"New York, New York" - Frank Sinatra
Title: NewYork
At a glance:
It’s about New York and the big cultural life there.
Comprehension:
It’s about how New York is. How beautiful and great the city is but also a feeling of independence and the possibility to make dreams come true.
“If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere It's up to you
New York, New York”
Analysis:
Look for “comprehension”
Interpretation:
The title is New York and the song is about New York, therefore is the link obvious. It gives us the idea of the main topic but otherwise we don’t know anything about the song before reading the lyric
Settings:
At a glance:
The song has a good mood, he is filled with hope and dreams. Almost every verse ends with “New York” –
“It’s up to you. New York, New York”
Comprehension:
The poem is written in both present and future. The song takes place in his mind. It is a text describing the city that we want to go to.
"Start spreading the news, I am leaving today. I want to be a part of it, New York, New York."
Analysis:
There is no development in the time or place. It is the same time through the whole song and it is all the time in his mind.
Interpretation:
The setting is very significant, because the song is about New York, which is a real place.
Speaker/voice
At a glance:
There are eight stanzas. All of them consist of 4 lines except one stanza that consist of five.
“New York, New York
I want to wake up
In a city that never sleeps
And find I'm a number one, top of the list
King of the hill, a number one”
Comprehension:
Analysis:
Interpretation:
Characters
At a glance:
New York is a key phrase throughout the song
Comprehension:
Analysis:
Interpretation:
Composition
Comprehension:
There is eight stanzes. The one thing that carries on throughout the song is “New York, New York”. It’s in almost every stanza in the song and often the last thing said in the stanzas.
“(…) Right through the very heart of it.
New York, New York”
Almost every stanza (except one) has 4 lines in it. There is not a chorus, but the “New York, New York” works as one.
Analysis:
There is no climax and the song ends open. The song has no development in it and therefore there isn’t really a principle or element that determine the structure
Interpretation:
It’s very clear to the listener when the stanzas end because of “New York”. The composition of the songs makes is more manageable à 4 lives in each stanza. Otherwise it does not affect our understanding of the song.
Language and style
Comprehension:
It’s a very easy written language and it’s not formal and it’s very concrete.
“I want to wake up
In a city that never sleeps”
The phrase “The city that never sleeps” is a very well known and there are a lot of clichés/known expressions about New York.
“If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere”
Analysis:
The main keyword is “New York”. There is punctuation in the song, when he separates “New York, New York” and one or two lines as well
“And find I'm a number one, top of the list
King of the hill, a number one”
There are a few rhymes throughout the song
“If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere”
“I wanna wake up in a city
That doesn't sleep
And find I'm king of the hill
Top of the heap”
Metaphors:
“I wanna wake up in a city
That doesn't sleep”
Interpretation:
The positive words and feeling he states, gives us a feeling about New York as a perfect place with no problems or struggles. It affects us and the song sounds like a commercial about NYC
“I want to wake up
In a city that never sleeps
And find I'm a number one, top of the list”
Themes and messages
Comprehension:
The title states the theme very much. The song is called New York and the song/message is about NYC and how great it is.
Analysis:
The theme is given to us directly. There is no negative thing about NYC in the song and the song presents NYC in a very positive way. Therefore is the theme not developed or changed in the song. He stays in the dream of beautiful and great NYC
Interpretation:
The well-known fact about NYC and America is that you can fulfil the dreams, you are chasing. That you can fulfil your dreams regardless of anything. If you just go to NYC.
“And find I'm a number one, top of the list
King of the hill, a number one”
The music:
The music fits the lyric. It’s big and majestic, just like his dreams and hope for NYC. The big band is perfect for the lyric.