Lightbody explained the story behind this piano ballad: "I always try to write about personal experiences - 'New York' is about a girl I was seeing over there. We both had strong feelings for one another, but we were never in the same place at the same time. It's about missed opportunities."
Lightbody penned this song with Snow Patrol pianist Johnny McDaid in his London studio.
Canadian musician Owen Pallett, who has also worked with Arcade Fire and Duran Duran did the song's orchestral arrangement. Lightbody told Billboard magazine: "We were having so much trouble with it trying to get the arrangement but he came in and saved our asses."
New York
Snow Patrol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If the curve of you was curved on me
I'd tell you that I loved you, before I even knew you
'Cause I loved the simple thought of you
If our hearts are never broken and there's no joy in the mending
There's so much this hurt can teach us both,
And there's distance and there's silence, your words have never left me,
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
The lone neon lights and the ache of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all, from the love to the lightning
And the lack of it snaps me in two
If you were here beside me, instead of in New York
In the arms you said you'd never leave
I'd tell you that it's simple and it was only ever thus
There is nowhere else that I belong
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
The lone neon lights and the ache of the ocean,
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightning
And the lack of it snaps me in two
Just give me a sign, there's an end with a beginning
To the quiet chaos driving me back
The lone neon lights and the warmth of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to go out
The song "New York" by Snow Patrol is a melancholic depiction of longing for a love that is beyond one's reach. The song starts with the singer imagining what it would be like if the person they love was right beside them instead of being in New York. The lyrics suggest that the thought of being with this person brings joy and comfort, even though they never had the chance to love them in reality.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "come out, come here," which reinforces the idea of wanting this person to be with them. However, the verse reminds the listener that distance and silence now separate them from the person they love, and that these feelings of longing and hurt can be valuable in their own right. The lyrics "There's so much this hurt can teach us both" implies that pain and heartbreak can be used as a way to learn and grow.
The song also highlights the beauty of New York with its neon lights and the ocean. The singer misses everything about the city, from love to the lightning and the lack of it, which brings them back to a state of vulnerability. The final verse speaks to the idea of finding an end with a new beginning, which can be seen as a way to heal from the pain they have endured while still holding onto hope.
Overall, "New York" is a poignant song that talks about the complexity of human emotions and how we navigate them in relationships. It is a bittersweet reminder of the universal longing for love and companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
If you were here beside me, instead of in New York
The singer wishes that the person they love was physically present with them instead of being far away in New York.
If the curve of you was curved on me
The singer longs for the physical touch of the person they love.
I'd tell you that I loved you, before I even knew you
The singer fell in love with the mere idea of the person before they even met them in real life.
'Cause I loved the simple thought of you
The singer's love for the person is based on the simple, pure idea of loving someone.
If our hearts are never broken and there's no joy in the mending
Adversity and heartbreak are inevitable in any relationship, but it is through these trials that people can learn and grow.
There's so much this hurt can teach us both,
Through difficult times, the people involved in a relationship can learn and grow together.
And there's distance and there's silence, your words have never left me,
Despite the distance and silence between the singer and the person they love, the memories of their words remain with the singer.
They're the prayer that I say every day
The singer thinks about the person they love every day and longs for their return.
Come on, come out, come here, come here
The singer is calling out to the person they love, asking them to come to them.
The lone neon lights and the ache of the ocean
The singer is in a desolate environment, surrounded by neon lights and the vast emptiness of the ocean, which only increases their longing for the person they love.
And the fire that was starting to spark
There was a spark of hope and passion within the singer, but it is slowly fading away without the presence of their love.
I miss it all, from the love to the lightning
The singer misses everything about their relationship, from the intense love to the sudden sparks of passion.
And the lack of it snaps me in two
The lack of the person's presence is causing the singer great emotional pain.
Just give me a sign, there's an end with a beginning
The singer is looking for a sign of hope that their separation will come to an end and their relationship will begin again.
To the quiet chaos driving me back
The singer is being pulled back into a chaotic emotional state due to the absence of the person they love.
The lone neon lights and the warmth of the ocean
The singer is still in the same desolate environment, but now the ocean feels warmer and more comforting.
And the fire that was starting to go out
The spark of hope and passion within the singer is slowly fading away, indicating their desperation for the return of their love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly, Jonathan Graham Quinn, Tom Simpson, Paul Wilson, Garret Jacknife Lee, John Mcdaid
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bari9062
If you were here beside me
instead of in New York
if the curve of you was curved on me
I’d tell you that I loved you
before I even knew you
cause I loved the simple thought of you.
