Malick enjoyed a surprising career resurgence early in the 21st century after decades of obscurity, much of them spent outside the music business. His first taste of success came in his teens in the 1960s; he was 16 when his band Listening was signed to Vanguard Records. His youthful talent as a guitarist led to stints backing up such blues legends as John Lee Hooker, Otis Spann, Big Mama Thornton, and Muddy Waters. After serving as guitarist and musical director for the national touring company of the Broadway musical Hair in the early 1970s, he joined the James Montgomery Band and appeared on two of the group's albums, First Time Out (1973) and High Roller (1974).
Then came 20 years outside of music, during which Malick struggled with addiction and earned money primarily as a gambler and in the gaming business. But by 1994, he had cleaned up and returned to music. Based in Boston, he launched the Peter Malick Group and recorded the albums Wrong Side of My Life (1998) and Sons of the Jet Age (2000). In 2001, his work on the final Otis Spann album Last Call won him a W.C. Handy Award for historic album of the year.
Malick began to work with several young, up-and-coming female vocalists whom he heard while touring, writing and recording with them. One of them was Norah Jones, and after she rose to fame in 2002, Malick issued an EP of his recordings with her, New York City, that reached the top half of the Billboard 200. It was followed by a full-length album, Chance & Circumstance, that repeated the Jones' tracks and added work with four other singers, one of them Malick's daughter, Mercy Malick.
New York City
The Peter Malick Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't remember when it's time to go
When I look in the mirror
Tracing lines with a pencil
I remember what came before
I wanted to think there was endless love
Until I saw the light dim in your eyes
In the dead of the night I found out
Sometimes there's love that won't survive
New York City
Such a beautiful disease
New York City
Such a beautiful,
Such a beautiful disease
Laura kept all her disappointments
Locked up in a box behind her closet door
She pulled the blinds and listened to the thunder
With no way out from the family store
We all told her things could get better
When you just say goodbye
I'll lay awake one more night
Caught in a vision I want to deny
And did I mention the note that I found
Taped to my locked front door
It talked about no regrets
As it slipped from my hand to the scuffed tile floor
I rode the train for hours on end
And watched the people pass me by
It could be that it has no end
Just an action junkie's lullaby
New York City
We were full of the stuff that every dream rested
As if floating on a lumpy pillow sky
Caught up in the whole illusion
That dreams never pass us by
Came to a tattooed conclusion
That the big one was knocking on the door
What started as a mass delusion
Would take me far from the place I adore
New York City
The Peter Malick Group's song "New York City" is a beautifully written piece that reminisces about the city that never sleeps. The song begins with the singer grappling with the idea of time and the ephemeral nature of life. He acknowledges that he cannot recall what he had planned for the future and when to move on to the next thing, but he remembers what came before when he looks in the mirror. The singer then touches on the theme of failed love and relationships, stating that even though he once thought love would never end, he now understands that some love just won't survive. The chorus of the song is a repetition of the phrase "New York City, such a beautiful disease," painting a picture of the city's allure and its ability to be both captivating and dangerous.
The second verse of the song speaks about Laura, who keeps all her disappointments in a box behind her closet door, unable to escape from the family business. The singer and his acquaintances try to console her, assuring her that things will get better if she just says goodbye, but he still finds himself caught in a vision he wants to deny. The song continues with a note found by the singer taped to his locked front door, referencing the notion of no regrets. He then talks about riding the train for hours and observing people pass him by, suggesting that the city is a breeding ground for action junkies. The verses are stitched together with a repetition of the chorus, driving home the idea that New York City is both an addiction and a cure.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't remember what I planned tomorrow
I am so overwhelmed that I cannot recall even the most basic details of my future.
I can't remember when it's time to go
I am so consumed by the present moment that I have lost all sense of time.
When I look in the mirror
I try to scrutinize my reflection for clues about my inner thoughts and emotions.
Tracing lines with a pencil
I am attempting to map out the trajectory of my life thus far.
I remember what came before
I am painfully aware of all the mistakes and missteps that I have made in the past.
I wanted to think there was endless love
I once naively believed that love was infinite and everlasting.
Until I saw the light dim in your eyes
My optimism faded when I realized that the person I loved no longer reciprocated my feelings.
In the dead of the night I found out
I discovered the truth during a moment of darkness and despair.
Sometimes there's love that won't survive
Even the strongest love can crumble and fade away over time.
New York City
A place that is simultaneously alluring and toxic.
Such a beautiful disease
An affliction that is both captivating and dangerous.
Laura kept all her disappointments
A woman named Laura concealed her failures and heartbreaks from the world.
Locked up in a box behind her closet door
She buried her pain deep within herself and tried to forget about it.
She pulled the blinds and listened to the thunder
She sought solace in the sound of the natural world when she felt trapped and hopeless.
With no way out from the family store
Her struggles were tied to her family and their expectations for her.
We all told her things could get better
Her loved ones encouraged her to hold onto hope for a brighter future.
When you just say goodbye
Sometimes the only way to move on is to end a toxic relationship or situation.
I'll lay awake one more night
I am plagued by insomnia and cannot escape my thoughts.
Caught in a vision I want to deny
I am haunted by a painful memory that I cannot shake.
And did I mention the note that I found
There is another detail that I must share about my tumultuous life.
Taped to my locked front door
I discovered a message that was meant solely for me and no one else.
It talked about no regrets
The note encouraged me to live my life without looking back with regret.
As it slipped from my hand to the scuffed tile floor
I lost the note and cannot remember the exact words that were written.
I rode the train for hours on end
I spent a great deal of time traveling aimlessly without a clear destination.
And watched the people pass me by
I observed the lives of others as I searched for a sense of purpose in my own existence.
It could be that it has no end
My journey may be ongoing and never reach a definitive conclusion.
Just an action junkie's lullaby
My frenzied search for meaning is just a temporary escape from the harsh realities of life.
We were full of the stuff that every dream rested
We were filled with the ambition and drive that fuels our aspirations.
As if floating on a lumpy pillow sky
We were blissfully soaring towards our dreams, oblivious to the hardships that lay ahead.
Caught up in the whole illusion
We were swept away by a false sense of security and invincibility.
That dreams never pass us by
We believed that our dreams would someday turn into reality if we held onto them tightly enough.
Came to a tattooed conclusion
I came to a permanent and undeniable realization about the nature of life.
That the big one was knocking on the door
A major turning point in my life was imminent and unavoidable.
What started as a mass delusion
Our collective sense of grandeur and infinite potential proved to be nothing more than a fleeting fantasy.
Would take me far from the place I adore
I would be forced to leave behind the people and memories that I cherished.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WINFRED LOVETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind