"New York" is a song by Scottish alternative rock group Snow Patrol. The track is the third single from the band's sixth studio album, Fallen Empires. It was released as a digital download on 20 December 2011 in the US.
| "New York" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Snow Patrol | ||||
| from the album Fallen Empires | ||||
| Released | 20 December 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2011 | |||
| Genre | Soft rock | |||
| Length | 4:02 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Gary Lightbody, Johnny McDaid[1] | |||
| Snow Patrol singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background and writing edit
Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody struggled with writer's block when penning Fallen Empires. Speaking to Q magazine, the singer explained how a chance meeting with R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe at a Californian studio rejuvenated his writing process.[2] He recalled, "I couldn't even write my name on a cheque. It was that bad at the time ... (Stipe arriving at the studio) was amazing because the first song I ever played live was R.E.M.'s 'Find the River' at a school concert." Although Stipe's input was minimal, it was enough to inspire Lightbody to rediscover his muse. He recalled, "Michael just made a few suggestions here and there. On a track called 'New York' there was a line, 'Your face has never left me.' He said, 'That sounds like you've got a girl's head in your bag.' So we changed that."[2]
Lightbody explained the story behind the piano ballad: "I always try to write about personal experiences - 'New York' is about a girl I was seeing over there. We both had strong feelings for one another, but we were never in the same place at the same time. It's about missed opportunities."[2] Lightbody penned this song with Snow Patrol pianist Johnny McDaid in his London studio.[2]
Promotion edit
The song was featured in the "Suddenly" episode of Grey's Anatomy, which aired on 5 January 2012.[3] Snow Patrol performed it live on 9 January 2012 on American late-night talk show Late Show with David Letterman.[4] This song was also featured in Season 4 Episode 10 of The Vampire Diaries.
Critical reception edit
Jon Young from Spin wrote that the somber "New York" calls out, "Come on / Come out / Come here," to a faraway lover with persuasive fervor.[5] Mike Haydock from BBC Music wrote that "New York and In the End are the massive, sweeping songs that form the heart of Fallen Empires."[6] Michael Tedder from Paste Magazine refers to "New York" as "a memorable melody, which will probably be in a million TV dramas".[7] Chad Grischow from IGN Music calls it a power-ballad and "one of many instantly memorable offerings" on the album.[8]
Music video edit
The official music video was released on 30 March 2012. The video shows Gary Lightbody, the band's frontman sitting at a bar, lonely and looking upset, while having drink after drink.[9] "Ignoring all the dancing and smiling faces around him, the frontman stares into space. His lip-synching is even half-hearted, as he's lost in thought about a relationship that didn’t work out...The emotional video is simple but powerful."[10]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "New York" (album version) | 4:02 |
Chart performance edit
| Chart (2011–12) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[11] | 16 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] | 37 |
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles | 2 |
| Billboard Canadian Hot 100 | 94 |
| Billboard Rock Digital Songs | 15 |
| Billboard Alternative Digital Songs | 10 |
References edit
- ^ "New York | Allmusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d "New York by Snow Patrol Songfacts". Songfacts. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ^ "SP RETURN TO GREYS ANATOMY". snowpatrol.com. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- ^ "Video: 'New York' on 'Letterman'". Rolling Stone. 10 January 2012. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- ^ Young, Jon. "Snow Patrol: 'Fallen Empires'". Spin. Retrieved 2012-03-19.
- ^ Mike Haydock (18 March 2012). "BBC - Music - Review of Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires". BBC.
- ^ Tedder, Michael. "Snow Patrol: 'Fallen Empires'". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
- ^ Grischow, Chad. "Snow Patrol: 'Fallen Empires'". Paste Magazine. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
- ^ Jay, Arthur (2 April 2012). "Snow Patrol - New York Video". KOvideo. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- ^ Scott, Shetler (3 May 2012). "Snow Patrol - New York Video". diffuser.fm. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ "Snow Patrol – New York" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
- ^ "Snow Patrol – New York" (in French). Ultratop 50.