New York, I love you
But you're bringing me down

New York, I love you
But you're bringing me down

Like a rat in a cage
Pulling minimum wage

New York, I love you
But you're bringing me down

New York, you're safer
And you're wasting my time

Our records all show
You are filthy but fine

But they shuttered your stores
When you opened the doors
To the cops who were bored
Once they'd run out of crime

New York, you're perfect
Don't please don't change a thing

Your mild billionaire mayor's
Now convinced he's a king

So the boring collect
I mean all disrespect

In the neighborhood bars
I'd once dreamt I would drink

New York, I love you
But you're freaking me out

There's a ton of the twist
But we're fresh out of shout

Like a death in the hall
That you hear through your wall

New York, I love you
But you're freaking me out

New York, I love you
But you're bringing me down

New York, I love you
But you're bringing me down

Like a death of the heart
Jesus, where do I start?

But you're still the one pool
Where I'd happily drown

And oh, take me off your mailing list
For kids who think it still exists
Yes, for those who think it still exists

Maybe I'm wrong
And maybe you're right
Maybe I'm wrong
And maybe you're right
Maybe you're right
Maybe I'm wrong
And just maybe you're right

And oh
Maybe mother told you true
And they're always be somebody there for you
And you'll never be alone
But maybe she's wrong
And maybe I'm right
And just maybe she's wrong
Maybe she's wrong
And maybe I'm right
And if so, is there?


Lyrics submitted by fongaboo, edited by rcharris

New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down Lyrics as written by James Murphy

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down song meanings
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30 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    great song. really different from everything else hes done....

    one thing, I think the last lyrics are "maybe mother told you true / and there'll always be somebody there for you / and you'll never be alone / .... / maybe she's wrong, and maybe I'm right / and if so, heres this song

    I could be wrong though.

    crippledmcgimpon February 02, 2007   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I agree with rossismad. "New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down" is the song's name.

    Simply, Murphy is disappointed with New York. "Like a rat in a cage\Pulling minimum wage" The city sucks, but there's nothing else to turn to. He can't get out because it's all he knows. "Our records all show\You are filthy but fine" This is either a reference to the dirtiness of the city, or the oppression of the police.... "But they shuttered your stores\When you opened the doors\To the cops who were bored\Once they'd run out of crime" The greatness (stores, as in like treasure) was ruined by oppressive police. Maybe he liked the adventure of a not-so-safe city, as opposed to a very tight law presence. "Your mild billionaire mayor's\Now convinced he's a king\So the boring collect\I mean all disrespect" Obviously a reference to Guiliani. He's a dunce, but he's getting rich and powerful, so screw him. "There's a ton of the twist\But we're fresh out of shout" Another reference to his love-hate with the city. New York has some great things, but lacks other important ones too. "Like a death in the hall\That you hear through your wall" The bad things about New York aren't plainly visible, but he knows they're there. "But you're still the one pool\Where I'd happily drown" Again, it's the best he's got and all he knows. "And oh.. Take me off your mailing list\For kids that think it still exists\Yes, for those who think it still exists" I think he wants to quit hearing about how good New York is. He sees the rotten parts of the city and also realizes that practically everybody else doesn't. They eat up the "propaganda" with a spoon. "Maybe I'm wrong\And maybe you're right" He's still undecided about the city. "Maybe mother told you true\And they're always be something there for you\And you'll never be alone" Still hearing about why the city is good (i.e. more indecisiveness) "Maybe she's wrong\And maybe I'm right\And if so, is there?" He flirts with believing that new york truly does suck, and wants proof of why new york is good because he just can't see it.

    teimutmon October 25, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Probably the best song I've ever heard about being disappointed in a city.

    alexmceon June 14, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    How is nobody else aware that New York is alcohol?

    maraschinoon September 14, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    brilliant Lou Reed-esque song that echoes a lot of this indie-dance scene in NYC - another good example about how New York was better dirty and fucked up is Radio 4's Dance To The Underground. !!! also feel the same about the city.

    jameskendallon February 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think this is my fave off the album

    elleonon March 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I believe the full title is "New York, I love You But You're Bringing Me Down."

    rossismadon April 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Awesome song.

    rizzenon April 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    An indictment of Rudy Guiliani and Michael Bloomberg. Simply Beautiful.

    ctspectatoron August 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is one of the best reasons not to vote for Rudy Giuliani.

    [along with him being a fucking fascist gasbag and all]

    chowfun18on October 07, 2007   Link

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