On Broadway
Eddie Cano & Nino Tempo Lyrics
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On Broadway
They say there's always magic in the air
But when you're walkin' down that street
And you ain't have enough to eat
The glitter rubs right off and you're nowhere
They say the women treat you fine
But lookin' at them just gives me the blues
How ya gonna make some time
When all you got is one thin dime
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes
They say that I won't last too long
On Broadway
I'll catch a Greyhound bus for home they all say
But they get wrong, I know they are
'Cause I can play this here guitar
I won't quit till I'm a star
On Broadway
On Broadway
On Broadway
The lyrics of the song "On Broadway" by Eddie Cano & Nino Tempo have been widely interpreted as a commentary on the glamour and glitz of Broadway, and how it's not what it seems to be. The first verse starts by mentioning the neon lights that are bright on Broadway, alluding to the fact that it's a place of excitement and wonder. However, the following lines, "And you ain't have enough to eat, the glitter rubs right off and you're nowhere," suggest that beneath the surface glamour, there's poverty and despair. The lyrics highlight the harsh reality of life, and how sometimes even the most exciting things in life can become mundane and fruitless when one is struggling to survive.
The second verse also follows a similar pattern - it starts with the idea that the women on Broadway treat you fine, but then the lyrics mention how it gives the singer the blues. The singer is trapped in a cycle of poverty, where having one thin dime is not enough to even shine his shoes. The last verse is a hopeful one, where the singer refuses to believe the naysayers who tell him he won't last too long on Broadway. He believes in his talent and his ability to shine, and he won't quit until he makes it big in show business.
Overall, the song offers an insightful commentary on the American Dream and how it's not as simple as it seems. It highlights the struggles of everyday people who come to Broadway in search of fame and fortune but end up struggling to even make ends meet. The song also offers a message of hope and perseverance, where the singer refuses to give up on his dreams despite the harsh realities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
They say the neon lights are bright
People say that the bright lights on this street are very attractive
On Broadway
On the street named Broadway
They say there's always magic in the air
People believe that there is an atmosphere of excitement and wonder in this place
But when you're walkin' down that street
However, when you walk down this street
And you ain't have enough to eat
And if you are hungry and cannot afford to eat
The glitter rubs right off and you're nowhere
The glamour and attraction of this place disappears and you feel lost and hopeless
They say the women treat you fine
People believe that the women on this street are very friendly and hospitable
But lookin' at them just gives me the blues
However, looking at them only makes me sad and depressed
How ya gonna make some time
How can you spend time with them
When all you got is one thin dime
If you only have a little money
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes
That little bit of money is not enough to even clean your shoes
They say that I won't last too long
People say that I won't be able to survive in this place for long
On Broadway
On the street named Broadway
I'll catch a Greyhound bus for home they all say
They believe that I will give up and go back home on a Greyhound bus
But they get wrong, I know they are
But they are mistaken, I am determined to prove them wrong
'Cause I can play this here guitar
Because I am talented and can play this guitar
I won't quit till I'm a star
I won't give up until I become successful and famous
On Broadway
On the street named Broadway
On Broadway
On the street named Broadway
On Broadway
On the street named Broadway
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRY MANN, CYNTHIA WEIL, JERRY LEIBER, MIKE STOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind