Better in Manhattan
Casey Dienel Lyrics

Put on my lipstick, I know it's gonna get me tips
I am working as a performer and I know that putting on my lipstick will attract people and get me more money.

Step into the costume so I can give my patrons kicks
I need to change into my performance costume to entertain my audience and make them happy.

Step outside for a cigarette and it's starting to snow
I took a break from performing and went outside for a smoke, but it's cold and snowing which reminds me of you.

Every time it gets cold I begin to think of you
The cold weather makes me think of my lover who I miss dearly.

Hold on a minute they're calling me
My audience is calling me back to the stage to continue my performance.

Sugar, sugar, sugar come here
I am a performer and the audience is asking me to come closer to them to entertain them.

Dance a little close I can almost feel you
The audience wants me to get even closer to them, so they can feel my energy and presence.

Sugar, sugar come here, you're all i got to keep me....warm
The performer is saying that the audience is like a lover to them, making them feel warm and fulfilled.

I'll admit it, it's cliché but I'm still writing you letters
Although it may seem unoriginal or overdone, I am still writing love letters to my partner.

My room here is cosy and sparsely decorated with posters of Big Sur
My living space is comforting, with few decorations except posters of a beautiful and calming place called Big Sur.

I've never been there, but I want you to take me
I haven't been to Big Sur, but I want my partner to take me there someday and experience it together.

Though i think that paradise is a place you visit and not a place you live
The performer believes that paradise is something temporary and not permanent, like a place you can visit but not a place you can live in forever.

That's why everything is better in Manhattan
The performer believes that Manhattan is a better place than where they currently are.

Oh people aren't hungry, they aren't starving in Manhattan
The performer is saying that Manhattan is a wealthy and comfortable place where people have their basic needs taken care of.

And the buildings are tall and the sky is something you search for
Manhattan is known for its skyscrapers, and the performer thinks that finding the sky between them is a sort of challenge or game.

In Manhattan..
The performer continues to praise Manhattan and how great it is compared to where they are currently located.

And in my spare time I'm making a garden on my fire escape
In their free time, the performer is making a garden on their fire escape, which is a creative way to make the most of their living space.

I can't wait to watch my seedlings find the sun
The performer is excited to see their plants grow and reach towards the sun.

It won't be easy, 'cause nothing ever is
Gardening is not an easy task, and the performer recognizes that and accepts it as a challenge.

That's why everything tastes so good
Because gardening is hard work, the performer believes that the fruits of their labor will tastes even better as a result.

So my love, I've got all my ropes and chains
The performer is hinting at a sexual kink involving ropes and chains that they want to share with their lover.

I'm gonna give them to you for your birthday
The performer wants to give their lover the ropes and chains as a gift for their birthday.

You can do with them what you want, but I hope you're gonna tie me up
The performer is giving their lover the freedom to use the ropes and chains however they want, but they are hoping to be tied up by them in a sexual manner.

and sing
The performer wants their lover to sing during this sexual encounter, perhaps as another form of kink or fetish.

Oh my love this time you've gone too far
The performer is frustrated or annoyed with their lover for something they have done.

How many times must I repeat myself?
The performer is tired of having to repeat themselves and wants their lover to understand them better.

I love you, there I said it, and I meant it
The performer is confessing their love for their partner and assuring them that they truly mean it.

I love you, there I said it and I meant every word
The performer is repeating their love confession and emphasizing that they truly mean every word of it.

I love you, there I said it, no you take it
The performer is stating their love for the final time in a challenging way, telling their lover to accept it and move on.

Oh will you put it out on the street and watch it grow in the concrete
The performer is asking their lover to put their love out into the world and watch it grow in difficult circumstances, like a seed growing in concrete.

Spoons aren't silver, they're gold in Manhattan
The performer is emphasizing how lavish and luxurious Manhattan is, even simple objects like spoons are made of gold.

And the Buildings are tall and the sky is something you reach for
The performer is describing how the tall buildings in Manhattan make it feel like you have to reach high to see the sky.

In Manhattan, oh
The performer concludes the song by repeating their love for Manhattan and how great it is compared to other places.

In Manhattan
The performer repeats the song's title one last time, driving home the point that they believe everything is better in Manhattan.