Is there a better geographic ode in pop music than "Empire State of Mind," Jay-Z's bouncy love letter to New York? Maybe for the most cynical of the hometown crowd, who have criticized it for failing to reflect their city's gritty urban reality and cool detachment. But for the rest of us, the fantasies of the American Dream are alive and well in the song's intimate tour of the five boroughs (with all the wide-eyed, touristy wonder it inspires) and especially Alicia Key's soaring hook, catchy enough to make anyone want to be a New Yorker. It's no wonder "Empire" finally gave Jay his first #1 hit as a lead artist, more than a decade into his prolific career. A
Four years ago this week, "Empire State of Mind" was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.
No comments:
Post a Comment