Their 1992 debut album, Sonia Dada, produced a minor radio hit, "You Don't Treat Me No Good", and sold more than 100,000 copies. In 1994, the band's tour saw them opening for the group Traffic, as well as headlining an extremely successful Australian tour. "You Don't Treat Me No Good" was a #1 single in Australia, 1993.[citation needed]
In October 2006, "You Don't Treat Me No Good" was ranked 396 out of 2006 songs in the Triple M Essential 2006 Countdown. Triple M is radio station 105.5 out of Madison, Wisconsin.
New York City
Sonia Dada Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see you're drinking again
You're smoking smack inside your cigarette
Looking pale and thin
It's a shame
It's a pity
New York City
They keep you up all night
So you pour yourself a drink
And go out looking for a fight
And the girls, they're so pretty
New York City
Something has changed
The way these people think
It drove them all to drink
Gravel churns and groans from
The torn up ground
People bought and sold
Out there running around
Turn out the lights
Turn down the sound
For me
Ain't nothing for free
In New York City
Digging a ditch
Some people living in the street
Tired, cold, and dirty
Ain't got no shoes for their feet
Ain't it strange
Bumming change
In New York City
You can pay for it now
Or with a thirty-day note
Take it down to D street
Someone'll cut your throat
Bring your knife and your fork
In New York New York
New York City
Sonia Dada's song "New York City" is a ballad that depicts the heart-wrenching state of some inhabitants of New York City. The song is also somewhat of a cautionary tale to those who feel the need to escape their troubles by living in the city. The first verse addresses someone who is suffering from what could be an addiction to drugs and alcohol. The use of the phrase "smoking smack inside your cigarette" to describe the habitual nature of the addiction indicates that it has become an entrenched problem. The use of the phrase "looking pale and thin," hints at the physical toll that addiction can take on a person.
The second verse pits the temptation of the city's lights against the harsh reality of living there. The lyrics imply that the person drinking and fighting is likely doing so to escape their problems. In the chorus, the lyrics suggest that something has changed in the city, causing the people who live there to drown their sorrows in alcohol. It is said that something has driven people to drink because they are out there running around, bought and sold. These lyrics hint at the idea that living in the city has become overwhelming.
In the final verse, the song touches on the issue of homelessness and murder. The lyrics allude to the fact that some people living in the city are so poor that they must live in the street without shoes on their feet. Finally, the last few lines of the song allude that the city has an aggressive and predatory nature. The song is a poignant and timely reminder of the social issues that continue to exist in inner-city environments.
Line by Line Meaning
Addressing the blues
Noticing that you are feeling down
I see you're drinking again
Observing that you are consuming alcohol once more
You're smoking smack inside your cigarette
Imagining you are taking drugs inside your cigarette
Looking pale and thin
Appearing to have lost weight and lacking color in your face
It's a shame
It's regrettable and disappointing
It's a pity
It's regrettable and unfortunate
New York City
The city where all of this is happening
The lights of the town
The bright illumination of the urban environment
They keep you up all night
Preventing you from getting sleep
So you pour yourself a drink
Therefore you make an alcoholic beverage
And go out looking for a fight
And search for a confrontation
And the girls, they're so pretty
And the women are attractive
Something has changed
A shift has occurred
The way these people think
The mindset of these individuals
It drove them all to drink
It compelled them all to drink alcohol
Gravel churns and groans from
The broken ground rumbles and creaks
The torn up ground
The damaged or ruined earth
People bought and sold
Individuals are commodities
Out there running around
Frolicking and wandering about
Turn out the lights
Switch off the lamps
Turn down the sound
Lower the volume
For me
For my sake
Ain't nothing for free
There is nothing offered without a cost
In New York City
In the city of New York where this is all happening
Digging a ditch
Excavating a trench
Some people living in the street
Some persons are residing on the pavement outdoors
Tired, cold, and dirty
Worn out, chilly, and filthy
Ain't got no shoes for their feet
They lack footwear
Ain't it strange
Isn't it curious
Bumming change
Asking for coins
You can pay for it now
You can immediately pay for it
Or with a thirty-day note
Or wait till thirty days with a mutual agreement
Take it down to D street
Bring it to the D street
Someone'll cut your throat
Someone will harm you
Bring your knife and your fork
Bring your eating utensils
In New York New York
In the city of New York, repeatedly said for emphasis
New York City
The city where all of this is happening
Writer(s): D. Laszlo
Contributed by Samantha J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dbuckner92
Thumbs up if Nothing to Loose Brought you here.
@ShazeemKhan
(Y)
@sSPACEoNE
Dance like Steve Oedekerk!
@MartyMcFly88
Absolutely love that movie. When Tim Robbins is going crazy with his shoes on fire and Martin Lawrence is falling out of the truck laughing his ass off kills me every time.
@jeffreycox4928
👍
@MsPrestige2009
Yep that's me!!!😁
@Strik9
Nothing to lose movie was perfect for this rock! The whole album is kick ass!
@boobooday
Yes, a masterpiece!
@MrSitar18
If I was a night guard I'd dance to that :)
@Stella42942
My son was a security guard and he did the dance🎶😁