The song was released as a single in 1988, but only reached #51 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] In the US, "Englishman in New York" peaked at #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1988.[2] The song reached #32 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart that same month.[3] Branford Marsalis played saxophone on the track. In 1990, just prior to the release of his third studio album The Soul Cages, Sting's record label licensed Dutch DJ and producer Ben Liebrand to remix "Englishman in New York" and subsequently release it as a single. The remix played around with the introduction and some of the instrumentation, but the essence of the song remained the same. The new version was commercially successful, reaching number 15 in the UK charts in mid-1990.[4]
The video was directed by David L. Fincher, and featured scenes of Sting and his band in New York, as well as the elusive Crisp. At the end of the video, after the song fades, an elderly male voice says: "If I have an ambition other than a desire to be a chronic invalid, it would be to meet everybody in the world before I die... and I'm not doing badly."
Englishman in New York
STING&THE POLICE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
I'm an Englishman in New York
You see me walking down Fifth Avenue
A walking cane here at my side
I take it everywhere I walk
Whoa, I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Whoa, I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
If manners maketh man as someone said
He's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
Whoa. I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Whoa. I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
But you could end up as the only one
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
At night a candle's brighter than the sun
Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Takes more than a license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
A gentleman will walk but never run
If manners maketh man as someone said
He's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
"Englishman in New York" is a song by Sting from The Police's album "Nothing Like the Sun" released in 1987. The song talks about the singer's experiences as an Englishman living in New York City. The lyrics set the scene for feeling like an outsider and highlight the differences in culture despite living in a foreign land. He refers to his love for tea and how he likes his toast; the clear accent makes it evident that he is from England. He is proud of his heritage, as portrayed when he refers to himself as "an Englishman in New York."
Furthermore, the song emphasizes the importance of being oneself no matter what others may say. The lyrics say that it takes a specific kind of person to confront ignorance and smile while keeping their integrity. The song draws on the theme of heroism in being an accepting and tolerant person that lives their life to the fullest, unencumbered by societal conventions. Additionally, the song touches on the fact that one's actions make them who they are, rather than the opinions of others.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't drink coffee I take tea, my dear
My preferred drink is tea, not coffee.
I like my toast done on one side
I prefer my toast to be lightly toasted on one side.
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
My accent reveals that I am from England.
I'm an Englishman in New York
I am from England but currently living in New York City.
You see me walking down Fifth Avenue
I can be seen walking on Fifth Avenue.
A walking cane here at my side
I often carry a walking cane with me.
I take it everywhere I walk
I always bring my walking cane with me wherever I go.
Whoa, I'm an alien
I feel like an outsider in this city.
I'm a legal alien
I am legally allowed to live and work in this country.
If manners maketh man as someone said
As someone once said, a person's manners define their character.
He's the hero of the day
A man with good manners is a hero in his own right.
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Maintaining a positive attitude in the face of ignorance or disrespect requires strength of character.
Be yourself no matter what they say
Stay true to yourself and ignore others' opinions.
Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
Being modest and proper can sometimes result in negative attention.
But you could end up as the only one
However, in a society that doesn't often value modesty or propriety, being the only one to exhibit these qualities can be a positive thing.
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
Being gentle and sober is not common in this society.
At night a candle's brighter than the sun
At night, even a small light can be very bright.
Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Being a man requires more than just physical strength and the ability to fight.
Takes more than a license for a gun
Even having a license to carry a gun isn't enough to define a man.
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
It is better to confront your enemies when necessary, but it's also important to avoid conflict when possible.
A gentleman will walk but never run
A gentleman will refrain from running in public.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GORDON SUMNER, PAUL HUTSCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ut7ch1dh8x
【lyrics】
I don't drink coffee I take tea, my dear
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
I'm an Englishman in New York
You see me walking down Fifth Avenue
A walking cane here at my side
I take it everywhere I walk
I'm an Englishman in New York
Whoa, I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Whoa, I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
If manners maketh man as someone said
He's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
Whoa. I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Whoa. I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
But you could end up as the only one
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
At night a candle's brighter than the sun
Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Takes more than a license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
A gentleman will walk but never run
If manners maketh man as someone said
He's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
@antoniettatomatis5544
Today I read again VERY CAREFULLY THE STING SONG AND SUDDENLY IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A PRAYER FOR EVERIBODY,
FOR WHITE PEOPLE AND COLOURED PEOPLE, FOR ILL PEOPLE AND NO ILL PEOPLE
(I can't remember what we can say
In English: NO ILL PEOPLE)
Aniwei I'm sure y
YOU'VE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S I MEANS.
IN ITALY NOW ARE ABOUT
3 OCLOC IN THE AFTERNOONS.
IN USA PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING,
I THINK.
I SAY YOU: HAVE A GOOD NIGHT AND "SOGNI D'ORO" TRANSLATED MEANS about "YOUR DREAMS COULD BE GOLD". NO BADLY.
ARE YOU AGRI WHIT ME?????
NOW I'M GOING TO THE BAR
JUST FOR TO TAKES A COFFEE
AND TO READ A NEWSPAPER.
THIS MORNING I WAS VERY BUSY
ON SHOPPING TO MILANO.
I BUY A HAT CALLED "BORSALINO" BEIGE COLOR, AND I WAS WEARING IT VERY APPROPRIATELY WHIT MY TRUSSARDY PIUMINO (IN ENGLISH I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU SAID NO I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW ITS THE NAME.
TO BE CONTINUED
MAYBE YES MAYBE NOT
IT DEPENDS
IF YOU'RE INTERESTING ON ITALIAN STILE
(ARMANI, TRUSSARDI,
TRU-TRUSSARDI, VALENTINO,
VALENTINO GARAVANI,
MAXMARA, ASPESI, LUCIANA ZUFFI, LORO PIANA, ....AND SO ON
LUISA SPAGNOLI, PAOLO TONALI,
@furihatakouki9097
34 years later... If you're watching this you're officially legend.
@novelcertad722
you mean 30 years later
@dmusic2424
I knowwww
@kostretek4585
I love this song
@furihatakouki9097
@@kostretek4585 same.
@ibrahimbaglayc9236
I love this song
@vnchrnkh
I don't drink coffee, I take vodka my dear.
I'm a Russian man in New York.
@yaskko5555
Иван Черных lol
@roselynd1586
😀i dont drink coffe i dont drink vodka but i drink Milk 🇮🇹i m Italian yeah
@fibific3551
I dont drink coffe, I dont drink vodka, I dont drink mili, I drink beer, I m Polish🇵🇱