On Broadway
Percy Faith & His Orchestra 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 song "On Broadway" by Percy Faith & His Orchestra talks about the famous street in New York, Broadway. It portrays the two different sides of Broadway. On one hand, people talk about the neon lights shining so bright, and there is something magical in the air that can make your dreams come true. On the other hand, the reality is that even if you are walking on that street and have nothing to eat, no money, and no place to go, the bright glitter and spark of Broadway will never shine to you, and you will be nowhere in a moment.
The lyrics also represent the struggle of a musician trying to make it big on Broadway. The women may treat him nicely, but the poverty and reality of life in the city, with a pocket that has only one thin dime, will not let him make his dreams come true. However, he never gives up hope of being a star on Broadway with his guitar. He knows everyone is saying he won't last too long there but he won't let their words discourage him. He is determined to play his guitar and become a shining star on Broadway someday.
Overall, the song portrays two different perspectives and realities of life on Broadway. The glamour and magic, and the harsh and challenging reality of poverty.
Line by Line Meaning
They say the neon lights are bright
People talk about the bright and flashy neon lights that light up the street
On Broadway
Street in New York City where Broadway theaters are located
They say there's always magic in the air
It is believed that there is always something special and fascinating happening in the area
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
However, when you are walking on the street and you don't have enough to eat, the beauty of the area doesn't matter and it doesn't make a difference in your life
They say the women treat you fine
There's a rumor that women on the Broadway treat men well
On Broadway
Street in New York City where Broadway theaters are located
But lookin' at them just gives me the blues
But looking at those women just makes me sad
How ya gonna make some time
When all you got is one thin dime
And one thin dime won't even shine your shoes
It's difficult to find anything to do when you only have one coin, which is not enough even to clean your shoes, which makes it impossible to impress or charm anyone
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
People think that I won't be able to stay for long on this street and I'll have to go back, but they are wrong because I am a talented guitar player
I won't quit till I'm a star
On Broadway
On Broadway
On Broadway
I am determined to keep playing my guitar until I become a star on this street, on this street, on this street
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRY MANN, CYNTHIA WEIL, JERRY LEIBER, MIKE STOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind