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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| New York Today: Our City’s Anthem | New York Today: Our City’s Anthem |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Updated, 7:58 a.m. | |
| Good morning on this warmer Wednesday. | Good morning on this warmer Wednesday. |
| New York City has many theme songs. | New York City has many theme songs. |
| “Empire State of Mind” by Jay Z and Alicia Keys; “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel; and “New York, New York (It’s a Helluva Town)” from the musical and movie “On the Town” — you know, where the Bronx is up and the Battery’s down. | |
| But perhaps no song has captured New York’s spirit and imagination more than the tune popularly known as “New York, New York,” and immortalized by Frank Sinatra as an indelible ode to our city. (Its real title, we’d like to note, is “Theme From New York, New York.”) | |
| Mayor Ed Koch seemed to agree, and on this week in 1985, he proclaimed it New York City’s official song. Which, we’d also like to note, isn’t very official. | |
| The proclamation was never written into law, so our city technically remains anthem-less. | |
| Today the song is often paired with last call at a tavern, or the final strikeout of a Yankees game, and when it was belted out by Sinatra in 1978 at Radio City Music Hall, it instantly resonated with audiences, said James Kaplan, author of “Sinatra: The Chairman.” | Today the song is often paired with last call at a tavern, or the final strikeout of a Yankees game, and when it was belted out by Sinatra in 1978 at Radio City Music Hall, it instantly resonated with audiences, said James Kaplan, author of “Sinatra: The Chairman.” |
| “Sinatra alchemized the bombast, the recalcitrant, yes, even boastful, up-all-night spirit of the city itself,” Mr. Kaplan said. | “Sinatra alchemized the bombast, the recalcitrant, yes, even boastful, up-all-night spirit of the city itself,” Mr. Kaplan said. |
| While Ol’ Blue Eyes made it an anthem, it wasn’t always Frank’s tune. | While Ol’ Blue Eyes made it an anthem, it wasn’t always Frank’s tune. |
| Written by the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb (the men behind the musicals “Cabaret” and “Chicago”), the song was first performed by Liza Minnelli in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film “New York, New York.” | Written by the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb (the men behind the musicals “Cabaret” and “Chicago”), the song was first performed by Liza Minnelli in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film “New York, New York.” |
| “But when Sinatra heard it, he took an instant liking to it,” Mr. Kaplan said, “and when Sinatra performed the song, he conveyed its emotional truth.” | “But when Sinatra heard it, he took an instant liking to it,” Mr. Kaplan said, “and when Sinatra performed the song, he conveyed its emotional truth.” |
| Like the “little town” outsider in the song, Sinatra dreamed of making it in New York. He grew up in Hoboken, N.J., and as a teenager, he would gaze across the Hudson River at the city. | Like the “little town” outsider in the song, Sinatra dreamed of making it in New York. He grew up in Hoboken, N.J., and as a teenager, he would gaze across the Hudson River at the city. |
| “When he sang those words,” Mr. Kaplan said, “he meant them deeply.” | “When he sang those words,” Mr. Kaplan said, “he meant them deeply.” |
| Here’s what else is happening: | Here’s what else is happening: |
| The weather might make you want to sing. | The weather might make you want to sing. |
| We’re expecting spots of sunshine and a high near 59 today. (And things may heat up even more tomorrow.) | We’re expecting spots of sunshine and a high near 59 today. (And things may heat up even more tomorrow.) |
| If you’re able to reroute your work-lunch to a bench or table outside, now’s the time. And don’t forget your sunglasses and song lyrics. | If you’re able to reroute your work-lunch to a bench or table outside, now’s the time. And don’t forget your sunglasses and song lyrics. |
| • New York’s child welfare agency, criticized after several children died last year, has a new commissioner. [New York Times] | • New York’s child welfare agency, criticized after several children died last year, has a new commissioner. [New York Times] |
| • Prosecutors expand their investigation into the financial dealings of the former president of the City College of New York. [New York Times] | • Prosecutors expand their investigation into the financial dealings of the former president of the City College of New York. [New York Times] |
| • A bull escaped from a slaughterhouse in Queens. [New York Times] | • A bull escaped from a slaughterhouse in Queens. [New York Times] |
| • ... And here are other New York City animals that have escaped in recent years. [DNAinfo] | • ... And here are other New York City animals that have escaped in recent years. [DNAinfo] |
| • A “Refugees Welcome” banner appeared across the base of the Statue of Liberty, but not for long. [Gothamist] | • A “Refugees Welcome” banner appeared across the base of the Statue of Liberty, but not for long. [Gothamist] |