If our hearts are never broken
well there’s no joy in the mending
there’s so much this hurt can teach us both.
Though there’s distance and there’s silence
your words have never left me
they’re the prayer that I say every day.
Come on, come out, come here, come here (4x)
The long neon nights
and the eke of the ocean
and the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightning
and the lack of it snaps me in two
If you were here beside me
instead of in New York
in the arms you said you’d never leave
I’d tell you that it’s simple
and it was only ever thus
there is nowhere else that I belong.
Come on, come out, come here, come here (x4)
The long neon nights
and the want of the ocean
and the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightning
and the lack of it snaps me in two
Just give me a sign
there´s an end with a beginning
to the quiet chaos driving me mad.
The long neon nights
and the want of the ocean
and the fire that was starting to go out.
@TanveerShaikh1812
If you were here beside me instead of in New York
If the curve of you was curved on me
I’d tell you that I loved you before I ever knew you
'Cause I loved the simple thought of you
If our hearts are never broken and there’s no joy in the mending
There’s so much this hurt can teach us both
There’s distance and there’s silence, your words have never left me
They’re the prayer that I say every day
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
The lone neon nights and the ache of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all, from the love to the lightning
And the lack of it snaps me in two
If you were here beside me instead of in New York
In the arms you said you'd never leave
I'd tell you that it's simple and it was only ever thus
There is nowhere else that I belong
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
The lone neon nights and the ache of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightning
And the lack of it snaps me in two
Just give me a sign, there’s an end and not beginning
To the quiet chaos driving me mad
The lone neon nights and the walls of the ocean
And the fire that is starting to go out
@tashasvideos
Lyrics
If you were here beside me, instead of in New York
If the curve of you was curved on me
I'd tell you that I loved you, before I even knew you
'Cause I loved the simple thought of you
If our hearts are never broken and there's no joy in the mending
There's so much this hurt can teach us both,
And there's distance and there's silence, your words have never left me,
They're the prayer that I say every day
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
The lone neon lights and the ache of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all, from the love to the lightning
And the lack of it snaps me in two
If you were here beside me, instead of in New York
In the arms you said you'd never leave
I'd tell you that it's simple and it was only ever thus
There is nowhere else that I belong
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
Come on, come out, come here, come here
The lone neon lights and the ache of the ocean,
And the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightning
And the lack of it snaps me in two
Just give me a sign, there's an end with a beginning
To the quiet chaos driving me back
The lone neon lights and the warmth of the ocean
And the fire that was starting to go out....
@besthillsongworshipsongs48
To anyone who is listening this, I pray that whatever is hurting you or whatever you're constantly stressing about gets better.May the dark thoughts, the overthinking, and doubt exit your mind right now.May you receive peace and blessings.Amen🙏🏽
@rosselladanielaperrucci5817
I really need this today! Thanks ❤
@rlloyd4209
The world needs many more people like you!
@raquelmaria2589
Thank you! God bless you💘
@BamiyoGogor-ef3kv
Thanks and amen
@gusav-pi8wq
ONE of the most underrated song by snow patrol
@theunbearablejuan
+gusav1299 It's one beautiful song.
@cristinamacdonald5723
One of their best for sure. Beautiful!
@bari9062
If you were here beside me
instead of in New York
if the curve of you was curved on me
I’d tell you that I loved you
before I even knew you
cause I loved the simple thought of you.
If our hearts are never broken
well there’s no joy in the mending
there’s so much this hurt can teach us both.
Though there’s distance and there’s silence
your words have never left me
they’re the prayer that I say every day.
Come on, come out, come here, come here (4x)
The long neon nights
and the eke of the ocean
and the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightning
and the lack of it snaps me in two
If you were here beside me
instead of in New York
in the arms you said you’d never leave
I’d tell you that it’s simple
and it was only ever thus
there is nowhere else that I belong.
Come on, come out, come here, come here (x4)
The long neon nights
and the want of the ocean
and the fire that was starting to spark
I miss it all from the love to the lightning
and the lack of it snaps me in two
Just give me a sign
there´s an end with a beginning
to the quiet chaos driving me mad.
The long neon nights
and the want of the ocean
and the fire that was starting to go out.
@Lunala97
the lyric is "The eek of the ocean"