NYC
Steve Earle & The Supersuckers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somewhere way out in the sticks
Guitar across his shoulder
Like a 30 ought six
He was staring in my headlights
When I come around the bend
Climbed up on my shotgun side
And told me with a grin
I'm going to New York City
I never really been there
Just like the way it sounds
I heard the girls are pretty
There must be something happening there
It's just too big a town
He was cold and wet and hungry
Never did complain
Said he'd come a thousand miles
Through sleet and snow and rain
He had a hundred stories
About the places that he'd been
He'd hang around a little while
And hit the road again
He's going to New York City
I never really been there
Just like the way it sounds
He heard the girls are pretty
There must be something happening there
It's just too big a town
See I've been to New York City
Seems like it was yesterday
I was standing like a pilgrim
On the Great White Way
The girls were really pretty
But they wouldn't talk to me
I held out about a week
Went back to Tennessee
So, I thought I'd better warn him
When he climbed out of my car
Grabbed his battered suitcase
Shouldered his guitar
I knew I was just jealous
If I didn't wish him well
I slipped the kid a twenty
Said 'Billy give 'em hell'
He's going to New York City
I never really been there
Just like the way it sounds
He heard the girls are pretty
There must be something happening there
It's just too big a town
He's going to New York City
I never really been there
Just like the way it sounds
He heard the girls are pretty
There must be something happening there
It's just too big a town
Goin', goin', goin' to New York City
Going to New York City
Going to New York City
The song “N.Y.C.” by Steve Earle is a story about a hitchhiker who is travelling to New York City. The singer comes across the hitchhiker, who is standing on the highway with his guitar across his shoulder, and joins the singer on the ride. The hitchhiker tells the singer about his plans to travel to New York City, a place he has never been before, but just loves the way it sounds. He’s heard that the girls in New York City are pretty and that there must be something happening there.
The hitchhiker appears to be a wandering musician who has travelled a thousand miles through sleet and snow and rain. He’s cold, wet, and hungry, but he never complains. He hangs around a little while and then hits the road again. The singer recalls his own experience of going to New York City and standing like a pilgrim on the Great White Way. He remembers the girls being really pretty but not talking to him, so he held out for about a week and then went back to Tennessee.
The song portrays the theme of wanderlust, where people yearn to travel and explore new places, just like the hitchhiker in the song. The repetition of the lines, “He’s going to New York City, I never really been there, just like the way it sounds, he heard the girls are pretty, there must be something happening there, it’s just too big a town,” conveys the hitchhiker’s excitement and fascination with the prospect of going to a new place. The song is a tribute to anyone who wants to explore the world and is inspired by the possibilities of what lies beyond their current reality.
Line by Line Meaning
He was standing on the highway
The singer saw a man standing on the highway in the middle of nowhere.
Somewhere way out in the sticks
The man was standing in a remote, rural area.
Guitar across his shoulder
The man was carrying a guitar on his shoulder.
Like a 30 ought six
The guitar looked like a powerful gun due to the way it was being carried.
He was staring in my headlights
The man was looking intently at the artist's car headlights.
When I come around the bend
The singer encountered the man when coming around a road bend.
Climbed up on my shotgun side
The man got into the passenger seat of the singer's car.
And told me with a grin
The man smiled as he spoke.
I'm going to New York City
The man announced that he was on his way to New York City.
I never really been there
The man had never been to New York City before.
Just like the way it sounds
The man was drawn to the idea of New York City because of its name.
I heard the girls are pretty
The man had heard that the women in New York City were attractive.
There must be something happening there
The man believed that New York City was a place of excitement and opportunity.
It's just too big a town
The man acknowledged that New York City was a massive city.
He was cold and wet and hungry
The man was physically uncomfortable, hungry, and wet from the weather.
Never did complain
Despite his discomfort, the man never voiced any complaints.
Said he'd come a thousand miles
The man claimed to have traveled a long distance to get to where he was.
Through sleet and snow and rain
The man's journey had been difficult, involving harsh weather conditions.
He had a hundred stories
The man was a great storyteller, with many tales to share.
About the places that he'd been
The man had traveled to many different locations.
He'd hang around a little while
The man would stay in one place for a brief period of time.
And hit the road again
The man would soon leave and continue traveling.
See I've been to New York City
The singer had visited New York City in the past.
Seems like it was yesterday
The artist's trip to New York City felt like it had just happened.
I was standing like a pilgrim
The singer felt like he was on a spiritual journey, as if he were a pilgrim.
On the Great White Way
The singer was on Broadway, which is sometimes called the Great White Way due to its bright lights.
The girls were really pretty
The women in New York City were attractive and caught the singer's attention.
But they wouldn't talk to me
Despite the artist's interest, the women did not engage with him.
I held out about a week
The artist stayed in New York City for a short period of time.
Went back to Tennessee
The singer returned to his home state of Tennessee.
So, I thought I'd better warn him
The singer decided to share his experience with the man in the car.
When he climbed out of my car
The man got out of the car to continue his journey on foot.
Grabbed his battered suitcase
The man picked up his old and worn luggage.
Shouldered his guitar
The man picked up his guitar and put it on his shoulder.
I knew I was just jealous
The singer realized that he was envious of the man's adventure and ambition.
If I didn't wish him well
The artist would be unkind if he did not want the man to do well on his journey.
I slipped the kid a twenty
The singer gave the man a twenty-dollar bill as a gift.
Said 'Billy give 'em hell'
The singer encouraged the man to go out and pursue his dreams with passion.
Goin', goin', goin' to New York City
This line is a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the man's excitement to explore New York City.
Going to New York City
This line is a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the man's excitement to explore New York City.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE EARLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind