The Sidewalks of New York
Encyclopedia
"The Sidewalks of New York" is a popular song about life in New York City
during the 1890s. It was created by lyricist James W. Blake (23 September 1862–24 May 1935) and vaudeville actor and composer Charles B. Lawlor
in 1894. The song proved successful afterwards, and is often considered a theme for New York City. Many artists, including Mel Tormé
, Duke Ellington
, Larry Groce
and The Grateful Dead, have performed this song. Governor Al Smith
of New York used it as a theme song for his failed presidential campaign in 1928
. The song is also known under the title "East Side, West Side" from the first words of the chorus.
Governor Al Smith
of New York is credited for the legacy of the song, used as a theme for his 1928 presidential campaign. The urban-centric tune proved symbolic of a campaign that failed to find its footing in America's more rural areas, where Herbert Hoover
was more popular.
Max Fleischer
and his brother Dave Fleischer
made a cartoon
with the song in 1925, using the DeForest Phonofilm
sound-on-film
process. The Fleischers re-released the song on 5 February 1929 with a new soundtrack in the RCA Photophone
system. Both cartoons used the "follow the bouncing ball
" gimmick.
Although the song achieved cultural success shortly after its release, the two authors earned only $5,000 for their efforts. Lawlor died penniless in 1925, while Blake fell ill and died in 1935, their song reputedly having sold 5,000 copies a year by the time of Blake's passing.
After the deaths of Blake and Lawlor, "Sidewalks of New York" achieved fame as a standard among jazz artists, namely Mel Tormé
and Duke Ellington
, and recorded by musicians of various backgrounds. The song appeared in a 1954 medley (along with two other 1890s songs, "Daisy Bell
" and "The Bowery
") in a version by Don Cornell
, Alan Dale
, and Buddy Greco
.
Down in front of Casey's old brown wooden stoop
On a summer's evening we formed a merry group
Boys and girls together we would sing and waltz
While Tony played the organ on the sidewalks of New York
East Side, West Side, all around the town
The tots sang "ring-around-rosie," "London Bridge is falling down"
Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O'Rourke
Tripped the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York
That's where Johnny Casey, little Jimmy Crowe
Jakey Krause, the baker, who always had the dough
Pretty Nellie Shannon with a dude as light as cork
She first picked up the waltz step on the sidewalks of New York
Things have changed since those times, some are up in "G"
Others they are wand'rers but they all feel just like me
They'd part with all they've got, could they once more walk
With their best girl and have a twirl on the sidewalks of New York
film Little Miss Marker
.
In the 1950s, the tune was used for a commercial jingle advertising the Hot Shoppes restaurants (owned by J.W. Marriott) in the Washington, D.C., area. The words were: "East side, west side, all around the town/Wherever you look for a place to eat, a Hot Shoppes can be found/Take a bus or streetcar, or drive right up to the door/Hot Shoppes food is the kind that always brings you back for more."
In the 1970s, the song was again used for a radio jingle. This time the client was the Scull's Angels taxicab company, which has long since ceased to exist. The radio ad was very popular, and gave the cab company more business than they could handle. At that point they took it off the air. It was sung by a singer, Herb Wasserman, who had a very gruff voice, and an over the top New York cabbie accent. The lyrics were written by prolific jingle writer Joan Wile and produced by Don Elliott productions.
The lyrics were:
East Side, West Side, All around the town.
Scull's Angels will take ya, back and forth, and up and down,
We'll take ya to the theater, and the airport.
We'll pick ya, up at ya door.
'cause Scull's Angels will stick-to-the-streets-and-not-drive-all-over, the sidewalks of New York.
(lyrics used by permission of the writer)
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during the 1890s. It was created by lyricist James W. Blake (23 September 1862–24 May 1935) and vaudeville actor and composer Charles B. Lawlor
Charles B. Lawlor
Charles B. Lawlor was an American vaudeville performer and composer of popular songs. He was born in Ireland and emigrated to the United States in 1869....
in 1894. The song proved successful afterwards, and is often considered a theme for New York City. Many artists, including Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
, Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Larry Groce
Larry Groce
Larry Groce is an American singer-songwriter and radio host. Since 1983, Groce has served as the host and artistic director of Mountain Stage, a two-hour live music program produced by West Virginia Public Radio and distributed by NPR. He first entered the national spotlight in 1976 when his...
and The Grateful Dead, have performed this song. Governor Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
of New York used it as a theme song for his failed presidential campaign in 1928
United States presidential election, 1928
The United States presidential election of 1928 pitted Republican Herbert Hoover against Democrat Al Smith. The Republicans were identified with the booming economy of the 1920s, whereas Smith, a Roman Catholic, suffered politically from Anti-Catholic prejudice, his anti-prohibitionist stance, and...
. The song is also known under the title "East Side, West Side" from the first words of the chorus.
History
The tune, a slow and deliberate waltz, was devised by Lawlor, who had been humming the tune while stopping by the hat store where Blake worked. As the two became increasingly enthusiastic about the song, they agreed to collaborate, with Lawlor putting the tune to sheet music and Blake creating the lyrics. The words of the song tell the story of Blake's childhood, including the friends with whom he played as a child, namely Johnny Casey, Jimmy Crowe, Nellie Shannon (who danced the waltz), and Mamie O'Rourke (who taught Blake how to "trip the light fantastic," an extravagant expression for dancing). The song is sung in nostalgic retrospect, as Blake and his childhood friends went their separate ways, some leading to success while others did not ("some are up in 'G' / others they are on the hog").Governor Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
of New York is credited for the legacy of the song, used as a theme for his 1928 presidential campaign. The urban-centric tune proved symbolic of a campaign that failed to find its footing in America's more rural areas, where Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
was more popular.
Max Fleischer
Max Fleischer
Max Fleischer was an American animator. He was a pioneer in the development of the animated cartoon and served as the head of Fleischer Studios...
and his brother Dave Fleischer
Dave Fleischer
David "Dave" Fleischer was an American animator film director and film producer, best known as a co-owner of Fleischer Studios with his two older brothers Max Fleischer and Lou Fleischer...
made a cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
with the song in 1925, using the DeForest Phonofilm
Phonofilm
In 1919, Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patent on a sound-on-film process, DeForest Phonofilm, which recorded sound directly onto film as parallel lines. These parallel lines photographically recorded electrical waveforms from a microphone, which were translated back...
sound-on-film
Sound-on-film
Sound-on-film refers to a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an analog sound track or digital sound track,...
process. The Fleischers re-released the song on 5 February 1929 with a new soundtrack in the RCA Photophone
RCA Photophone
RCA Photophone was the trade name given to one of four major competing technologies that emerged in the American film industry in the late 1920s for synchronizing electrically recorded audio to a motion picture image. RCA Photophone was a sound-on-film, "variable-area" film exposure system, in...
system. Both cartoons used the "follow the bouncing ball
Bouncing ball
The bouncing ball is a device used in video recordings to visually indicate the rhythm of a song, helping audiences to sing along with live or prerecorded music...
" gimmick.
Although the song achieved cultural success shortly after its release, the two authors earned only $5,000 for their efforts. Lawlor died penniless in 1925, while Blake fell ill and died in 1935, their song reputedly having sold 5,000 copies a year by the time of Blake's passing.
After the deaths of Blake and Lawlor, "Sidewalks of New York" achieved fame as a standard among jazz artists, namely Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
and Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, and recorded by musicians of various backgrounds. The song appeared in a 1954 medley (along with two other 1890s songs, "Daisy Bell
Daisy Bell
"Daisy Bell" is a popular song with the well-known chorus "Daisy, Daisy/Give me your answer do/I'm half crazy/all for the love of you" as well as the line "...a bicycle built for two".-History:"Daisy Bell" was composed by Harry Dacre in 1892...
" and "The Bowery
The Bowery (Song)
The Bowery is a song from the musical A Trip to Chinatown with music by Percy Gaunt and lyrics by Charles H. Hoyt. The musical toured the country for several years, then opened on Broadway in 1891.-Description:...
") in a version by Don Cornell
Don Cornell
Don Cornell was an American singer prominent mainly in the 1940s and 1950s noted for his smooth but robust baritone voice....
, Alan Dale
Alan Dale (singer)
Alan Dale was an American singer of traditional popular and rock and roll music.-Early life:He was born Aldo Sigismondi in the Brooklyn borough of New York...
, and Buddy Greco
Buddy Greco
-Biography:He was born Armando Greco in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Greco began playing piano at the age of four. His first professional work was playing with Benny Goodman's band. Most of Greco's work has been in the jazz and pop genres...
.
Lyrics
While variations exist depending on the artist performing the song, the chorus has been consistent. The original lyrics are as follows.Down in front of Casey's old brown wooden stoop
On a summer's evening we formed a merry group
Boys and girls together we would sing and waltz
While Tony played the organ on the sidewalks of New York
East Side, West Side, all around the town
The tots sang "ring-around-rosie," "London Bridge is falling down"
Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O'Rourke
Tripped the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York
That's where Johnny Casey, little Jimmy Crowe
Jakey Krause, the baker, who always had the dough
Pretty Nellie Shannon with a dude as light as cork
She first picked up the waltz step on the sidewalks of New York
Things have changed since those times, some are up in "G"
Others they are wand'rers but they all feel just like me
They'd part with all they've got, could they once more walk
With their best girl and have a twirl on the sidewalks of New York
Other Commercial Uses
The song is featured in a scene in the 1934 Shirley TempleShirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
film Little Miss Marker
Little Miss Marker
Little Miss Marker is a 1934 American drama film directed by Alexander Hall. The screenplay was written by William R. Lipman, Sam Hellman, and Gladys Hellman after a short story by Damon Runyon. The film stars Shirley Temple, Adolphe Menjou, and Dorothy Dell in a story about a little girl held...
.
In the 1950s, the tune was used for a commercial jingle advertising the Hot Shoppes restaurants (owned by J.W. Marriott) in the Washington, D.C., area. The words were: "East side, west side, all around the town/Wherever you look for a place to eat, a Hot Shoppes can be found/Take a bus or streetcar, or drive right up to the door/Hot Shoppes food is the kind that always brings you back for more."
In the 1970s, the song was again used for a radio jingle. This time the client was the Scull's Angels taxicab company, which has long since ceased to exist. The radio ad was very popular, and gave the cab company more business than they could handle. At that point they took it off the air. It was sung by a singer, Herb Wasserman, who had a very gruff voice, and an over the top New York cabbie accent. The lyrics were written by prolific jingle writer Joan Wile and produced by Don Elliott productions.
The lyrics were:
East Side, West Side, All around the town.
Scull's Angels will take ya, back and forth, and up and down,
We'll take ya to the theater, and the airport.
We'll pick ya, up at ya door.
'cause Scull's Angels will stick-to-the-streets-and-not-drive-all-over, the sidewalks of New York.
(lyrics used by permission of the writer)