I love this song. A poem to the dirty, wrecked, beautiful town he adores. And the people in it - the hopeless, the hopeful, the innocent, the violent and the greedy. I like the the idea New York is sinking into the Hudson - like ancient Rome it's too big for its own good. - I think that bit is about Gore Vidal and his book Empire (1987) which compares the empire of Rome to the Empire of America - no offence but power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. (And remember it's pre 9/11 so it's about a big town not an icon). But even then within the big town there is personal hope and love. That's the message I get from the song. Amidst the toughness there are real people doing and feeling real, honest things. And her voice was like a bell.
I love this song. A poem to the dirty, wrecked, beautiful town he adores. And the people in it - the hopeless, the hopeful, the innocent, the violent and the greedy. I like the the idea New York is sinking into the Hudson - like ancient Rome it's too big for its own good. - I think that bit is about Gore Vidal and his book Empire (1987) which compares the empire of Rome to the Empire of America - no offence but power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. (And remember it's pre 9/11 so it's about a big town not an icon). But even then within the big town there is personal hope and love. That's the message I get from the song. Amidst the toughness there are real people doing and feeling real, honest things. And her voice was like a bell.