New York State of Mind

Last updated
"New York State of Mind"
Song by Billy Joel
from the album Turnstiles
ReleasedMay 19, 1976
Studio Ultra Sonic Studio in Hempstead, New York
Genre
Length6:00
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Billy Joel
Producer(s) Billy Joel

"New York State of Mind" is a song by Billy Joel from his fourth studio album, Turnstiles (1976). Although never released as a single, it is both critically-acclaimed and amongst the most covered of Joel's songs. [3] [4] It is also a fan favorite, which Joel plays regularly in concert.[ citation needed ] In October 2001, he performed it at the Concert for New York City, the benefit concert for members of the New York City Fire and Police Departments, as well as the loved ones and families of first responders killed during the September 11 attacks. [5] He reprised the song and theme, playing it during his set at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 12, 2012, when he changed lyrics to include "Breezy Point" and "Oceanside". [6]

Contents

An early version of the song appeared on the double LP Live at the Great American Music Hall, 1975 (recorded at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco in June 1975). This was released first in November 2021 as part of the box set Billy Joel: The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1, [7] then in its own right on April 22, 2023 (for that year's Record Store Day). [8]

The Turnstiles version received some initial airplay on FM and New York pop radio stations, [9] and a cover of "New York State of Mind" led a two-song medley on the 1976 album To The Heart, by jazz-influenced English pop group Mark-Almond. [10] However, the song only began to attract significant attention after it was recorded by Barbra Streisand for her hit album Superman (1977). [4] [9]

Inspiration

Having spent three years in Los Angeles, Joel returned home to the East Coast in 1975. This theme runs through most of the songs on Turnstiles, including "Say Goodbye to Hollywood", "I've Loved These Days", "Summer, Highland Falls", and "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)".

The inspiration for the song came from his pride in returning home to New York. Joel was literally "takin' a Greyhound [bus] on the Hudson River Line [route]" when the idea for the song came to him, and it was written as soon as he arrived at his new home in Highland Falls. [9] [11] It was Joel's attempt to create a standard, which he had wanted to do since playing covers of traditional standards at The Executive Room, a piano bar in Los Angeles where he worked for six months. The music is in triple ( 3
4 ) time, like a waltz, and in the key of C major. [12] [13] The understated orchestral backing, arranged by Ken Ascher, achieves a "superb balance" between piano and strings. [14]

Different sax solos

As Joel can be heard announcing after the song,[ citation needed ] on Live at The Great American Music Hall, 1975 the saxophone solo in "New York State of Mind" was played by Johnny Almond (then a member of the singer's backing group). [15]

There are three studio versions of the song. The original version featured Richie Cannata on saxophone and appeared on the original Turnstiles album. Contrary to some sources, the sax solo on "New York State of Mind" was never re-recorded by Phil Woods for the release of Greatest Hits . The only time that Phil Woods performed on a Billy Joel recording was the song "Just the Way You Are" in 1977. The Quadrophonic LP release differs from both the original release and Greatest Hits version.

Personnel

Other performances

Since the 1976 release of Turnstiles and subsequent recording of "New York State of Mind" by Barbra Streisand, the song has become a pop standard and been covered by artists such as Carmen McRae (1980), [16] Shirley Bassey (1982), [17] Oleta Adams (1993), [18] and Tony Bennett. [4] In an interview with Rolling Stone , Joel named Streisand's version as a personal favorite, and said that he had wanted Ray Charles to record the song. [19]

Bennett and Joel recorded the song as a duet for Bennett's 2001 album Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues , receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 2002 Grammy Awards. [20] They performed the song live to open the ceremony, [21] and again in July 2008 during Joel's twos concert to mark the closure of Shea Stadium. [22] [23]

Joel has also performed duets of the song with Elton John during their collaborative Face-To-Face Tour, with the country singer Garth Brooks during Brooks' Central Park Concert in 1997, and with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as one of Springsteen's special guests during his performance at the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert" at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 29, 2009.

The song was played in Boston by Emma Stanganelli, most notably in a duet with Billy Joel in Fenway Park during his 2014 tour. [24]

In 2014, Joel rerecorded the song as a duet with Barbra Streisand for her album Partners . [25]

Deana Martin recorded “New York State Of Mind” on her 2016 album Swing Street. [26]

Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau covered the song on his 2020 album Suite: April 2020 . [27]

Floyd Pepper, accompanied by Dr. Teeth and Zoot, performed "New York State of Mind" on the The Muppet Show (first on the UK, then with different choreography, the US edition).[ citation needed ] A recording of this version, sung by Jerry Nelson, was included on the 1978 album The Muppet Show 2 . [28] A later interpretation by Jim Henson as Rowlf the Dog appeared on the album Ol' Brown Ears Is Back (1993). [29]

In the 2004 film Garfield: The Movie , the eponymous Garfield (Bill Murray) sings a parody of the song entitled "New Dog State of Mind" [30] (described by Dave Germain of the Associated Press as the film's "low point"). [31]

