Album: The Message (1982)
Songwriters: Donald Degrate / Donald Earle De Grate /
Edward O. Ferrell Ii / Joel M Hailey / Richard Cedric Hailey / Dwight Myers
New York New York lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
*NOTE* The song is cut short on this album. For more complete versions,
check (1983) and later productions.
[Intro]
E G E G
Dm E G E
[Hook]
Ebm Db
New York New York, big city of dreams
F
And everything in New York ain't always what it seems
E Db
You might get fooled if you come from out of town
F
But I'm down by law and I know my way around
[Bridge]
E Db F
Too much, too many people, too much (aha-ha)
E Db G
Too much, too many people, too much, Raaah!
[Verse 1]
G Db
A castle in the sky, one mile high
E
Built to shelter the rich and greedy
G
Rows of eyes, disguised as windows
E
Looking down on the poor and the needy
F
Miles of people, marching up the avenue
E
Doin? what they gotta do, just to get by
G
I'm living in the land of plenty and many
G
But I'm damn sure poor and I don't know why
[Bridge]
E
Too much, too many people, too much
G E G
Too much, too many people, too much!
[Verse 2]
G F
A man's on a ledge, says he's gonna jump
Db
People gather round, said, "He won't he's just a chump"
F
'Cause he lost his job, then he got robbed
E A
His mortgage is due and his marriage is through
E
He says he ain't gonna pay no child support
G
Because the bitch left him without a second thought
E
He got nothing to eat, no shoes on his feet
G
She even left his clothes out in the street
E
He keeps hearing noises when he's at home
Db
He always hears voices when he's all alone
F
His wife took the kids, the car and the crib
G
In this man's world, so much for Women's Lib
[Hook]
G A
New York New York big city of dreams
E
But everything in New York ain't always what it seems
G Db
You might get fooled if you come from out of town
Ebm
But I'm down by law, and I know my way around
[Verse 3]
E
Down in the Village, you might think I'm silly
Db
But you can't tell the women from the men sometimes
G E
They're sugar and spice and everything nice
G
But when you get ?em home ain't no telling what you find
E
Right next door is a little old man
G
I seen him eating dog food out of a can
Db
He says, "I got to eat, when I can't afford meat
E
I barely can stand, on my own two feet
G
I got a bad habit and I just can't break it
Db
Something?s on my mind and I just can't shake it
E
I need some time, and I want some space
G
I gotta get away from the human race?
[Bridge]
G E G
Too much, too many people, too much (aha-ha)
A E
Too much, too many people, too much! Raaah!
[Verse 4]
E
Staring at a skyscraper reaching into heaven
G
When over in the ghetto I'm livin' in hell
E
Just play ball or be an entertainer
G
'Cause niggaz like me can't read too well
Dm E
Nobody loves me, nobody cares
G
I dreamed about a life but I'm livin' in a nightmare
E
Paranoid schizo, set back, snowbound
G
Bad news psycho, heart attack, breakdown!
[Tag]
G Bb Ebm
Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh
E Bb Ebm
Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh
E Bb Db
Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh
Bb E G
Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, Huh, Hee, HUH!
[Verse 5]
E F
If only I could sleep just ten more minutes
E
I might find the strength to make another day
G
If I didn't have to get up and do my thing
F
I would probably sleep my whole life away
E
I messed up a nice dream, somethin' bout ice cream
Ebm
Whipped cream, fruits and a cherry on top
E F
Now I gotta get up and face the world, huh
E
The pressure is on, It ain't never gonna stop
G
I sho' gotta learn to use my mind
E G
I don't want to be kissing nobody's behind
E
Just standin' on line lookin' like a jerk
G
Gotta get off my butt and do a full day's work
E F
I ran into a pothole, got into a car crash
E
Should a been thinking and tried to fake whiplash
F
A crowd gathered round, they're callin' me fat
Dm
Who you lookin' at with a face like that?
[Hook]
Dm Db
New York New York big city of dreams
E
Everything in New York ain't always what it seems
G
You might get fooled if you come from out of town
E Bb
But I'm down by law and I know my way around
[Verse 6]
E
On 42nd Street, lookin' for some action
G
Women standing on the corner selling satisfaction
F
One young punk just leaning on the fence
E A
Tryin' to make a dollar out of fifteen cents
E
Billy is a prankster, tried to be a gangster
E
Real big wheel when a gun is in his hands
E
Just did a stick-up, just got picked up
G
One dead punk, killed by the man
[Outro]
G Db
New York New York big city of dreams
G
And everything in New York ain't always what it seem