New York
New York Lyrics

These lyrics from the song "New York New York" by the punk rock band New York Dolls are a scathing critique of the fake New York scene which was popular during the time when the song was released. The band is essentially calling out those who try to imitate the energy and style of New York City without actually understanding what it is really about. The opening line "An imitation from New York" suggests that someone is trying to be something they are not, and the following line "You're made in Japan from cheese and chalk" drives this point home, as it alludes to the idea that the imitator is not even authentically American. The band then goes on to mock this person by saying they are a "hippy tarts hero 'cos you put on a bad show", indicating that this person is trying to be a countercultural icon by performing poorly, and that they are seen as a joke by those who know better.

The rest of the lyrics continue in this vein, with the band mocking the imitator for their lack of authenticity and their attempts to be "cool" without really understanding what that means. The lines "With nothing in your gut you better keep your mouth shut / You better keep your mouth shut in a rut" suggest that the band sees the imitator as someone who talks a big game but has nothing to back it up, and who will likely end up stuck in their own mediocrity if they don't change their ways. The repetition of the line "Four years on you still look the same / I think it's 'bout time you changed your brain" drives this point home and shows that the band thinks that this person is stagnant in their own self-delusion.

Overall, the lyrics of "New York New York" are a blistering critique of the fake scene that was popular during the time when the song was released. The New York Dolls saw through the hype and posturing of those who tried to imitate the authentic energy of New York City without actually understanding it, and they called them out for their lack of authenticity and understanding.