I wrote this in 2010 on my way out of New York City, as I was in the process of moving upstate. That much is probably obvious.
"City Of My Dreams" was recorded live in the studio at SugarHill in Houston, TX with an all-time great rhythm section of Sheridan Riley and Chuck Rainey. I put out a version of this track about ten years ago under the band name Sevendys... circumstances beyond my control necessitated the re-recording of the guitars on all Sevendys material, so this is an update with Justin Smith on guitar and a fresh mix by Tim Latham.
Eric Jarvis, who assisted with all phases of the Sevendys project and did the original "City Of My Dreams" mix, invited a local church choir to cut the backing vocals. All the singers knew of the lyric when they tracked their parts was their lines, which were innocuous, and they were really into it. Then they heard the lead vocal and all but four of them asked not to be credited.
lyrics
Here I sit, broken-hearted
Mourning a life that never even got started
I bought the line
I sold my car
I crawled through tunnels
And I wept in bars
Now I'm gagging on fumes in a cold white cell
And I can't just pretend to enjoy the smell
I'm a ghost, motherfuckers
I'm sick of only seeing the seams
And I want New York City
To go back to being the city of my dreams
Here I sit, broken-hearted
Caged like a hamster in my apartment
Wanna get out, I gotta pay a toll
To the stinkin-ass drunk on the stoop below
But I got nothing for him, I blew it all
On a studio the size of a toilet stall
I'm a ghost, motherfuckers
I'm sick of only seeing the seams
And I want New York City
To go back to being the city of my dreams
I'm a ghost, motherfuckers
Let be be finale of seem
Now I want New York City
To go back to being the city of
The city of my dreams
Iridescent in the morning
Incandescent in the evening
Fill the sky with silver towers rising
If you zoom way out it starts to look just like the smile of a friend
Iridescent in the morning
Incandescent in the evening
So majestic, mighty and magnetic
And I never ever ever want to see it again.
I'm a ghost, motherfuckers
I'm sick of only seeing the seams
And I want New York City
To go back to being the city of
The city of my dreams
Here I sit, broken-hearted
Thinking it's high time that I departed
I breathed your smog
I ate your crumbs
I suffered your fools
And I fed your bums
Now let it be written on the bathroom wall:
I'M GETTING OUT OF THIS SHITHOLE
FUCK YOU ALL
I'm a ghost, motherfuckers
I'm sick of only seeing the seams
And I want New York City
To go back to being the city of my dreams
I'm a ghost, motherfuckers
Let be be finale of seem
Now I want New York City
To go back to being the city of
The city of my dreams.
credits
from Song Foundry 3-Pack #002,
released April 20, 2021
Produced by Jed Davis
Music and lyrics by Jed Davis, published by Eschatonality/ASCAP
Jed Davis: vocals, piano, organ
Justin Smith: guitars
Sheridan Riley: drums, tambourine
Chuck Rainey: bass
Martin Langford: alto and baritone saxophone
Eddie Lewis: trumpet
Eric Jarvis, Antonio Manriquez, Katie Stuckey, Michael Ardoin and Terri Walker: backing vocals
Engineered by Chris Longwood at SugarHill Studios, Houston, TX
Assistant Engineer/Vibe Facilitator: Eric Jarvis
Mixed by Tim Latham
Mastered by Chris Hanzsek