The year explorer Giovanni de Verrazano sailed into the New World. 1624. The year the Dutch first settled along the Hudson River. 1664. The year the English took over and renamed the landmass New York.
Since gaining that name, the society that existed there has only evolved. It was the first city to host a Colonial Congress. The first capital of the United States. And eventually the first to build a 21-story skyscraper, the infamous Flatiron Building.
The progress in New York City has been incredible, to say the least. The city is constantly growing and adapting. It is a both a center for advancement and a cultural hub. I feel especially privileged to call it my home.
When reading over the guidelines for this assignment and scanning through the list of possible sources, the Spotify playlist instantly caught my eye. Listening to music is by far one of my favorite pastimes. Every song tells an individual story. It has a unique message. I was really excited to see what Professor Heath and Denisse had picked out.
When I saw that Stayin’ Alive was the first song on the New York City Stories playlist, the happiness I felt is indescribable. Growing up, the Bee Gees was always on full blast at my house. My dad is a huge fun. He even has a special high-pitched voice. To me, this song has always been fun and groovy. The kind of song that makes one want to dance. However, while listening to the lyrics closely, I’ve realized that the song is so much more than that. For instance, I never paid attention to the line “We can try to understand The New York Times’ effect on man.” Thinking about it now, I realize that the city has a profound impact on the people who live in it. And while New York City is constantly changing, that never will.
Another song on the playlist, that I particularly enjoyed was Rockaway Beach by the Ramones. Being a native of Queens, Rockaway Beach is a place I frequented throughout my childhood. It isn’t the greatest beach by any means, but it serves its purpose. In the song, the Ramones sing “It’s not hard, not far to reach.” Being a die-hard Ramones fan for the last five or six years, I always found that line to be catchy. But I never realized how that line is representative of the New Yorker mentality. Which is that we can do just about anything.
Through music, it can be inferred that while physically New York City has changed, the essence of the city remains the same. As aforementioned, while each song tells an individual story, the songs on the New York Cities Stories playlist share common themes. They tell tales of love lost and lost found. They share memories both good and bad. They show the significant impact New York City has on a person. You can even take it a step further and say that being a inhabitant of the city, or perhaps just being a visitor, changes one. Which is ironic because that is the one thing about New York City that hasn’t changed.
-Alyssa Motilal
Girl, I know what you mean about Rockaway Beach! It’s not the greatest, but it’s honestly closer than Coney is from Queens 😉 I didn’t even KNOW that there was a song by the Ramones called “Rockaway Beach” (primarily because I am quite stubborn on the kind of music I like). Now I’m curious and want to listen to the NYC playlist for myself. I’ve always thought there was something special, something “magical” about New Yorkers, and you’re right when you say that this magic is the one thing about New York City that won’t change.
Loved this entire blog post. I was a fan of how you started the introduction with the history and evolution of New York City. This really helped to set the stage for readers to see the evolution of the City through a cultural lens as well. By making the effects of music in NYC personal you were also able to show that music has a lasting effects on an individual and city as a whole. One thing I would take away from this is that I need to be more aware of the cultural influences around me. Whether from music or just food, NYC is constantly evolving and what may be common now will not be common for future generations of New Yorkers.