New York
Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five Lyrics

New York New York, big city of dreams
The city of New York is seen as a place full of opportunities and aspirations.

And everything in New York ain't always what it seems
Appearances can be deceiving in New York, as things may not be as they appear on the surface.

You might get fooled if you come from out of town
Visitors from outside the city may easily be deceived or misled.

But I'm down by law and I know my way around
As someone who is familiar with the ways and rules of the city, I am not easily fooled.

Too much, too many people, too much (aha-ha)
The city is overcrowded with an overwhelming number of people.

A castle in the sky, one mile high
The skyscrapers of New York are like grand castles, reaching great heights.

Built to shelter the rich and greedy
These towering buildings are constructed to accommodate and benefit the wealthy and selfish individuals.

Rows of eyes, disguised as windows
The windows of these buildings serve as curious and judgmental eyes, observing the struggles of the less fortunate.

Looking down on the poor and the needy
These wealthy inhabitants peer down upon the less privileged individuals with a condescending gaze.

Miles of people, marching up the avenue
There is an endless stream of people moving and hustling along the streets of New York.

Doin? what they gotta do, just to get by
These individuals are forced to do whatever it takes to survive and make a living.

I'm living in the land of plenty and many
Although I reside in a city with abundance and countless opportunities,

But I'm damn sure poor and I don't know why
I find myself in a state of poverty despite the city's supposed prosperity, and the reason eludes me.

A man's on a ledge, says he's gonna jump
A distressed man stands on a high ledge, contemplating suicide.

People gather round, said, 'He won't he's just a chump'
Onlookers dismiss his struggles, calling him foolish and insignificant.

?Cause he lost his job, then he got robbed
His unemployment and the theft he experienced pushed him to this desperate state.

His mortgage is due and his marriage is through
He is burdened by financial obligations and the end of his relationship.

He says he ain't gonna pay no child support
In his bitterness, he declares his refusal to provide financial assistance for his child.

Because the bitch left him without a second thought
He holds resentment towards his ex-partner, as he believes she abandoned him with no consideration.

He got nothing to eat, no shoes on his feet
His dire circumstances have left him hungry and without proper footwear.

She even left his clothes out in the street
His ex-partner discarded his clothing, further adding to his destitution and humiliation.

He keeps hearing noises when he's at home
He constantly experiences unsettling sounds when he is in his residence.

He always hears voices when he's all alone
He is haunted by imaginary voices that plague him when he is in isolation.

His wife took the kids, the car and the crib
His spouse took away their children, their vehicle, and their home.

In this man's world, so much for Women's Lib
In this male-dominated society, the concept of women's liberation and equality seems to hold no weight.

Down in the Village, you might think I'm silly
In the downtown area of New York, known as the Village, my actions may appear foolish.

But you can't tell the women from the men sometimes
The individuals in this area possess such diverse appearances that it becomes difficult to distinguish between women and men.

They're sugar and spice and everything nice
The women in this area may seem delicate and sweet, embodying traditional feminine qualities.

But when you get ?em home ain't no telling what you find
However, once you become more familiar with them, their true nature and identities become unpredictable.

Right next door is a little old man
In immediate proximity resides an elderly gentleman.

I seen him eating dog food out of a can
I witnessed him consuming dog food from a tin can, a sign of extreme poverty.

He says, 'I got to eat, when I can't afford meat
His hunger forces him to seek sustenance in any form, even if it means resorting to dog food.

I barely can stand, on my own two feet
His physical and financial conditions render him weak and unable to support himself properly.

I got a bad habit and I just can't break it
He confesses to having an addiction that he is unable to overcome.

Something's on my mind and I just can't shake it
He is burdened by a persistent and troubling thought that lingers in his mind.

I need some time, and I want some space
He yearns for solitude and an opportunity to distance himself from others.

I gotta get away from the human race
His desire to escape the constraints and shortcomings of humanity drives him to seek isolation.

Staring at a skyscraper reaching into heaven
As he gazes at a tall building that seemingly touches the sky,

When over in the ghetto I'm livin' in hell
He reflects on his own living situation in the impoverished ghetto, feeling trapped in a nightmarish existence.

Just play ball or be an entertainer
In order to find success and escape poverty, individuals are often limited to pursuing sports or entertainment careers.

'Cause niggaz like me can't read too well
People from his background and circumstances often face difficulties in education, inhibiting their chances of success.

Nobody loves me, nobody cares
He feels a lack of love and care from others, further amplifying his sense of isolation and despair.

I dreamed about a life but I'm livin' in a nightmare
His aspirations for a better life have been shattered, as he finds himself trapped in a nightmarish reality.

Paranoid schizo, set back, snowbound
He grapples with paranoia and a schizophrenic mindset, feeling trapped and limited by his mental state.

Bad news psycho, heart attack, breakdown!
He is plagued by continuously negative events and emotions, leading to physical and mental health issues.

If only I could sleep just ten more minutes
He longs for a short period of uninterrupted sleep, hoping it will provide him with the strength to face another day.

I might find the strength to make another day
By granting himself a little more sleep, he believes he may gather the courage to endure another day of adversity.

If I didn't have to get up and do my thing
If he didn't have to face the challenges and responsibilities of daily life,

I would probably sleep my whole life away
He would prefer to avoid reality altogether, choosing to remain in the comfort of sleep indefinitely.

I messed up a nice dream, somethin' bout ice cream
He ruined a pleasant dream that involved the enjoyment of a simple pleasure like ice cream.

Whipped cream, fruits and a cherry on top
His dream indulged in the joys of decadent treats, crafting a temporary escape from his harsh reality.

Now I gotta get up and face the world, huh
He must now confront the harshness of the world, reluctantly leaving behind the solace of his dream.

The pressure is on, It ain't never gonna stop
The constant pressure he faces in life seems never-ending and unrelenting.

I sho' gotta learn to use my mind
He acknowledges the need to develop better mental and cognitive abilities in order to navigate the challenges he faces.

I don't want to be kissing nobody's behind
He refuses to grovel or submit to the whims and demands of others.

Just standin' on line lookin' like a jerk
He feels like a fool waiting in line alongside others, creating a sense of humiliation.

Gotta get off my butt and do a full day's work
He realizes the need to stop procrastinating and apply himself fully to a day's worth of labor.

I ran into a pothole, got into a car crash
He encountered an obstacle in his path, leading to a vehicular accident.

Should?a been thinking and tried to fake whiplash
In hindsight, he recognizes that he should have been more attentive and attempted to feign a neck injury to avoid responsibility.

A crowd gathered round, they're callin' me fat
A group of people formed around him, mocking his physical appearance and calling him overweight.

Who you lookin' at with a face like that?
They question who he is glaring at or judging, given his own unattractive expression.

On 42nd Street, lookin' for some action
In the bustling area of 42nd Street, he seeks excitement or something to break the monotony of his life.

Women standing on the corner selling satisfaction
Prostitutes can be found on the street corners, offering temporary pleasure.

One young punk just leaning on the fence
A rebellious young individual casually leans against a fence.

Tryin' to make a dollar out of fifteen cents
This individual endeavours to make money out of very little resources or opportunities.

Really is a prankster, tried to be a gangster
Despite his attempts to portray himself as tough and belonging to a gang,

Real big wheel when a gun is in his hands
His sense of power and authority only exists when he wields a firearm.

Just did a stick-up, just got picked up
He recently participated in a robbery and was subsequently arrested by law enforcement.

One dead punk, killed by the man
Due to his criminal actions, one of his comrades ended up dead, killed by the police.

A baby cries and a mother dies
The sound of a crying baby serves as a reminder of the death of a mother, causing great sadness and sorrow.

And the tears fall from the doctor's eyes
Even medical professionals are moved to tears by the tragic circumstances.

Because in this room, on this day
In the confines of this specific room, on this particular day,

The Good Lord has giveth, and taketh away, huh!
The presence of both birth and death within the same space serves as a poignant reminder of the cyclical nature of life and the power of a higher being.

The gift of life really means a lot
The existence and value of life hold great significance.

And in the ghetto your life is all you got
In the impoverished ghetto, one's life becomes their sole possession and ultimate resource.

So you take to the streets, trying to exist
Individuals in this environment are forced to navigate the hostile streets, simply aiming to survive.

In the trash and slime of a world like this
The reality they face is filled with filth and degradation, making survival even more challenging.

What you watch on TV tells you what life is supposed to be
The television presents an idealized version of life, dictating expectations and desires.

But when you look outside the only thing you see
However, when one looks beyond the illusion of television, the only thing they witness is

Is the poverty stricken reality, Heh!
The stark and impoverished reality that surrounds them, leaving no room for escapism.

Abandoned places, angry faces
The environment is filled with derelict and forsaken locations, evoking a sense of hopelessness and despair.

Much hate and hunger throughout the races
There is rampant animosity and hunger present among people of all races and backgrounds.

You say, 'I'm grown and I'm on my own
Despite asserting independence and self-sufficiency,

So why don't everybody just leave me alone!'
The overwhelming conditions and challenges prompt exasperation, leading to a desire for solitude and isolation.

Now you stay at home, talking on the phone
In an attempt to avoid the outside world, one remains within the confines of their home, engaging in phone conversations.

Doin' ninety miles an hour in the fifty mile zone
Metaphorically, this individual rushes through life at an accelerated pace, exceeding the limits and boundaries set by society.

They never took the time to tell you ?bout sex
The education system or mentors failed to provide adequate guidance or information regarding sexual matters.

So you had to learn about it in the discotheques
Consequently, the individual had to seek knowledge about sex through the nightlife and party scene.

Nine months later, the baby is there
As a result of their experimentation and lack of knowledge, they find themselves dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

And the Nigga that did it said, 'I don't care!'
The person responsible for the pregnancy, who shows no remorse or concern for the situation, dismisses its significance.

You don't have enough money to help feed two
Financially, you lack the means to provide for both yourself and the newborn child.

So you have to choose between the baby and you
Faced with a difficult decision, you must decide whether to prioritize the well-being of your child or your own survival.

The sky was crying, rain and hail
In a symbolic sense, the dreary weather mirrors the emotional turmoil and distress experienced in this situation.

When you put your baby in the garbage pail
In a moment of desperation, you abandon your baby and discard them in a garbage container.

Then you kissed the kid and put down the lid
Before departing, you give your child a final kiss and close the container's lid, sealing their fate.

And you tried to forget what you just did, Huh!
You attempt to bury the haunting memory of your actions, finding solace in denial.

The muffled screams of a dying baby
The faint cries and pleas for help from the dying child haunt your thoughts.

Was enough to drive the young mother crazy
The mental anguish inflicted by this tragedy proves unbearable, leading the young mother to the brink of madness.