Move Over Liza, Here's Alicia

When Alicia sings with so much passion, I feel every expression and every rough-cut metaphor resonates in my dreamy state.

I added background images of the NYC skyline to this composite video to depict the magnanimous concrete jungle imagery of New York City where dreams are made of.  


To see the photostream of these images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chitopeppler/sets/72157623954339663/

It used to be my favorite childhood song. I would hum a high-pitch, low-drag version of it as I paddled in the harbor to our boat moored in formation at the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club in the late 70's.  I sang it loud and sharp 'til I was blue in the face, while my sister clasped her hands over her ears.

Grew up in a town,
That is famous as a place of movie scenes

But even for old, timeless classics like "New York", there's always a time to make a change.

Noise is always loud
There are sirenes all around
And the streets are mean

Move over Liza and Sinatra.  Here's Alicia and Jay-Z.

Even if it ain’t all it seems
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I’m from...

The city is indeed magnificent, the people exciting.  But for now forget the beauty and diversity of all 5 burroughs.

On the avenue, there ain’t never a curfew
Ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot on the corner selling rock
Preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab
Takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Someone sleeps tonight with a hunger
For more than from an empty fridge

There's something magical about Alicia's soothing voice and the awe-inspiring lyrics that is both catchy and brazen at the same time.  I dunno.  I mean the lyrics aren't poetic Dylan.  They aren't as brilliant as Billy Joel.  But when Alicia sings with so much passion, I feel every expression and every rough-cut metaphor resonates in my dreamy state, as if the city that has so overwhelmed me with amazement and admiration is also the city that I can get down and become real personal with.

New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York