hell of a city deserves a hell of a song
or maybe several
they got cause Vegas paws make of rivers
of gold
windows rock brilliance no place
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
songs about New York City
for this list we’ve chosen songs written
about the city of New York based on
their overall popularity and recognition
now let’s go to the city that never
sleeps
I love you
number ten the message Grandmaster Flash
and the Furious Five broken glass
everywhere people pissing on the stage
and Noda just don’t catch Grandmaster
Flash and the Furious fives awesome tune
isn’t just a great song about New York
it’s a great song
period crazy lady living in the bag even
not a comic fans used to be a fag hag
such a desert angle skip the life and
angles of all practicing the loss as one
of the first hip-hop anthems to really
drive home a social point it was a big
influence on future artists including
Public Enemy and Rage Against the
Machine push me cause I’m close to the
edge I’m tryin not to lose my head the
picture it paints up the city may not be
flattering comparing it to a jungle it’s
like a jungle sometimes it makes me
wonder how I keep them goin end up but
it accurately and vividly captures the
sense of struggle alienation and
wrenching willpower that is part of
being poor and disenfranchised in New
York smugglers scramblers burglars
gamblers pickpocket analyst even
Mandela’s you say I’m cool I’m no fool
but then you wind up dropping out of
high
number nine New York City cops The
Strokes
you
The Strokes have both legitimate New
York City Roots and certifiable indie
cred so it’s no wonder that New York
City cops pulses with the same erratic
heartbeat of the city
this rebellious anthem sparks a little
protest in all of us as it contains
lyrics about getting away with a crime
the track features a chorus that shows
little mercy to the law-enforcement in
the Big Apple taunting and shaming them
which caused the song to be pulled from
the US release of their debut album
after the traumatic events of 9/11
New York I love you but you’re bringing
me down number eight
New York I love you but you’re bringing
me down LCD Soundsystem like a rat in a
cage pulling me wake LCD Soundsystem was
acclaimed for their innovative and
sometimes hectic blend of punk and disco
but they took things down a notch for
this plaintively beautiful ballad your
mild billionaire mares now convinced
he’s a king it’s a love letter to the
city but really to the city that once
was what’s yours
the drone
singer James Murphy’s pan loads the
cleaning up of Times Square and the
Disneyfication of New York longing for
the days when there was more squalor but
also more character maybe alright maybe
I run
Murphy the city may be safer and saner
but it’s less distinctive and sadly
bringing him down New York I love but
you’re freaking me out
number seven fairytale of New York The
Pogues and Kirsty MacColl I was
Christmases
oh the Dechaine McGowan and the Pogues
to create a Christmas song full of
rueful Beauty anger remorse and
drunkenness you are pretty natural swing
halogen-free was singing we kissed uncle
telling the tale of an Irish immigrant
sleeping one off in New York City the
fairytale is full of recriminations
between a man and a woman who have
clearly disappointed each other
Christmas you’re also I’m very good
the Flies
your disillusionment is focused on their
time in New York a city that promises
dreams but too often forces people to
settle instead for illusions like it
well the trains are
number six the rising Bruce Springsteen
good
it’d be
springsteen maybe a native of New Jersey
but New York embraces him as a native
son
his New York City serenade is a great
New York song
but the rising stands even taller
the 9/11 attacks were a traumatic event
for New York and Springsteen’s
unbelievable anthem managed to address
the sad realities and tragedy of the
experience while simultaneously
inspiring hope
it comes from a place of tremendous
personal emotion and applies that
emotion to a city in need of healing
number five walk on the wild side Lou
Reed Halle came from Miami and Billy
attacked away across USA New York City
is usually somewhere in any song by Lou
Reed but the portraits he paints and
walk on the wild side served to move the
city front and center on the island
in the backroom huh – she was
everybody’s garden the subject of this
glam rock classic is a group of
travelers who arrive to the big city and
how the city has changed them
you take a look at the last side songs
bassline and do do refrain are
mesmerizing lyrics make the listener
feel like they’re somehow plugged into
the part of New York City that defines
cool even if only as a lawyer
number four New York state of mind Billy
Joel has there ever been a more
comforting song about the city that
never sleeps and Billy Joel’s lovely
tribute some people are born with the
city in their soul and this serenade is
a tribute to them
don’t waste all time
I’m in the new year
no matter where a true New Yorker goes
he never really feels at home or at ease
for long times
daily news
he needs the smell of the city and the
slightly gritty feel of its air in order
to be able to relax and kick his feet up
it’s fine
New York state of mind captures that
feeling perfectly
number three no sleep till Brooklyn
Beastie Boys
while this Beastie Boys rant is
ostensibly about the drudgery of being
