About the Song

Track: New York

Length: 2:33

Album: Masseduction (2017)

Artist: St. Vincent

Songwriter: Annie Clark & Jack Antonoff

Favorite part: 

“New York isn’t New York without you, love

So far in a few blocks to be solo”

© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Words & Music A Div Of Big Deal Music LLC

Here’s Why I Love It

I never get sick of this song, but there’s a bigger reason I want to share it with you. It’s a beautiful illustration of how all language can be used well, even profanity. Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent, uses the word “mothafucker” in such a casual and tender way that you can’t help but fall in love with the song. It’s a term of endearment, not malice. You know exactly what she means, and there’s probably not a better word to use in its place. This is evident in the “clean” version used for some media performances, which replaces the word with “sucker.” (Ugh, I just cringed.) The original embodies the true grit and sentiment of the song. And from a storytelling perspective, that word really emphasizes the boundless nature of honesty to connect with people. In short, the term is real, so it resonates.

“New York” feels like a break-up song, but I don’t want to speculate on the tabloid aspect. Is it about the death of David Bowie? The break up with Cara Delvingne? My take is...who cares? It’s a great song, and there’s more than enough there for you to get lost in. It’s clearly a song that deals with losing someone she loves, not being able to replace that person with a new love, and feeling lonely inside a big city. 

In the lyric above, she paints a huge picture with the word “solo” and evokes a double meaning. (Love that.) She’s literally solo inside NYC and her life, but the preceding words also suggest that she’s come “so far” to still be “so low.” That stings. The chorus has a grand, inclusive feel that’s more a testament to the arrangement and production. But at the same time, the lyrics are personal, where she readily admits, “But for you, darling / I’d do it all again.”

Listen to the song and read the lyrics for full effect.

You can now listen to the Lyrics I Love playlist on Spotify. A new song is added with each edition!

*This article is part of the ongoing Lyrics I Love series: short interpretations of the meaning and story behind one song with lyrics that move me.