Born and raised in Michigan, Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy, she rose to solo stardom with her debut studio album, Madonna (1983). She followed it with a series of successful albums, including all-time bestsellers Like a Virgin (1984) and True Blue (1986) as well as Grammy Award winners Ray of Light (1998) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). Madonna has amassed many number-one singles throughout her career, including "Like a Virgin", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes".
Madonna's popularity was enhanced by roles in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996). While Evita won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, many of her other films received poor reviews. As a businesswoman, Madonna founded the company Maverick in 1992; it included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Her other ventures include fashion brands, children's books, health clubs, and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006.
With sales of over 300 million records worldwide, Madonna is certified as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and holds the record for the most number-one singles by a female artist in Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. With a revenue of U.S. $1.5 billion from her concert tickets, she remains the highest-grossing solo touring artist of all time. Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, her first year of eligibility. She was ranked as the greatest woman in music by VH1 in 2012, and as the greatest music video artist of all time by MTV in 2003 and Billboard in 2020. Rolling Stone also listed Madonna among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
Studio albums
Madonna (1983)
Like a Virgin (1984)
True Blue (1986)
Like a Prayer (1989)
Erotica (1992)
Bedtime Stories (1994)
Ray of Light (1998)
Music (2000)
American Life (2003)
Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005)
Hard Candy (2008)
MDNA (2012)
Rebel Heart (2015)
Madame X (2019)
I Love New York
Madonna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I like New York
Other places make me feel like a dork
Los Angeles is for people who sleep
Paris and London, baby you can keep
Other cities always make me mad
No other city ever made me glad
Except New York
I love New York
I love New York
I love New York
If you don't like my attitude
Then you can F off
Just go to Texas
Isn't that where they golf?
New York is not for little pussies who scream
If you can't stand the heat
Then get off my street
Get off of my street
Get off my street
You get off of my street
Get off my street
You get off of my street
Get off my street
Just get off my street
Other cities always make me mad
Other places always make me sad
No other city ever made me glad
Except New York
I love New York
I love New York
I love New York
I love New York
In "I Love New York," Madonna definitely shows her love for the city that never sleeps. The song begins with Madonna stating that she doesn't like cities, but she loves New York. She feels like a dork in other places, but New York is the only place that has ever made her glad. Madonna definitely makes it clear that she loves the energy of New York like no other place in the world.
Madonna is quite clear that New York is not for everyone. She tells anyone who doesn't like her attitude to f-off and head to Texas where they golf. Madonna appears to be in her element in every way in New York. She seems to thrive on the heat and the street life of the city.
Overall, the song's lyrics seem to pay homage to the city of New York as a place that is only for those who can handle it. It's a song for people who love New York for all it has to offer - the vibes, energy, heat, and street culture.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't like cities
I generally don't enjoy being in cities
But I like New York
However, New York is an exception and I do enjoy being there
Other places make me feel like a dork
Being in other cities makes me feel awkward and out of place
Los Angeles is for people who sleep
I believe Los Angeles is a city where things move too slow and people aren't productive
Paris and London, baby you can keep
I have no interest in visiting Paris or London, despite their popularity
Other cities always make me mad
I tend to get annoyed or frustrated when I'm in other cities
Other places always make me sad
Being in certain places outside of New York make me feel unhappy
No other city ever made me glad
I haven't found joy or satisfaction in any other city except New York
Except New York
New York is a unique exception
I love New York
I have a deep affection for the city of New York
If you don't like my attitude
If you find my personality or behavior off-putting
Then you can F off
Then you can leave and I won't care
Just go to Texas
You can go to another state like Texas if you don't like my attitude
Isn't that where they golf?
Texas is sometimes associated with golfing
New York is not for little pussies who scream
New York is a tough city and not for people who are easily scared or intimidated
If you can't stand the heat
If you can't handle the pressure or difficulty of the situation
Then get off my street
Then you should leave my area and not try to survive in New York
Just get off my street
I'm insisting that you leave and move away from my vicinity
You get off of my street
I'm directing this at a specific person on my street
I love New York
Reiterating my deep love and appreciation for New York
I love New York
Again, expressing my love for New York
I love New York
Once more, emphasizing my affection for New York
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: . MADONNA, STUART PRICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Die Another Day
The only good thing about that sucky film is this song