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Analysis of ‘New York’
lyrics

This describes her emotions of being alone and not having her boyfriend there for comfort. The word
'cold' could relate to a physical feeling, she's lacking warmth from his side, his embrace. It could also
refer to an emotion of cold. She felt cold, her heart was broken, left feeling empty. The emphasis on
‘long’ and ‘cold’ suggests that her day has no routine to it, now that he isn't there. When there is no
routine, there is slow passing of time.

First Verse Analysis

This is a
reference to
fairy tales,
Paloma
suggesting that
her break up is
surreal.
However, it
subverts the
convention
because the
story ends
unhappily.

The days were long and the nights so cold

The pages turn and the tale unfolds
He left me for another lady
She stood so tall and she never slept

There was not one moment he could regret

Personification- using a place, in this case New
York, as a representation of a woman. ‘The use of
another'- she doesn’t know who, could refer to
the statue of liberty or could refer to her having
assumptions he is actually moving there to BE
with another lady, or will FIND another lady.

This is a
metaphor of the
city New York. It
describes how the
city never sleeps.
There's also some
sort of
personification
because she uses
the word 'she'.
Could it be that
she's describing
qualities that she
doesn't possess?
(the appealing
qualities that he
left her for)

He left without any reservations, didn’t
feel bad for leaving. It could highlight
even more hurt because she feels as
though that if he didn’t feel regret and
didn’t give her the time of day, maybe
he never truly loved her.

Bridge Analysis
She cannot
comprehend
that
boyfriend is
leaving her
for another
city. It was
an impulsive
decision of
his.

The line suggests that this happened
suddenly, she was not expecting this
news hence the ‘one day’. Although he
did personally address her.

He took my hand one day and told me

He was leaving
Me disbelieving
And I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I
Had to let him go

The repetition of ‘I’ suggests that Paloma is
trying to express that she had to make a
decision that was painful but had to be done.
Almost a sense of punishment is felt on herself
with the use of repetition of ‘I’ implying to the
audience and herself that she is the reason he
left her. It emphasizes the struggle, the length
of time it took to let go of that person.

This brings about many
connotations; Her love for him
meant that she wanted him to do
what made him happy, hence his
decision to go to New York and to
leave her (reinforcing the idea of
'if you love them let them go’), or
it could mean that she didn’t feel
she had a choice. He had made his
decision, she had no say, she felt
powerless and unpersuasive.
Alternatively, the reinforcement of
‘I’ eight times might be her way on
convincing herself and/or the
audience that she decided let him
go rather than him deciding to
leaving her, making her feel
slightly at ease with the
circumstances.

Chorus Analysis
She is referring
to the way in
which her
boyfriend has
fallen out of
love with her
and instead in
love with the
city. The ‘oh
my’ conveys the
fact that she is
shocked that he
loves the New
York more than
her.

Her name was New York, New York

And she took his heart away oh my
Her name was New York, New York
She had poisoned his sweet mind

We find out in
the chorus
who she is
describing in
the pervious
verse. We now
know that she
is using New
York as the
metaphor of a
lady who has
taken her
boyfriend.

This could suggest that he became obsessed with the idea of leaving
for New York. Furthermore, it could also suggest that New York is
manipulative and evil for taking someone so close away from her.
‘Sweet mind’ infers that Paloma feels that her boyfriend is innocent
and the victim of New York’s power. The use of ‘she’ again personifying
the city as a woman who has taken her boyfriend away from her which
is more realistic than a city. It almost feels like it’s more manageable
to view it from this perspective; She doesn’t want him to have left
because he doesn’t love her anymore instead at the fault of someone
else.

Verse Analysis
This conjures
the idea of Alice
in Wonderland?
The going into
the unknown.
She doesn’t
know where her
life will take
her now he’s
She
gone, he’s left
her in darkness,
stripped her of
anything she
was certain of.

This suggests that she’s crying and upset but doesn’t
want to admit it so represents it through the metaphor
of wolves howling. It also suggests she is hurting inside,
her SOUL is hurting, idea of the cliche ‘he took my heart
and soul’, it is not just a physical but emotional effect.
It could also refer to her loosing herself, her identity?
She doesn’t know who she is anymore?

The wolves they howled for my lost soul

I fell down a deep black hole
poured the drinks and she poured the power
Diamond girl who could talk for hours

Reference to a seductive woman again, pouring
drinks, e.g. at a bar, seducing him, he's under
her influence and vulnerable so she can
manipulate him.
Once again, she’s trying to think that it wasn’t
his idea and something else is to blame for his
decision.

‘Diamond Girl’ suggests that she
is something special, attractive,
an attention-grabbing woman,
almost conveying New York as
more attractive than she is. The
‘talk for hours’ suggests that
she’s not boring and is
interesting.

The repetition
of this line
reinforces and
explains why
the previous
two lines have
occurred. This
has all
happened
because of
New York. It
also suggests
that she still
can’t believe
this is real
and is almost
trying to gain
some sort of
sympathy.

Bridge Analysis
However the memory
is repeating itself in
her head, the
repetition of the line
‘he told me he was
leaving’ suggests that
she hasn’t gotten over
it and that as much as
she think she has,
he’s left her on a
cliffhanger.

This is slightly different to the previous
bridge as the first line implies the
realisation of her being alone. She has
developed since the break-up and
throughout the song. This could be
showing her progress since.

Now I am on my own
He told me he was leaving
And I was pleading
And I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I
Had to let him go

This time she was ‘pleading’
instead of ‘disbelieving’ –
this suggests the progress of
her opening to the
audience, admitting that
she didn’t have the control
she thinks she had however,
the repetition of the next
two lines doesn’t convey
her in a completely inferior
position. It also suggests
that she thought the
relationship was too special
to break/ she needs him to
stay alive and without him
she is lost and empty.

This shows that
she doesn’t want
to hear how great
his life is without
her, it hurts to
even think about
how his life is now.
Hearing about how
much fun he’s
having without her
makes her feel like
she’s not special
I
anymore.
The use of ‘new’
shows that she is
aware that he is
enjoying himself,
it doesn’t sound
like the break-up
has effected him
as much as it has
on her.

The repetition of this
The greatest times
line emphasises how
much this has affected
I don't wanna hear it her, almost as if she
doesn’t want to hear it
Your new laughter lines so it doesn’t seem like
reality, she wants a clean
slate.

I don't wanna hear it

The new found friends she introduced you to
don't wanna know them I just want to be with you

Please don't make me go to...
New York, New York
The last 3 lines has the theme of selfishness - that she only wants to
have the simple life with him. Maybe she doesn’t want to
experience the city with him, the fancy nightclubs, the women, the
drinks, instead she just wants him to herself.
It also suggests that she wants to remain in power and new
opportunities might provoke new ideas or ambitions which may
intervene in her relationship. She sees the city as a woman, a
manipulative woman, like he is almost having an AFFAIR with the
city and this causes complications if she goes with him.

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