During the 1980s, Armstrong's composition work included commissions from the Arts Council for various classical ensembles in Scotland, and he also served as resident composer at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow. During this time he also received a Composer's Award to study electronic music, and maintained a parallel career in the Scottish Pop music scene, as a member of bands Hipsway, Texas and The Big Dish.
In 1990, his music theatre group Performance performed at the Glasgow Mayfest, and he composed a number of works for film, television, and stage productions by the Traverse Theatre, the BBC, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, among others. By the late 1990s he had gained critical acclaim for his work on the Baz Luhrman films Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! (which won him a Golden Globe for Best Original Score in 2001). He has also done orchestrations with artists such as Massive Attack, Madonna, U2, Suede, Pet Shop Boys and The Future Sound of London. During this time he also released his first album of his own orchestral work, The Space Between Us, in 1998.
During the early 2000s Armstrong continued to produce film and orchestral work, including commissions for the Barbican Centre and the Scottish Ensemble. His most recent film scores are for the Academy Award winning Taylor Hackford film, Ray for which Armstrong won a Grammy Award, and Oliver Stone's 2006 film World Trade Center.
Recently Craig has teamed up with Scott Fraser for his latest electronic project, Winona. The project sees them dust off their eye-watering collection of vintage synthesizers and set about making widescreen, minor-key masterpieces to make Winona's debut album 'Rosebud' a down-key classic.
New York City
Craig Armstrong Lyrics
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Put a comb through your hair
Don't you ever want to lie down
When there's no-one else around
I want to say this to you
I know I hurt you
You know you hurt me too
Close your eyes and leave the ground?
I want to get hold of you
I'll meet you in New York
By the drugstore on First Avenue
And then we will lie down
With the buildings all around
I want to say this to you
I want to say this to you
The song "Wake Up in New York" by Craig Armstrong is a love song that explores the complicated dynamics of relationships. In the first verse, Armstrong describes waking up in New York and putting a comb through his hair. He then asks a question that many of us may have asked ourselves: "Don't you ever want to lie down/ When there's no-one else around?" This could be interpreted as a desire for solitude and self-reflection or as a longing to be with someone but not feeling able to do so. The chorus is a plea to the person he has hurt and who has hurt him: "I want to say this to you/ I know I hurt you/ You know you hurt me too/ Don't you ever want to lie down/ Close your eyes and leave the ground?/ I want to get hold of you."
In the second verse, Armstrong suggests meeting the person he is addressing in New York "by the drugstore on First Avenue". They will lie down together "with the buildings all around". This could be interpreted as a desire for intimacy amidst the chaos of the city or as a way of seeking refuge from the difficulties in their relationship. The repeated refrain "I want to say this to you" is a way of expressing the depth of his feelings and the importance of communicating them.
Overall, "Wake Up in New York" is a beautiful and poignant song that speaks to the joys and challenges of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up in New York
Wake up to the hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps
Put a comb through your hair
Get yourself ready for the day ahead
Don't you ever want to lie down
Don't you ever want to escape the noise and chaos?
When there's no-one else around
When there's no company to share your thoughts with
I want to say this to you
I want to express my thoughts and feelings to you
I know I hurt you
I'm aware that I caused you pain
You know you hurt me too
You also caused me pain
Close your eyes and leave the ground?
Would you like to escape from reality and forget about everything?
I want to get hold of you
I want to reach out and connect with you emotionally
I'll meet you in New York
Let's plan to meet up in the city
By the drugstore on First Avenue
Let's set a specific meeting point
And then we will lie down
We can find a quiet spot and rest together
With the buildings all around
Surrounded by the towering structures of the city
I want to say this to you
I want to express my thoughts and feelings to you
I want to say this to you
I want to express my thoughts and feelings to you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CRAIG ARMSTRONG, EVAN DANDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind