No particular reason for this redux other than as I scrolled through the archives, it caught my eye and I suddenly wanted to hear it again!

Sometimes a bit of nostalgia isn’t a bad thing, y’know?  My first 18 years were spent between San Francisco and New York, with a few other locales thrown in for fun … my father was what’s known as a “troubleshooter”, which took us back and forth, here and there, hither and yon.  Much of what molded me, however, came from the two aforementioned cities.  That was where I learned that “people is people” no matter what their skin colour, or what kind of house they live in.  That’s where I learned to embrace the differences, take joy in the exchange of cultures, to try new foods, speak new languages, and enjoy it all.  Y’know, people say that big cities are cold, dangerous places, but … they are what you make of them.  As I’ve aged, I’m less inclined to want to live in the city … instead, I envision a small, isolated place to call my own.  But, back in the day, the city was … excitement.  It was life.  Sometimes, I just like to hear Tony Bennett sing I Left My Heart in San Francisco or Sinatra belt out New York, New York.  Well, enough of my introspection and nostalgia … let’s get the show on the road!

I always have and always will associate this song with Frank Sinatra, and I forget that it was actually Liza Minnelli who debuted it in the 1977 film of the same name, which was directed by Martin Scorsese and starred Minnelli and Robert De Niro as musicians and lovers. It was written for the film by John Kander and Fred Ebb, who wrote many songs for her, including the Cabaret songs Maybe This Time and Yes.

Frank Sinatra began performing this in 1978 at concerts in New York’s Radio City Music Hall. His version was released on his 1980 triple album Trilogy: Past, Present and Future, which was highly acclaimed and brought the singer back in the public eye. New York, New York quickly became one of Sinatra’s signature songs.

This was the last hit song Sinatra released. He was one of the most popular singers of the 1940s and 1950s, but took a hit when rock and roll music took hold. Still, he retained an enormous audience that preferred his meticulously crafted orchestral songs to the guitar rock and teen pop that was taking hold.

My preference, if you haven’t guessed, is the Sinatra version, but I will offer both here, as I understand that Liza Minnelli’s was more popular on the other side of the pond.

New York, New York
Frank Sinatra

Start spreadin’ the news, I’m leavin’ today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it
New York, New York

I wanna to wake up, in a city that doesn’t sleep
And find I’m king of the hill
Top of the heap

These little town blues
Are melting away
I’ll make a brand new start of it
In old New York
If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere
It’s up to you, New York, New York

New York, New York
I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps
And find I’m a number one, top of the list
King of the hill, a number one

These little town blues, are melting away
I’m gonna make a brand new start of it
In old New York
And
If I can make it there
I’m gonna make it anywhere
It’s up to you, New York
New York
New York

Songwriters: Fred Ebb / John Kander
New York, New York lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC