This city is alive, you know.
I hear its hoarse voice
In stringent screeches of tires on asphalt
And dull roars of the Hudson against rocky shore.
I feel its breath on my brow
In puffs of foggy smoke seeping through
A row of chimneys on fifty-fourth street.
You know, this city is alive.

This city is alive, you know.
I smell its pungent breath
Foggy air, cigarette smoke, falafel stands
Permeating the curbs of busy intersections
I see its massive limbs
Skyscraper arms stretching into the clouds
Hungrily crowding the Manhattan skyline.
You know, this city is alive.

This city is alive, you know.
I sample its flavor, the spicy rainbow
Of beautifully colored people
From a shaded bench in Central Park
You know, this city is alive.

The people of New York breathe life into New York and
New York is alive.