'm three days from you.
'Cause everyone's my 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.
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Bmg Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer
Murray Jonathan Gold
Duration
3:02
Submitted by
walt On Feb 04, 2002
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
it should be noted that this is a cover song...but it's one damn good cover. this song has such a soaring energy, it's impossible not to rock out to this one and feel smiley.
This is a great song. Makes me want to go to New York City. They should use it in a tourism campaign, hahaha.
Does anyone know who did this song orrigionally and if there's any way to get a copy of the orrigonal?
A girl group from NYC named Cub originally did this song. They were pleased rather than pissed when they heard it on the radio. Some of their songs are available for download on KaZaA and the like, if you are into stealing small time bands music.
~Jason
There are two differences between the original lyrics by Cub and the version that They Might Be Giants sing on Factory Showroom.
Firstly, instead of singing "Katz's and Tiffany's", Cub sings "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Secondly, instead of singing "The Empire State Where Dylan Lived", Cub sings "The Empire State Where King Kong Lived". Flansburgh apparently misheard the lyrics, at least for the Dylan/King Kong one. I think the change to Katz's may have been intentional, because the Johns are on the record as saying that they felt this song, though it was a cover, reflected their own New York experiences very well. Maybe they changed it to Katz's, a Lower East Side fixture, to better reflect that.
It should be noted that in live performances nowadays, They Might Be Giants sing "King Kong" and not "Dylan", but "Katz's and Tiffany's" remains.
This song is just amazing. When I got into college in New York City, I played this song over and over again for about a week, while bouncing off walls in exuberance. So I know it pretty well now. And I have to say that the accordion adds something that the original song by Cub lacks.
This song is really sweet. It's exactly what it should feel like when you're in love.
I agree, I agree, I agree. This isn't one of those really deep songs for interpretation, it's just pure bliss. This is one of the ultimate pick-me-up methods available for everybody's use.
Awesome song. Not much more for me to say...
One of their sweetest songs. TMBG ROCKKKK.
Really fun singing this song when one is drunk at 2 AM on New years eve. Did it a couple years back, lol.