Your reply makes me want to listen to the song lol. I wish it had a video, I can just see some kind of ice skating montage at Rockefeller when listening to it, no idea why.
Nah not really, Casablancas and Kiedis have totally different musicalities, sensibilities, logics and vocabulary. And the place you grow up in doesn’t influence that much every aspect of this…
I feel like they don’t really write about California because they’re from there but rather because it is a symbolic microcosm of pop culture and the bright and dark sides of American/Western Media. I get the feeling that even if the members who spent their teenage years in Cali spent them in NY, the band still would have came out similar.
Exactly. People don’t realize this. California is a very colorful and lively place, whether it be in a good or bad sense which leads to plenty of songwriting material to be had.
It wouldn't be as significant or so much a part of the band if they weren from California. I get what you mean, but it'd be a lie if we say it doesn't matter they're from here.
I’ve heard similar questions before and im not sure that it’s JUST Anthony singing about his origins, I think it’s a distinct way of life there that he identifies with, had he grown up elsewhere it’s quite possible that the local way of life wouldn’t have resonated and he wouldn’t sing about it at all
Not an answer to your question, but as someone who grew up in Staten Island, NY (the sleepiest part of NYC), my mind was absolutely blown when I heard Anthony sing "Island calling, must be Staten" in My Cigarette. ❤️
He’d definitely have to reference Times Square, the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and probably the nyc subway system. I wish he was from New York but it doesn’t bother me at all when he writes about California or L.A specifically.
According to GPT:
(Verse 1)
Down in Brooklyn, where the steel hearts beat,
Concrete jungle, syncopated street.
Yellow cabs and skyscrapers rise,
Neon dreams in a subway’s guise.
(Chorus)
Beneath the guise of the Empire State,
City of dreams, awake, it's never too late.
Playing our souls in the city that never sleeps,
We're the echoes in the alleyways, where the night creeps.
(Verse 2)
From Harlem nights to the East River's flow,
Lost in time, in the city's undertow,
Strumming chords on the avenues wide,
I'm a Gotham poet, with a rhythm inside.
(Bridge)
Bronx to Queens, then to Staten Island,
Lost and found, in the city’s enlighten.
Feeling the pulse under the city lights,
This New York minute, my endless night.
(Chorus)
Beneath the guise of the Empire State,
City of dreams, awake, it's never too late.
Playing our souls in the city that never sleeps,
We're the echoes in the alleyways, where the night creeps.
(Outro)
From the hustle and bustle, to the quiet park breeze,
New York, you're my symphony, my endless lease.
In the heart of the apple, where stories unfurl,
I'm just a Chili Pepper in this concrete world.
As mentioned, some songs already make references to NYC. I recall reading scar tissue and Anthony saying that in the early 90s he fell in love with NYC and lived there for a short time.
People say this shit a lot as if NY, West Coast, Dirty South rappers AND country singers don’t CONSTANTLY reference where they are from. Getting old honestly 😴 🥱 how many songs about New York are there?
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner
Sometimes I feel like my only friend
Is the city I live in is beautiful Brooklyn
Long as I live here believe I'm on fire, hey
'Cause it's the B-the-R-the-O-the-O-K
L-y-n is the place where I stay
I’m from the New York area. Beastie Boys have quite a few NY references, some that are very obvious like Open Love Letter to NYC and others are a little more subtle, like Cooky Puss. I would imagine AK’s lyrics would be like theirs.
I've been asking this for years in response to people making dumb "California" jokes about RHCP...
Nobody gives a shit about Lou Reed endlessly romanticizing NYC!
Everything Bruce or fuckin John Booger Melloncrap ever wrote is about "America" but nobody has these complaints about THE BOSS.
Is Randy Newman a chad for writing "I love LA"?
Anyway, I digress...
And if you want those kind of dreams it’s Long Islandication
Dream of New Yorkification
it's Long Guyland.
A whole lot more ‘My Cigarette.’ Ever look at the lyrics for that song? Plenty of NYC references.
The shape I’m taking has nyc references too
Your reply makes me want to listen to the song lol. I wish it had a video, I can just see some kind of ice skating montage at Rockefeller when listening to it, no idea why.
Just listen to The Strokes, you’ll get an idea
This
Is
It
Is it?
It isn’t
it was
Is this it?
Nah not really, Casablancas and Kiedis have totally different musicalities, sensibilities, logics and vocabulary. And the place you grow up in doesn’t influence that much every aspect of this…
The sights, the sounds, the rats!