on the road it’s really about the fact
that no place compares to Brooklyn
saucily tongue-in-cheek the boys detail
all of the trials one goes through went
away from the big borough
they don’t go into detail about the
positives of Brooklyn but the contrast
is clear while their libidos and egos
may get stroked on tour the only place
they feel really at home is Brooklyn
number two Empire State of Mind jay-z
and Alicia Keys yeah I’m up at Brooklyn
down down in Tribeca right next to the
narrow but I’ll be hood fast up in
referencing famous New Yorkers Sinatra
and DeNiro Empire State of Mind one of
the songs jay-z is most associated with
is an infectious hip hop anthem with
some awesome pop trappings
jay-z and Alicia Keys are in great form
here and both capture the upbeat spirit
of the piece perfectly match would
limine roamed in the world renown to the
king come from the Empire State dropping
the names of celebrities landmarks and
other icons associated with the city
Empire State of Mind becomes a love
letter to the city from two of its most
musically exciting contemporary natives
came even school graduated set a hot
life for players rap stars as if this at
a time like empty and mein gott you’re
feeling like a champion the city never
sleeps whether slippy what
before we reveal our top pick here are
some honorable mentions a new y’all
cookin me soon a canned meat his
daughter one boob at home in Jackson
Tennessee and those were the reasons and
that was New York
we were running for the money
for a down
you don’t know what you do until you put
under pressure across 110th Street is a
hell of a tester
it’s autumn in New York that brings the
promise of new love number one theme
from New York New York Frank Sinatra
Todd spreading the news I’m leaving
today Liza Minnelli may have introduced
the song I wanna be a part of it but
Sinatra owns it and why not all blue I
swagger perfectly matches that of the
song and of the city itself I’ll make a
brand new start of it New York New York
an irresistable jazz tune that’s as
iconic as the star that sings it the
song is a celebration of the Big Apple’s
particular mix of guts pride and
in-your-face determination aa little
town blue they have melted away the
lyrics especially the idea that if I can
make it there I’ll make it anywhere have
become an indelible part of popular
culture if I can
make it their fake anywhere all in all
there couldn’t be a more fitting at them
for the city that never sleeps
do you agree with our choices what other
songs about the Big Apple deserve to be
on this list thanks Jane for more on
throttling top 10s published every day
be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
it’s up to you
or maybe several
they got cause Vegas paws make of rivers
of gold
windows rock brilliance no place
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
songs about New York City
for this list we’ve chosen songs written
about the city of New York based on
their overall popularity and recognition
now let’s go to the city that never
sleeps
I love you
number ten the message Grandmaster Flash
and the Furious Five broken glass
everywhere people pissing on the stage
and Noda just don’t catch Grandmaster
Flash and the Furious fives awesome tune
isn’t just a great song about New York
it’s a great song
period crazy lady living in the bag even
not a comic fans used to be a fag hag
such a desert angle skip the life and
angles of all practicing the loss as one
of the first hip-hop anthems to really
drive home a social point it was a big
influence on future artists including
Public Enemy and Rage Against the
Machine push me cause I’m close to the
edge I’m tryin not to lose my head the
picture it paints up the city may not be
flattering comparing it to a jungle it’s
like a jungle sometimes it makes me
wonder how I keep them goin end up but
it accurately and vividly captures the
sense of struggle alienation and
wrenching willpower that is part of
being poor and disenfranchised in New
York smugglers scramblers burglars
gamblers pickpocket analyst even
Mandela’s you say I’m cool I’m no fool
but then you wind up dropping out of
high
number nine New York City cops The
Strokes
you
The Strokes have both legitimate New
York City Roots and certifiable indie
cred so it’s no wonder that New York
City cops pulses with the same erratic
heartbeat of the city
this rebellious anthem sparks a little
protest in all of us as it contains
lyrics about getting away with a crime
the track features a chorus that shows
little mercy to the law-enforcement in
the Big Apple taunting and shaming them
which caused the song to be pulled from
the US release of their debut album
after the traumatic events of 9/11
New York I love you but you’re bringing
me down number eight
New York I love you but you’re bringing
me down LCD Soundsystem like a rat in a
cage pulling me wake LCD Soundsystem was
acclaimed for their innovative and
sometimes hectic blend of punk and disco
but they took things down a notch for
this plaintively beautiful ballad your
mild billionaire mares now convinced
he’s a king it’s a love letter to the
city but really to the city that once
was what’s yours
the drone
singer James Murphy’s pan loads the
cleaning up of Times Square and the
Disneyfication of New York longing for
the days when there was more squalor but
also more character maybe alright maybe
I run
