New York, NY 10009 (Black 47)

“New York, NY 10009” Sheet Music (pdf).
“New York, NY 10009” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).

Lyrics: Larry Kirwan.
Tune: Larry Kirwan.


Got in town on a Saturday night
With a Fender guitar. And I checked out the sights.
And I drank my way down to the Lower East Side
’Cause I was nuts about Thunders and Suicide.
And I formed a band called the Major Thinkers
With a couple of musicians and some heavy drinkers.
And I went up to Max’s. And I said, “Hey, man,
I’m gonna blow your club right off of the map.”

New York, New York, what have you done?
You’ve wrecked me ’til I have become
Half the man I might have been,
Half the hero of my dream.
New York, New York, it’s over now.
You beat me. Still, I know somehow,
Just for once, I’m gonna prove you wrong
Just to show you I was right all along.

Well, I met Sheila down at Blanche’s Bar.
She was dressed all in black. And her heart was a scar.
And she took me back to Avenue C.
Ah, we were happy there, her and me, ’til a man
From the Black Rock saw the band.
And he said, “Hey, you dudes are just sizzlin’ hot and
Gonna cut a record gotta make you all stars.
But first things first, sign your soul away here.”

New York, New York, what have you done?
You’ve wrecked me ’til I have become
Half the man I might have been,
Half the hero of my dream.
New York, New York, it’s over now.
You beat me. Still, I know somehow,
Just for once, I’m gonna prove you wrong
Just to show you I was right all along.

Oh, we cut a song about Avenue B.
And the boxes boomed it all over the streets.
But the record company, ah, they, screwed us all up.
And Sheila went off and joined the Scientology Church.
Then, Mike stopped a bullet in Staten Island.
And my whole world turned ultra violent.
But there’s one last thing I just gotta see through.
And there’s one last thing I gotta say to you.

Sheila, baby, give me one last chance.
I just gone and formed Black 47.
I don’t care about the money.
Ah, you can keep the fame. I just want to beat this city
At its own dumb game.

New York, New York, what have you done?
You’ve wrecked me ’til I have become
Half the man I might have been,
Half the hero of my dream.
New York, New York, it’s over now.
You beat me. Still, I know somehow,
Just for once, I’m gonna prove you wrong
Just to show you I was right all along.


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