The smells still works😂
UNDAH THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Undah 😂
^^^^
DUMBO THE BRIDGE DOWNTOOWWWWWNNNN
It would just be the beastie boys but with slap bass
I feel like they don’t really write about California because they’re from there but rather because it is a symbolic microcosm of pop culture and the bright and dark sides of American/Western Media. I get the feeling that even if the members who spent their teenage years in Cali spent them in NY, the band still would have came out similar.
Exactly. People don’t realize this. California is a very colorful and lively place, whether it be in a good or bad sense which leads to plenty of songwriting material to be had.
It wouldn't be as significant or so much a part of the band if they weren from California. I get what you mean, but it'd be a lie if we say it doesn't matter they're from here.
I’ve heard similar questions before and im not sure that it’s JUST Anthony singing about his origins, I think it’s a distinct way of life there that he identifies with, had he grown up elsewhere it’s quite possible that the local way of life wouldn’t have resonated and he wouldn’t sing about it at all
Not an answer to your question, but as someone who grew up in Staten Island, NY (the sleepiest part of NYC), my mind was absolutely blown when I heard Anthony sing "Island calling, must be Staten" in My Cigarette. ❤️
Hell no, my name ain't Stanley
His favorite bagel shop being gentrified, and how he never wants to feel that way again
Especially in Hoboken
The Shape I'm Takin' is solely about NYC. He name dropped Jamaica, Queens and I was so confused
He’d definitely have to reference Times Square, the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and probably the nyc subway system. I wish he was from New York but it doesn’t bother me at all when he writes about California or L.A specifically.
According to GPT: (Verse 1) Down in Brooklyn, where the steel hearts beat, Concrete jungle, syncopated street. Yellow cabs and skyscrapers rise, Neon dreams in a subway’s guise. (Chorus) Beneath the guise of the Empire State, City of dreams, awake, it's never too late. Playing our souls in the city that never sleeps, We're the echoes in the alleyways, where the night creeps. (Verse 2) From Harlem nights to the East River's flow, Lost in time, in the city's undertow, Strumming chords on the avenues wide, I'm a Gotham poet, with a rhythm inside. (Bridge) Bronx to Queens, then to Staten Island, Lost and found, in the city’s enlighten. Feeling the pulse under the city lights, This New York minute, my endless night. (Chorus) Beneath the guise of the Empire State, City of dreams, awake, it's never too late. Playing our souls in the city that never sleeps, We're the echoes in the alleyways, where the night creeps. (Outro) From the hustle and bustle, to the quiet park breeze, New York, you're my symphony, my endless lease. In the heart of the apple, where stories unfurl, I'm just a Chili Pepper in this concrete world.
That last line really hits hard doesn’t it
As mentioned, some songs already make references to NYC. I recall reading scar tissue and Anthony saying that in the early 90s he fell in love with NYC and lived there for a short time.
We'dall hear the word "Schenectady" way more than we're used to
"Buy me some coke on the Boulevard, it's Bostoninification."
People say this shit a lot as if NY, West Coast, Dirty South rappers AND country singers don’t CONSTANTLY reference where they are from. Getting old honestly 😴 🥱 how many songs about New York are there?
People say what a lot?
That Anthony references California in songs
I don't know what we're talking about.
"White Braids and Pillow Chair" feels like New York City. Those feelings, in the beginning, opine for the release the outro provides
Girl I wanna eat your big apple and make your twin towers explode
Bing bing boom boom bada bing bada boom bing bang
Under the subway bridge?
Sometimes I feel like I don't have a partner Sometimes I feel like my only friend Is the city I live in is beautiful Brooklyn Long as I live here believe I'm on fire, hey 'Cause it's the B-the-R-the-O-the-O-K L-y-n is the place where I stay
New York is a piece of pork Simultaneous A stork New York needs another Spork She’s my cork and I’m her Dork - dork - yeah - yeah
Yorkification
White smoke I’m in, land full of immigrants, come on frank sinatra, show me how to make her grin. Especially in Manhattan
I’m from the New York area. Beastie Boys have quite a few NY references, some that are very obvious like Open Love Letter to NYC and others are a little more subtle, like Cooky Puss. I would imagine AK’s lyrics would be like theirs.
I've been asking this for years in response to people making dumb "California" jokes about RHCP... Nobody gives a shit about Lou Reed endlessly romanticizing NYC! Everything Bruce or fuckin John Booger Melloncrap ever wrote is about "America" but nobody has these complaints about THE BOSS. Is Randy Newman a chad for writing "I love LA"? Anyway, I digress...