Interpol – NYC

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Send "NYC" Ringtone to Cell

I had seven faces
Thought I knew which one to wear
But I'm sick of spending these lonely nights
Training myself not to care
The subway is a porno
Pavements they are a mess
I know you've supported me for a long time
Somehow I'm not impressed

But New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)
New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)
New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)
New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)

Subway she is a porno
And the pavements they are a mess
I know you've supported me for a long time
Somehow I'm not impressed

It's up to me now, turn on the bright lights
It's up to me now, turn on the bright lights

But New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)
New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)
New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)
New York cares (got to be some more change in my life)

It's up to me now, turn on the bright lights
Oh, it's up to me now, turn on the bright lights

Send "NYC" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by toadtws

Track duration: 04:20


NYC song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song because I'm a city boy from pittsburgh. This is a song that defines who I am.
    Flag zacharmstron January 27, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:First of all, this could either be him singing(a sad dedication) to a girl he messed up with, or it could be him singing "as the girl he loved", talking back to him,(in referrence to how she treated him in the relationship.)


    I think "NYC" is about him dealing with bipolar (disorder)feelings towards somebody who loved him and that he loved back.. to an extent. (I had seven faces..Thought I knew which one to wear..But I'm sick of spending these lonely nights..Training myself not to care). He knows she was a great person but scared her off with his hot and cold feelings,(I know you've supported me for a long time.. somehow I'm not impressed.. but New York Cares). The subway quote is in referrence to how disgusting society is and how people like her are few and far between in the relationship world; she's a gem.

    Turn on the bright lights and make some changes' quotes are meaning he wants to move on from this heartbreaking rollercoaster ride, and I also believe this song is a hidden romantic apology to her.
    Flagged DocSeriouson January 17, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:Brilliant song first off.

    I've listened a few time over recently and I'm quite sure it's not "IT'S UP to me now, turn on the bright lights", but rather "LIVE UP(1st time)/WAKE UP (2nd time) to me now..."

    Go listen and tell me what you think. It makes more sense in the context. I've googled and haven't found what I hear anywhere else, but I think that's because all these sites import from one another?
    Flag slazytuneson November 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"He (or she)" has reached all his goals. new york cares. he made it in NYC, wore the right mask, said the right words, and hit success. but it's not enough. there is still a hollow emptiness. so, he's looking within himself for the next big change, the next big goal, the light...
    Flag kiki714on March 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought it said "got to be some moral change in my life" maybe he feels degraded by his environment. I also always thought it was about the band making it and how they lived through that in NYC. Aren't they a NYC band?
    The "I know you've supported me.." part is about the relationship he has with their NYC fans. Maybe the whole scene has taken a toll on him, subway is a porno, pavements they are a mess, etc. When he says "its up to me turn on the bright lights" it can either way, literally on stage or figuratively to change his life for the better, getting away from the demons, loneliness, and harsh realities of NYC. This is a great song, I love the drums on this one.
    Flag GrungyBeatleon September 11, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:bam
    ok, so the seven faces refers to that when he lived in New York he would always pretend to be/act like different people and groups so he could fit in in alot of places. "thought i knew which one to wear" refers to the idea that he thought he did a good job of changing for each different cliche, of what have you.

    the "lonely nights" is likely a reference to how he never had any true friends, because of the 'faces' he possessed, but he has apparently gotten used to this.

    and pretty much the rest of the song is saying how he truly appreciates what new york has tried to do for him, and the comfort and home its given him, but he simply "isnt impressed."

    the first few lines are the deepest, but this is a fantastic song overall, cheers.
    Flag eaglesnb164on July 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the first bit about the faces reminds me of the t.s. eliot poem, the love song of j. alfred prufrock.

    "there will be time, there will be time
    To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet"

    freshman english class flashbacks? anyone?

    anyway, good tuneage.
    Flag commenter12on May 10, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: Well, I guess the beauty in Interpol is that Paul Banks' lyrics are often so obtuse and abstract that we can really all take what we want from them. To generalise, they're meaningless, but most appreciators of Interpol store deep meaning in each song, every word. And, I'm sure Paul Banks was thinking of some very specific event, feeling, or person for each song that he wrote.
    For me 'It's up to me, now// Turn on the bright lights' means that the beauty in the city is there, but we just can't see it. It's up to us to 'turn on the bright lights', to illuminate the beauty and make it visible to our own eyes.
    I do hope I haven't overthought it. And I really haven't been able to figure out the rest of the lyrics. They make me feel, though :)
    Flag sofieeveon December 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:How can you listen to this song on the subway without wanting to blow yr brains out? :/
    Flag Willboeon October 31, 2009   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:For me, it's like when you're in a big city in the evening and you feel alien, because you don't know any of the people you pass and you wonder if it's less painful to care or not when either way, it'll just get you tired. I think the 'New York cares' thing is irony. Everywhere you see commercials and government and whatever making you feel like you're family, while you belong nowhere. And there come moods when you even wish that people who love you wouldn't, because it gets hard to love them back ('I know you've supported me for a long time/ Somehow I'm not impressed')... and then you get the feeling like everything could be different and beautiful and feel the power of changing your life ('turn on the bright lights')... before waking up into another s*itty day of it next morning. Just what the song sounds like to me personally. =)
    Flag DeeWillDoon January 11, 2009   Link

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