New York Woman
Yoko Ono Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was getting dark in a snow-covered park
I thought I saw you smiling
You left town to marry a Texas millionaire
I wonder how you are doing

You were a New York woman
New York woman
New York woman
I love you

I heard him on the air discussing world affairs
And something about his global vision
That's when I wondered if you made the right decision
I want to know what you're thinking

You were a New York woman
New York woman
New York woman
I miss you

You were a New York woman
New York woman
New York woman
I miss you

I miss you, I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, my friend

I miss you
Oh, I miss you




Oh, I miss you
Oh, I miss you

Overall Meaning

In Yoko Ono's song New York Woman, the singer is reminiscing about a past love, a woman who left the city to marry a Texas millionaire. The snow-covered park in the first line of the song sets a melancholic tone, as the singer thinks she sees the woman she loves smiling. The next two lines reveal that the woman has left town to pursue a life of financial stability with someone else, leaving the singer to wonder about her well-being. The repetition of the phrase "New York woman" emphasizes the connection between location and identity, suggesting that the woman's departure symbolizes a loss of a certain lifestyle or facet of herself.


The second verse continues with the theme of wondering what the woman is thinking and references a man discussing "global vision." This could be interpreted as a contrast between the allure of fame and fortune with the purity of intellectualism, as the singer questions whether the woman made the right decision in leaving New York for wealth. The repetition of "I miss you" at the end of the song underscores the sense of loss and longing, while the final line adds a sense of finality to the song.


Overall, New York Woman is a reflective meditation on love and identity, with the city of New York serving as a backdrop for the singer's musings and sense of loss.


Line by Line Meaning

It was getting dark in a snow-covered park
The scene described in this lyric is bleak and desolate, which is representative of the feelings of loneliness and despair that the singer is experiencing.


I thought I saw you smiling
Despite the bleak surroundings, the singer's thoughts turn to a happier time and a happier place, where she believes to have seen a familiar face.


You left town to marry a Texas millionaire
The cause of the singer's loneliness is the departure of someone close to her, someone who has married into wealth and moved far away from the city.


I wonder how you are doing
The singer is haunted by questions of what has become of her friend and how she is dealing with her new life post-marriage.


You were a New York woman
The song's title is repeated, and each time it is sung, it serves as a reminder of the woman's roots and identity.


I heard him on the air discussing world affairs
The singer hears someone speaking on the radio about the state of the world and possibly about the husband of her friend, wondering if he is successful in his global endeavors.


And something about his global vision
The singer on the radio is ambitious and has a far-reaching plan for the future, and this makes the singer wonder if her friend's husband is truly happy with his life choices.


That's when I wondered if you made the right decision
The singer is forced to confront the possibility that her friend has made a mistake by leaving New York and wonders whether she is truly happy with her new life or not.


I want to know what you're thinking
Despite her friend's distance and the challenges it poses, the singer remains curious about what her friend is feeling and thinking and wishes that she could talk to her.


I miss you, I miss you, I miss you
The song's most repeated line conveys the singer's deep sense of longing and sadness for someone who is absent from her life.


I miss you, my friend
The singer misses the connection that she once shared with her friend, and the melancholy tone of the song emphasizes the difficulty of maintaining friendships across long distances.


Oh, I miss you
The final repetition of the title line reinforces the emotional impact of the song and the singer's raw yearning for the companionship of her New York friend.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: YOKO ONO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions