Empire State of Mind Pt. 2
Alicia Keys feat. Raekwon CNN & Styles P Lyrics

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Oooh oooh, New York (x2)

Grew up in a town,
That is famous as a place of movie scenes
Noise is always loud
There are sirens all around
And the streets are mean
If I could make it here

I could make it anywhere
That’s what they say
Seeing my face in lights
Or my name in marquees found down Broadway

Even if it ain’t all it seems
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I’m from

[Chorus]
New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York

On the avenue, there ain’t never a curfew
Ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot on the corner selling rock
Preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab
Takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Someone sleeps tonight with a hunger
For more than from an empty fridge

I’m going to make it by any means
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I’m from

[Chorus: x2]

One hand in the air for the big city
Street lights, big dreams, all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compared
Put your lighters in the air
Everybody say yeah, yeah yeah

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In this song, Alicia Keys is paying tribute to the city of New York, where she was born and raised. She explains that it's a loud and noisy place, with constant sirens and mean streets, but it's also a place where dreams come true. She believes that if she can make it in New York, she can make it anywhere. She aspires to see her name in lights and be recognized down Broadway. Even though she acknowledges that not everything in the city is what it seems, she still holds onto the hope and ambition that she's had from the start. She has a pocketful of dreams and is determined to make them come true.

The chorus of the song highlights the iconic phrase of New York - "concrete jungle where dreams are made of" - implying that the city is full of ambitious people who want to make it big. She encourages others to visit and experience the city's energy, lights, and diversity. The city does not have a curfew, and people work hard to make a living on the melting pot of the corners. She acknowledges that some people still go hungry and yearn for more, but the city is a place where they can pursue their dreams.

Line by Line Meaning

Grew up in a town,
I was raised in a place

That is famous as a place of movie scenes
It's a city that's popular for being in movies

Noise is always loud
It's typically very noisy

There are sirens all around
You can hear emergency vehicles everywhere

And the streets are mean
The people there can be tough or unfriendly

If I could make it here
If I can succeed in this difficult place

I could make it anywhere
I can succeed anywhere

That’s what they say
That's a common sentiment

Seeing my face in lights
Being famous

Or my name in marquees found down Broadway
My name up in lights in Times Square

Even if it ain’t all it seems
Even if things aren't as great as they appear

I got a pocketful of dreams
I have a lot of hopes and aspirations

Baby, I’m from
I'm from

New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
New York is a tough and hectic city, but it's where people go to fulfill their wishes

There’s nothing you can’t do
Anything is possible

Now you’re in New York
If you're here in New York

These streets will make you feel brand new
The city will invigorate and inspire you

Big lights will inspire you
The bright lights will motivate you

Hear it for New York, New York, New York
Cheer for New York, it's a great city

On the avenue, there ain’t never a curfew
There is no closing time on the main street

Ladies work so hard
Women here put in a lot of effort

Such a melting pot on the corner selling rock
The variety of cultures is evident on the street corner where illegal drugs are sold

Preachers pray to God
Religious leaders often pray for their followers in public

Hail a gypsy cab
Stop a gypsy cab (an unlicensed taxi)

Takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Driving me from uptown to downtown via the famous bridge

Someone sleeps tonight with a hunger
Someone is going to bed with an empty stomach

For more than from an empty fridge
They desire more in life than just basic necessities

I’m going to make it by any means
I'll find a way to succeed

One hand in the air for the big city
Put one hand in the air to salute the great city

Street lights, big dreams, all looking pretty
The bright street lights represent the dreams that are achievable in the city

No place in the world that can compared
There's nowhere else like it

Put your lighters in the air
Hold your lighters up to show appreciation

Everybody say yeah, yeah yeah
Everyone should express agreement or happiness

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEXANDER WILLIAM SHUCKBURGH, ALICIA J AUGELLO-COOK, ANGELA HUNTE, BERT KEYES, JANETTE SEWELL, SHAWN C CARTER, SYLVIA ROBINSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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