| • Morningside Heights, which includes the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, was designated a historic district by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. [DNAinfo] | • Morningside Heights, which includes the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, was designated a historic district by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. [DNAinfo] |
| • Examining the decline in bus ridership across New York City. [Streetsblog N.Y.C.] | • Examining the decline in bus ridership across New York City. [Streetsblog N.Y.C.] |
| • Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “Driving Without a Spare” | • Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “Driving Without a Spare” |
| • Scoreboard: Canadiens wrangle Rangers, 3-2. Senators edge Devils, 2-1. Islanders roast Red Wings, 3-1. | • Scoreboard: Canadiens wrangle Rangers, 3-2. Senators edge Devils, 2-1. Islanders roast Red Wings, 3-1. |
| • For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Wednesday Briefing. | • For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Wednesday Briefing. |
| • Visit the exhibition “Tattooed New York” at the New-York Historical Society on the Upper West Side. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. [$20] | • Visit the exhibition “Tattooed New York” at the New-York Historical Society on the Upper West Side. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. [$20] |
| • Bring your kids to an arts and crafts workshop at the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. 1:30 p.m. [$8 adults, free for children] | • Bring your kids to an arts and crafts workshop at the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. 1:30 p.m. [$8 adults, free for children] |
| • Screenings of documentary shorts about the 1970s and ’80s are at the Museum of the City of New York on the Upper East Side. 6:30 p.m. [$12] | • Screenings of documentary shorts about the 1970s and ’80s are at the Museum of the City of New York on the Upper East Side. 6:30 p.m. [$12] |
| • Hop to it: Join a conditioning class and see a performance by a professional rope jumper at the Greenpoint YMCA in Brooklyn. 7:30 p.m. [Free] | • Hop to it: Join a conditioning class and see a performance by a professional rope jumper at the Greenpoint YMCA in Brooklyn. 7:30 p.m. [Free] |
| • “Political Tale,” a storytelling show at Sidewalk in the East Village. 8 p.m. [$5] | • “Political Tale,” a storytelling show at Sidewalk in the East Village. 8 p.m. [$5] |
| • For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. | • For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. |
| • Subway and PATH | • Subway and PATH |
| • Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak | • Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak |
| • Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. | • Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. |
| • Alternate-side parking: in effect until March 1. | • Alternate-side parking: in effect until March 1. |
| • Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry | • Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry |
| • Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark | • Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark |
| This week, members of Congress are home for recess for the first time since President Trump’s inauguration, and many of them are holding town hall-style meetings. | This week, members of Congress are home for recess for the first time since President Trump’s inauguration, and many of them are holding town hall-style meetings. |
| Our colleagues in politics have been documenting these often heated gatherings across the country. | Our colleagues in politics have been documenting these often heated gatherings across the country. |
| Events are being held in the city as well, and our friends at WNYC radio have created this handy guide to see what our representatives are up to and how to contact them. | Events are being held in the city as well, and our friends at WNYC radio have created this handy guide to see what our representatives are up to and how to contact them. |
| Coming up today: | Coming up today: |
| Representative Joseph Crowley, from New York’s 14th District, will be at a Black History Month event in Queens at 6 p.m. | Representative Joseph Crowley, from New York’s 14th District, will be at a Black History Month event in Queens at 6 p.m. |
| And Representative Yvette Clarke, from New York’s 9th District, will host a town hall in Brooklyn at 6:30 p.m. | And Representative Yvette Clarke, from New York’s 9th District, will host a town hall in Brooklyn at 6:30 p.m. |
| What would you like to ask your representatives? Let us know in the comments. | What would you like to ask your representatives? Let us know in the comments. |
| New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. | New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. |
| For updates throughout the day, like us on Facebook. | For updates throughout the day, like us on Facebook. |
| What would you like to see here to start your day? Post a comment, email us at nytoday@nytimes.com, or reach us via Twitter using #NYToday. | What would you like to see here to start your day? Post a comment, email us at nytoday@nytimes.com, or reach us via Twitter using #NYToday. |
| Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. | Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. |
| You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. | You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. |