Context

This line is from the song "Theme from New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra from the album Trilogy: Past Present Future (1980).

Despite this being a quote from Frank Sinatra, this song isn't actually a Frank Sinatra original. No, he didn't steal it—he just gave it his own twist. It's actually the theme song to Martin Scorsese's film "New York, New York," released in 1977, and was originally performed by Liza Minnelli.



If you're wondering what's going on with the lyrics, it's pretty simple; the singer simply wants to make it in New York as an entertainer and embraces the difficulties that the city might throw at him. And if he can make it in New York, he can make it anywhere (see, we got that from the quote).

Where you've heard it

Hmm, how about pretty much anywhere in New York? At a bar, in the street, at a concert: New York loves this song.

But one place you've definitely heard these catchy lyrics is at Yankee Stadium. Whenever the New York Yankees win a home baseball game, Frank Sinatra's angelic voice will boom over the loudspeakers and you'll hear a roar of people shouting "New York, New York!" It's just like how the Boston Red Sox play "Dirty Water" when they win.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

It's probably a good idea to sing this only when the music is actually playing. If you're in New York, you'll sound like a broken record. If you're somewhere else and still singing this, you might just be the broken record.