Murphy the city may be safer and saner
but it’s less distinctive and sadly
bringing him down New York I love but
you’re freaking me out
number seven fairytale of New York The
Pogues and Kirsty MacColl I was
Christmases
oh the Dechaine McGowan and the Pogues
to create a Christmas song full of
rueful Beauty anger remorse and
drunkenness you are pretty natural swing
halogen-free was singing we kissed uncle
telling the tale of an Irish immigrant
sleeping one off in New York City the
fairytale is full of recriminations
between a man and a woman who have
clearly disappointed each other
Christmas you’re also I’m very good
the Flies
your disillusionment is focused on their
time in New York a city that promises
dreams but too often forces people to
settle instead for illusions like it
well the trains are
number six the rising Bruce Springsteen
good
it’d be
springsteen maybe a native of New Jersey
but New York embraces him as a native
son
his New York City serenade is a great
New York song
but the rising stands even taller
the 9/11 attacks were a traumatic event
for New York and Springsteen’s
unbelievable anthem managed to address
the sad realities and tragedy of the
experience while simultaneously
inspiring hope
it comes from a place of tremendous
personal emotion and applies that
emotion to a city in need of healing
number five walk on the wild side Lou
Reed Halle came from Miami and Billy
attacked away across USA New York City
is usually somewhere in any song by Lou
Reed but the portraits he paints and
walk on the wild side served to move the
city front and center on the island
in the backroom huh – she was
everybody’s garden the subject of this
glam rock classic is a group of
travelers who arrive to the big city and
how the city has changed them
you take a look at the last side songs
bassline and do do refrain are
mesmerizing lyrics make the listener
feel like they’re somehow plugged into
the part of New York City that defines
cool even if only as a lawyer
number four New York state of mind Billy
Joel has there ever been a more
comforting song about the city that
never sleeps and Billy Joel’s lovely
tribute some people are born with the
city in their soul and this serenade is
a tribute to them
don’t waste all time
I’m in the new year
no matter where a true New Yorker goes
he never really feels at home or at ease
for long times
daily news
he needs the smell of the city and the
slightly gritty feel of its air in order
to be able to relax and kick his feet up
it’s fine
New York state of mind captures that
feeling perfectly
number three no sleep till Brooklyn
Beastie Boys
while this Beastie Boys rant is
ostensibly about the drudgery of being
on the road it’s really about the fact
that no place compares to Brooklyn
saucily tongue-in-cheek the boys detail
all of the trials one goes through went
away from the big borough
they don’t go into detail about the
positives of Brooklyn but the contrast
is clear while their libidos and egos
may get stroked on tour the only place
they feel really at home is Brooklyn
number two Empire State of Mind jay-z
and Alicia Keys yeah I’m up at Brooklyn
down down in Tribeca right next to the
narrow but I’ll be hood fast up in
referencing famous New Yorkers Sinatra
and DeNiro Empire State of Mind one of
the songs jay-z is most associated with
is an infectious hip hop anthem with
some awesome pop trappings
jay-z and Alicia Keys are in great form
here and both capture the upbeat spirit
of the piece perfectly match would
limine roamed in the world renown to the
king come from the Empire State dropping
the names of celebrities landmarks and
other icons associated with the city
Empire State of Mind becomes a love
letter to the city from two of its most
musically exciting contemporary natives
came even school graduated set a hot
life for players rap stars as if this at
a time like empty and mein gott you’re
feeling like a champion the city never
sleeps whether slippy what
before we reveal our top pick here are
some honorable mentions a new y’all
cookin me soon a canned meat his
daughter one boob at home in Jackson
Tennessee and those were the reasons and
that was New York
we were running for the money
for a down
you don’t know what you do until you put
under pressure across 110th Street is a
hell of a tester
it’s autumn in New York that brings the
promise of new love number one theme
from New York New York Frank Sinatra
Todd spreading the news I’m leaving
today Liza Minnelli may have introduced
the song I wanna be a part of it but
Sinatra owns it and why not all blue I
swagger perfectly matches that of the
song and of the city itself I’ll make a
brand new start of it New York New York
an irresistable jazz tune that’s as
iconic as the star that sings it the
song is a celebration of the Big Apple’s
particular mix of guts pride and
in-your-face determination aa little
town blue they have melted away the
lyrics especially the idea that if I can
make it there I’ll make it anywhere have
become an indelible part of popular
culture if I can
make it their fake anywhere all in all
there couldn’t be a more fitting at them
for the city that never sleeps
do you agree with our choices what other
songs about the Big Apple deserve to be
on this list thanks Jane for more on
throttling top 10s published every day
be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
it’s up to you
Please follow and like us: