An Open Letter to NYC

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"An Open Letter to NYC"
LettertoNYC.jpg
Single by Beastie Boys
from the album To the 5 Boroughs
B-side Instrumental / A cappella (12")
ReleasedNovember 2004
Recorded2004
Studio Oscilloscope Laboratories (Tribeca, New York)
Genre
Length4:18
Label Capitol
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys singles chronology
"Now Get Busy"
(2004)
"An Open Letter to NYC"
(2004)
"The Electric Worm"
(2007)
Music video
"An Open Letter to NYC" on YouTube

"An Open Letter to NYC" is a song by American hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was released in November 2004 by Capitol Records as the fourth and final single from their sixth studio album, To the 5 Boroughs (2004). The single entered and peaked at number 38 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was used during the opening credits of an episode of HBO's Taxicab Confessions , and is also included in the video game NBA Street V3 . The group performed the song live during the 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards, on November 18, 2004 at the Tor di Valle Hippodrome, in Rome. [1]

Contents

Composition

The song's lyrics talk about the group's affection for their hometown, New York City. It alludes to the 9/11 terrorist attacks but also implies there are deeper flaws in the system people need to acknowledge and come together as a community, or suffer as a whole.

Track listing

12" vinyl

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."An Open Letter to NYC"4:18
2."MTL Reppin' for the 514"3:01
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."An Open Letter to NYC" (Instrumental)4:13
2."An Open Letter to NYC" (A cappella)3:19

CD

No.TitleLength
1."An Open Letter to NYC" (Andy Wallace Mix)4:02
2."An Open Letter to NYC"4:22
3."An Open Letter to NYC" (A cappella)3:19
4."An Open Letter to NYC" (Instrumental)4:13

Charts

Chart (2004)Peak
position
Dutch Singles Chart [4] 17
UK Singles Chart [5] 38

In the pilot of Succession one of the main characters, Kendall Roy, is introduced singing along to the song on headphones. [6]

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References

  1. "Beastie Boys: "Open Letter to NYC"". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-05-05.[ dead YouTube link ]
  2. "Beastie Boys - An Open Letter To NYC (Vinyl)". Discogs . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  3. "Beastie Boys - An Open Letter To NYC (CD)". Discogs . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  4. "dutchcharts.nl - Beastie Boys - An Open Letter to NYC" . Retrieved 2011-05-11.
  5. "The Official Charts Company - Beastie Boys". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 2011-05-11.
  6. Lipka, Carolyn. "'Succession' Premiere Promises More Jokes Than It Delivers". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-08-15.