After Burns moved to New York in the early 1940’s, he met Charlie Barnet and the two began working together. In 1944, he joined the Woody Herman band with members Neal Hefti, Bill Harris, Flip Phillips, Chubby Jackson and Dave Tough. Together, the group developed one of the most powerful and distinctive sound. For 15 years, Burns wrote or arranged many of the band's major hits including "Bijou", "Northwest Passage" and "Apple Honey", and on the longer work "Lady McGowan’s Dream" and the three-part Summer Sequence.
Burns worked with numerous other musicians. Stan Getz was featured as a tenor saxophone soloist in "Early Autumn", a huge hit for the band and the launching platform for Getz’s solo career. Burns also worked in a small band with soloists including Bill Harris and Charlie Ventura.
The success of the Herman band provided Burns the ability to record under his own name in the 1950s. He collaborated with Billy Strayhorn, Lee Konitz and Ben Webster to create both jazz and classical recordings. He wrote compositions for Tony Bennett and Johnny Mathis and later Aretha Franklin and Natalie Cole. Burns was responsible for the arrangement and introduction of a string orchestra on two of Ray Charles’s biggest hits, "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Georgia on My Mind".
In the 1960’s, Burns was freed from touring as a band pianist, and began composing for Broadway including the major show Chicago, Funny Girl, No, No, Nanette, and Sweet Charity. In 1971, Burns first film score was for Woody Allen’s Bananas. Burns worked with film-director Bob Fosse and in 1972 won Academy Award for Cabaret and created the soundtracks for Lenny (1974) and Martin Scorsese’s jazz-themed New York, New York (1977). Fosse again employed Burns to create the soundtrack for All That Jazz for which he also won an Academy Award in 1979. He then worked on Urban Cowboy (1980) and in 1982, Burns received another Academy Award nomination for his work in Annie.
His work for the stage was also notable. Baryshnikov on Broadway in 1980 earned Burns an Emmy Award for his work. Burns won the Tony Award for Best Orchestrations in 1999 for Fosse and posthumously in 2002 for Thoroughly Modern Millie, which also garnered him the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations. In the 1990’s, Burns arranged music for Mel Tormé, John Pizzarelli and Michael Feinstein. Burns was inducted into the New England Jazz Hall of Fame in 2004.
Theme From New York New York
Ralph Burns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York
These vagabond shoes are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it
New York, New York
I wanna wake up in a city that doesn't sleep
These little town blues are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it in old New York
If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York
New York, New York, New York
I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps
And find I'm a number one, top of the list
These little town blues are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it in old New York
If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York, New York
The lyrics to Ralph Burns's song "Main Title Includes: Theme From New York New York / You Are My Lucky Star / Just You Just Me / The M" are about the city of New York and the desire to be successful there. It portrays New York as a city that never sleeps and is the place to be if you want to make it big in life. The singer wants to be a part of the city and make a brand new start of it in old New York. The song talks about the singer's longing to be on top of the world, and if they can make it in New York, they can make it anywhere.
The lyrics convey the feelings of excitement, aspiration, and determination that are associated with New York City. The song has been performed by many artists, including Frank Sinatra, who is known for his version of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Start spreading the news
Let the news begin to spread
I'm leaving today
I am departing today
I want to be a part of it
I wish to join in
New York, New York
The city of New York
These vagabond shoes are longing to stray
My wandering shoes are yearning to roam
Right through the very heart of it
Directly through the center
New York, New York
The city of New York
I wanna wake up in a city that doesn't sleep
I desire to awaken in a city that is always awake
And find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap
And discover that I am the ruler of the highest point
These little town blues are melting away
These minor sorrows from small towns are disappearing
I'll make a brand new start of it in old New York
I will start anew in the old city of New York
If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere
If I am able to succeed there, then I can succeed anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York
The responsibility lies with you, New York
New York, New York, New York
The city of New York, repeated for emphasis
I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps
I desire to awaken in a city that is always awake
And find I'm a number one, top of the list
And discover that I am the leading individual, on top of everything
These little town blues are melting away
These minor sorrows from small towns are disappearing
I'll make a brand new start of it in old New York
I will start anew in the old city of New York
If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere
If I am able to succeed there, then I can succeed anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York, New York
The responsibility lies with you, New York, repeated for emphasis
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHAEL JOHN MONTGOMERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind