Just a young man who needed to see
The magnificent New York
Oh! What a clown!
Just before a semester of college
Just needed to find this wonderful town
A place where dreams are said to happen
Show tunes, and a lot of feet tappin'
Dancing for your supper, singing for the Lord
Histories made, with great folklore: "Entertainers!"

A hustle and bustle, hundreds walking in ease
Amazing as the bus pulled into the station
On 125th street a sea of people parade
All the men and women and all the temptations
A nervousness and tension, a love and knowledge
The soul and heart of a place so mellow

On 53rd street, or about, the hotel was so swell
Named after a president, pretty and belle
Rooms fresh and clean, a little touch of sass
Saw a maid swipe some money, I didn't tell

The broadway shows were just great
The Diva I loved sang so great
The show tunes she sang brassy and loud
Boy how the house stood up with applause
The brass horns in the orchestra pit a thrill
Sort of felt I was the king of "blueberry hill"!

And back to the hotel, that was just sweet
The theivin' maid left everything so neat
Down the long corridors of rich red and gold
Some of the furnishings were antique and old
Oh how the continental breakfast stole my heart
My first trip anywhere paid dearly from the start

Oh mother asked: Do you know what you are doing?
Its as if she decided to start suing, call when you arrive!
Oh! the streets just swollen with taxis and cars
Traffic jams here and there, and the sound of alarms
The subway ride to the Bronx Zoo, that was so sad
The animals looked mangy and all old and bad

The lions looked dull and unkept and too fat
The distance between exhibits seemed too long
As I walked I tired, and was so dissappointed
That was thrity years ago, my first trip anywhere
Things now I know, must be quite different to be fair

I love New York, it's a place that turns me on
At night the signs bright colors with blinking neon
A sea of people on the streets at all times of the day
It was such a thrill, to see the magnitude of feet
Walking, talking, shouting, singing buzzing and cruising
Nothing to compare, as I didn't want to leave
The Wiz, was one show, so exciting with joy
That great singing star her voice sultry and coy

When I look back into my youth I must say
Gee, New York was all that, to this very day
I've been a few times before September 11
Years and years ago, the streets put me in heaven
I now know what they mean: "The city that never sleeps..."
Gonna go back one day, and find that love again
My innocent heart wanting to be on my own
With a single green suitcase and feeling so grown
Poor boy from a smaller place, I was all alone

The people so rich and enigmatic and proud
A special spirit, the buzz and birth of a crowd
New York, New York! I could shout it aloud!
Left my suitcase on the bus, as I recall
So dazed and impressed, not standing too tall
But the busline delivered it right back that week
That trip is a treasured part of my life I shall keep

At Carnegie Hall, the one and only
And when she sings I am never lonely
The moon and stars must shine there like no other place
For my heart was worth a million dollars as I witnessed the race
"A sea of people" parading at all hours of the night
As it was the most natural thing to do, I felt just right!
This clown found some glory as I witnessed all the feet
Sandals, sneakers, patton leathers, oxfords you'll meet!
That trip may be the reason I'm still living
The magic, the glory and all the stars giving!

I was already a grown man, from a poor boy I came
I just had to witness my favorite star singing dame
My divas, oh the reason for my trip
Wanted to have style and be hip
Started college when I returned,
A rather good student at that time...
It made my poor life rather nice and swell
With their heart, how could I ever fell
Made the dean's list, A's and B's
Never graduated, from stars to z's
The moon is still in my soul, the stars my spirit
Just need to experience glory, do you hear it?