Live 20 Jun 2000 version
Billy, he's down by the railroad tracks
Sitting low in the back seat, yeah, of his Cadillac
Well, Diamond Jackie, she's so intact
And she falls so softly beneath him
Jackie's heels are stacked
Yeah, Billy's got cleats on his boots
Well, they're gonna move on down Broadway
And come back home with the loot
Well, it's midnight in Manhattan, this is no time to get cute, it's a mad dog's promenade
So walk tall
Or don't walk at all
Well, fish lady, oh, fish lady, she baits them tenement walls
She won't take the corner boys, 'cause they've got no money, and they're so easy
I said, "Hey, baby, will you take my hand, walk with me down Broadway?"
Yeah, baby, won't take my hand, move with me down Broadway?
Hey!
I'm a young man, and I walk real proud, oh, movin' me down Broadway
Yeah, shake away your city life, shake away your street life, shake away your city life, oh, come
on, darling, shake away your city life, shake away your street life, shake away your city life,
yeah, come on, baby
And hook up to the train, yeah, hook up to the night train
Yeah, come on, darling, yeah, come on, baby
Well, hook up to the train, yeah, hook up to the night train
Come on, baby, hook it up!
Yeah, but she won't take the train, no, she won't take the train
No, she won't take the train, no, she won't take the train
Oh, she won't take the train, no, she won't take the train
She's afraid those tracks are gonna slow her down
And when she turns around, he'll be gone
Walk on
Walk on
Hey!
Hey, vibes man, hey, jazz man, play me your serenade
Yeah, any deeper blue and you'll be playin' in your grave
Save your notes: yeah, don't spend 'em on the blues boys
Baby, now, save your notes: don't spend 'em on the darlin' yearlin' sharp boys
Straight for that church note, ring it, vibes man sting a trash can
Yeah, listen to your junkman
Hey, listen to your junkman
Come on, now, listen to your junkman
He's singin' (singin')
He's singin' (singin')
He's singin' (singin')
He's singin' (singin')
He's singin', singin', sing, yeah, sing, yeah
He's singin', singin', singin', singin'
He's singin', singin', singin', singin'
He's singin', singin', singin', singin'
Singin', singin', singin', singin', singin', singin', singin', singin'
He's singin', singin', sing, yeah, singin', singin', singin', singin'
[Spoken outro:] New York City!
The above lyrics are for the live 20 Jun 2000 performance of NEW YORK CITY SERENADE at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY, during The Reunion Tour. The song was played in a full-band arrangement featuring a new piano introduction by Roy Bittan.
Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.
List of available versions of NEW YORK CITY SERENADE on this website:
NEW YORK CITY SERENADE [Album version]