Also in 2004, Joel agreed a deal with US publisher Scholastic for the release of two illustrated children's books, based on the lyrics of "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" and "New York State of Mind". [32] Goodnight, My Angel (A Lullabye) appeared later that year, with artwork by Yvonne Gilbert. [33] [34] New York State of Mind followed in 2005, illustrated by Izak Zenou. The book had a picture of the Empire State Building on the front cover, and included a recording of the song on CD. [35] [36]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [37] Platinum1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Mitchell, Matt (January 20, 2024). "The 25 Greatest Billy Joel Songs of All Time". Paste . Retrieved January 20, 2024. ...and "New York State of Mind" is one of the most tender and endearing love-letters in all of rock 'n' roll.
  2. ↑ Breithaupt, Don & Breithaupt, Jeff (2000). Night Moves: Pop Music in the Late '70s. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. p. 28. ISBN   0312198213. ...[Joel] had reportedly finished writing "New York State of Mind", a rhapsodic jazz ballad...
  3. ↑ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush: A Singles Un-cyclopedia . New York: Algora Publishing. p. 309. ISBN   087586208X – via Internet Archive.
  4. 1 2 3 Bego, Mark (2007). Billy Joel: The Biography . New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. pp. 107–108. ISBN   978-1560259893 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ Jones, Steve; Mansfield, Brian & Gardner, Elysa (October 22, 2001). "America the beautiful, in three-part harmony" . USA Today . Vol. 20, no. 26. McLean, VA. pp. 1D, 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Fekadu, Mefsin (December 14, 2012). "Like 9/11 concert, musicians turn out for Sandy" . The Daily Advertiser . Lafayette, LA. Associated Press. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Criblez, David J. (October 31, 2021). "All Set with 50 Years of Billy Joel" . Newsday. Melville, NY. pp. C4 –C5– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Mullins, Julie (May 2023). "Record Store Day and Other Vinyl News". Stereophile . Vol. 46, no. 5. New York. pp. 17–18.
  9. 1 2 3 Schruers (2014), pp. 115–116.
  10. ↑ Mark-Almond (1976). To The Heart (LP). ABC Records. ABCD 945-A – via Internet Archive.
  11. ↑ Billy Joel interview. The Howard Stern Show – via YouTube.[ dead YouTube link ]
  12. ↑ "An Interview with Billy Joel" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. April 12, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  13. ↑ Duchan, Joshua S. (2015). "From 'New York State of Mind' to 'No Man's Land': Billy Joel's Songs about American Places". American Music Research Center Journal. 24: 37–54. ISSN   1058-3572.
  14. ↑ Torem, Lisa (2022). Billy Joel On Track. Tewkesbury: Sonicbond Publishing. pp. 48–49. ISBN   978-1789521832.
  15. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (October 28, 2021). "Hear Billy Joel's 'New York State of Mind' from upcoming 1975 live LP". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  16. ↑ McRea, Carmen (1980). I'm Coming Home Again (LP). New York: Buddah Records. B2D 6501 SD – via Internet Archive.
  17. ↑ Bassey, Shirley (1982). All By Myself (LP). Beverley Hills, CA: Applause Records. APLP 1005 – via Internet Archive.
  18. ↑ Dyson, Eric Michael (December 9, 1993). "Evolution: Oleta Adams". Rolling Stone . No. 671. p. 72.
  19. ↑ White, Timothy (September 4, 1980). "Billy Joel Is Angry". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  20. ↑ Morse, Steve (February 12, 2002). "Tony Bennett brings his blues to town" . The Boston Globe . Vol. 261, no. 43. Boston, MA. p. E5 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ Barnes, Ken (February 28, 2002). "5 for Alicia, bunch for 'Brother'" . USA Today. Vol. 20, no. 122. McLean, VA. pp. 1D –2D– via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ Schruers (2014), pp. 284–285.
  23. ↑ Hoffner, Josh (July 19, 2008). "Sing us one last song at Shea, Piano Man" . Staten Island Advance . Associated Press. p. A9 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "NH Girl Helps Piano Man Get Into Boston State Of Mind". CBS Local. June 27, 2014.
  25. ↑ Gardner, Elisa (September 16, 2014). "Streisand finds a few good men in 'Partners'" . USA Today. Vol. 33, no. 2. McLean, VA. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "Review - Deana Martin - Swing Street". Music Connection. November 30, 2016.
  27. ↑ Fletcher, Thomas (September 14, 2020). "Brad Mehldau - Suite: April 2020". Jazz Journal . Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  28. ↑ Chastity, Richard (October 27, 1978). "Mangione's film score a powerful piece of Jazz" . The Whig-Standard . Kingston, ON. p. A-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ Heffley, Lynne (May 29, 1993). "Rowlf the Dog's Solo Album Pleases" . Los Angeles Times . p. F12 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ Meyer, George (June 11, 2004). "Comic strip's charm goes AWOL in 'Garfield: The Movie'" . Ticket. Sarasota Herald-Tribune . p. 26 – via Newspapers.com. (Also free online version available).
  31. ↑ Germain, Dave (June 11, 2004). "'Garfield' strays, never ever purrs" . The Cincinnati Post . Vol. 123, no. 140. Associated Press. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ↑ Kruse, Peter (May 20, 2004). "A crash course in children's literature" . Staten Island Advance . p. A23 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ↑ Joel, Billy (2004). Goodnight, My Angel (A Lullabye) . Artwork by Yvonne Gilbert. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN   0439553768 – via Internet Archive.
  34. ↑ Ryan, Laura T. (October 10, 2004). "Billy Joel sets lullaby into a book" . Stars. The Post-Standard . Syracuse, NY. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ↑ Joel, Billy (2005). New York State of Mind . Illustrated by Isak Zenou. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN   0439553822 – via Internet Archive.
  36. ↑ Cooper, Irene (November 15, 2005). "Joel, Billy. New York State of Mind". Booklist . Vol. 102, no. 6. Chicago. p. 49.
  37. ↑ "American single certifications – Billy Joel – New York State of Mind". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved November 20, 2021.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.