The Sound of the Bronx.Larry Chance and the Earls were literally discovered singing on a streetcorner in front of a subway station in the Bronx in 1958. They recorded several smash hits before baritone Larry Palumbo, who had been drafted, died in a skydiving accident in 1961, just weeks after appearing with one of Murray the K’s traveling rock and roll shows.
IreneCara is from the Bronx. The “Fame” High School actually exists. It’s the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts. It’spractically on the Lincoln Center campus.
My former flatmate grew up in the West 70s and attended LaGuardia High (no, they aren’t Timothée Chalamet). We used to get a kick out of looking through the yearbook. [Also, Woody Allen is reportedly just as much of a curmudgeonly crank as you might expect. ]
I’ve never heard of that song! Here’s a little background I can pass along after reading the lyrics, so as not to wrest Better Half from his slumber by listening to it.
Third Avenue in the 50s (in Manhattan; there’s another one in Brooklyn, in Sunset Park) used to be a notorious gay cruising ground/gay prostitution center, but I thought that would have died out by the 70s. Guess not. It looks like that’s what this song is about. 53rd and 3rd is now home to the Lipstick Building, designed by John Burgee and Philip Johnson. Johnson had his offices there and at lunchtime I used to run into him. He was about 4′ 6″ tall and would have been in his nineties when we were sharing a sidewalk together. He worked up until the very end. Another tenant in the building was Bernie Madoff who had his offices there. God knows what else is in that building; it’s quite large.
(Yeah, they’re Danish, but I believe one-half of the duo was living there at the time.)
This album came out shortly before my first (and thus far only) trip to NYC. I remember listening to it while waiting in the breezeway of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square for the shuttle to pick me up and take me to LaGuardia – although, of course, the sounds weren’t enough to compete with the background noise of the city.
Brolin, NYC
The Sound of the Bronx.Larry Chance and the Earls were literally discovered singing on a streetcorner in front of a subway station in the Bronx in 1958. They recorded several smash hits before baritone Larry Palumbo, who had been drafted, died in a skydiving accident in 1961, just weeks after appearing with one of Murray the K’s traveling rock and roll shows.
Also from the Bronx – Dion DiMucci & the Belmonts
Lou Reed — Halloween Parade
Here’s one some of you may not know. Booker T with a deep deep groove and Lou Reed on vocals.
I didn’t know about this. I hope Lou Reed gave Booker T the respect he deserved during the recording.
Technically Anglo-Irish, but the NYC connection is clear:
The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl, “Fairytale Of New York“
Ahh, the glorious Aughts:
Interpol, “NYC”
NYC No Wave:
Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot”
And NYC Hip Hop deserves its own post:
DJ Kool Herc
Eric B. & Rakim, “Paid In Full”
De La Soul, “Eye Know”
RUN DMC, “It’s Tricky”
For sure!!!
Ok @meh-zuzah but stop taking away all my options!
Luther Vandross, “Never Too much.” He was actually from Edison (NJ) but close enough, he was one of ours. Enjoy scenes of New York circa 1985.
Isaac Hayes not from New York but Richard Roundtree was born i New Rochelle, so like Luther Vandross, close enough. More great scenes of New York:
Just Cousin Matty turning this into Sounds of Greater NYC. 😎🍕🚃
Cousin Matty needs to get a new keyboard by the looks of all the typos I’m introducing.
Isaac Hayes is not from New York but Richard Roundtree was born i New Rochelle, so like Luther Vandross, close enough. More great scenes of New York:
Whoops, double post, but this song is worth it. Can you dig it?
The Strokes – New York City Cops
IreneCara is from the Bronx. The “Fame” High School actually exists. It’s the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts. It’spractically on the Lincoln Center campus.
My former flatmate grew up in the West 70s and attended LaGuardia High (no, they aren’t Timothée Chalamet). We used to get a kick out of looking through the yearbook. [Also, Woody Allen is reportedly just as much of a curmudgeonly crank as you might expect. ]
I knew someone who was a student there and showed up for a second in that scene in the movie as an extra.
The Ramones are/were from Queens:
I respect the way they never turned their back on their borough and tried to pretend they were a part of Manhattan.
yes they were!
I’ve never heard of that song! Here’s a little background I can pass along after reading the lyrics, so as not to wrest Better Half from his slumber by listening to it.
Third Avenue in the 50s (in Manhattan; there’s another one in Brooklyn, in Sunset Park) used to be a notorious gay cruising ground/gay prostitution center, but I thought that would have died out by the 70s. Guess not. It looks like that’s what this song is about. 53rd and 3rd is now home to the Lipstick Building, designed by John Burgee and Philip Johnson. Johnson had his offices there and at lunchtime I used to run into him. He was about 4′ 6″ tall and would have been in his nineties when we were sharing a sidewalk together. He worked up until the very end. Another tenant in the building was Bernie Madoff who had his offices there. God knows what else is in that building; it’s quite large.
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are both from New YOrk:
Delbert McClinton – New York City
Filmed at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn (also the same school where Debbie Does Dallas was filmed.)
The Raveonettes – “Gone Forever”
(Yeah, they’re Danish, but I believe one-half of the duo was living there at the time.)
This album came out shortly before my first (and thus far only) trip to NYC. I remember listening to it while waiting in the breezeway of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square for the shuttle to pick me up and take me to LaGuardia – although, of course, the sounds weren’t enough to compete with the background noise of the city.