Hey New York
Anne Heaton Lyrics
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You the anti-hype
So seriously do you take your job
You've created an entirely new type of attitude
Probably snobbery, possibly virtue
But I never knew
So I left you
You wanted the best for me
Kind of like my friend Andy
Who asked:
"What are you going to do when you grow up?
Won't you run out of music ideas? Aren't there only twelve notes?"
Hey New York is my sanctuary
Where the bankers are actors
And the waiters all are stars
It's a big celebration
Oooh yeah
We're all waiting on
A nuclear bomb
To blow us away
Some of us would probably escape
And found a new New York
Maybe in Ohio
Where dreams could still come true
Not sure if I'll get away
But I'll still plan my escape
Pick up the few friends I have left
In Harlem and the East Village
Oh I forgot they already moved away
They couldn't afford to live here
And they were tired of being scared every day
Chorus
Maybe I'll go home
Where people are humble and strong
And they get the best stuff
Like Second City and Steppenwolf
And maybe that's because they know the difference
Between talent and attitude
And there are rarely any breast implants
Jenny McCarthy was our only one
They're just wasted under winter coats
When there's never any sun
And the terrain doesn't change for thousands of miles
New boobs would be too big a change over too little time
And at the end of the play
As the actor leaves the stage
An audience member with a compulsion to make everything the same
Is bound to say:
"But what do you do for your real job?
"What do you do for your real job?
That was really great but what do you do for your real job?"
And that's when I think I'll stay in….
Chorus
The song "Hey New York" by Anne Heaton is an ode to the city and a comparison between it and her previous home, Chicago. The song begins with Heaton singing about how serious and anti-hip and anti-hype the city is, and how seriously people take their jobs. She describes it as an entirely new type of attitude, possibly fueled by snobbery, possibly by virtue. However, the song also talks about how she never really knew the city, and so she left it.
The second stanza of the song talks about how New York is her sanctuary, where there is a big celebration happening all the time. The bankers are actors, and the waiters are stars. The song also touches upon the fear of a nuclear bomb and how some would try to escape to make a new New York, maybe in Ohio, where dreams could still come true.
Finally, in the last stanza, Heaton sings about how she is not sure if she will get away, but she plans to pick up the few friends she has left in Harlem and the East Village. She wonders if maybe she should go back home to Chicago, a place where people are humble and strong, where they get the best stuff like Second City and Steppenwolf, and maybe it's because they know the difference between talent and attitude.
Overall, "Hey New York" is a thoughtful and introspective song that is both a love letter and a farewell letter to the city of New York.
Line by Line Meaning
You the anti-hip
You are not trendy
You the anti-hype
You are not into exaggeration
So seriously do you take your job
You take your job very seriously
You've created an entirely new type of attitude
You have a unique personality
Probably snobbery, possibly virtue
Your personality could be interpreted as snobbish or virtuous
But I never knew
I had never realized that before
So I left you
That's why I left
Chicago
The city of Chicago
You wanted the best for me
You had my best interests in mind
Kind of like my friend Andy
Similar to my friend Andy's support
Who asked:
He asked me
"What are you going to do when you grow up?
What are your future plans?
Won't you run out of music ideas? Aren't there only twelve notes?"
Do you think you'll eventually have a creative block since there are only twelve musical notes?
Hey New York is my sanctuary
New York is where I feel safe
Where the bankers are actors
Even the bankers act like celebrities here
And the waiters all are stars
The waiters are also treated like stars
It's a big celebration
It's always a big party here
Oooh yeah
Yeah!
We're all waiting on
We are all anxiously waiting for
A nuclear bomb
A catastrophic event like a nuclear explosion
To blow us away
To destroy us completely
Some of us would probably escape
Some people might survive
And found a new New York
They would recreate a new version of New York
Maybe in Ohio
Perhaps in Ohio
Where dreams could still come true
Where people's dreams could still be realized
Not sure if I'll get away
I'm not certain if I'll leave
But I'll still plan my escape
I will still plan on leaving, just in case
Pick up the few friends I have left
Gather the remaining friends I have in the area
In Harlem and the East Village
The specific areas where my friends used to live
Oh I forgot they already moved away
I forgot they have already left the city
They couldn't afford to live here
They had financial difficulties and could no longer live in New York
And they were tired of being scared every day
They were tired of feeling anxious and fearful on a daily basis
Chorus
The chorus repeats the main idea of the song
Maybe I'll go home
Perhaps I'll return home
Where people are humble and strong
Where people are modest yet resilient
And they get the best stuff
They also enjoy great things
Like Second City and Steppenwolf
Famous theaters in Chicago
And maybe that's because they know the difference
Perhaps one reason why Chicago is great is because the people there know what sets them apart
Between talent and attitude
They understand the difference between talent and personality
And there are rarely any breast implants
Cosmetic surgeries are not common
Jenny McCarthy was our only one
Jenny McCarthy was the only famous person with breast implants from Chicago
They're just wasted under winter coats
They would be covered up by winter clothing most of the year
When there's never any sun
The cold weather and lack of sunlight make implants unnecessary
And the terrain doesn't change for thousands of miles
The area is relatively flat and unchanging for miles
New boobs would be too big a change over too little time
Breast enlargement would be too drastic of a change
And at the end of the play
At the conclusion of a performance
As the actor leaves the stage
As the performer exits the stage
An audience member with a compulsion to make everything the same
A person who feels the need to standardize everything
Is bound to say:
Will probably say
"But what do you do for your real job?
Asking about the performer's career outside of acting
"What do you do for your real job?
The same question, repeated
That was really great but what do you do for your real job?"
A question that diminishes the value of the performance
And that's when I think I'll stay in….
That's when I decide to stay in Chicago
Chorus
The chorus repeats the main idea of the song
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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