Please help me make a playlist for a "classic New York" cocktail party"
October 19, 2013 3:46 PM

What are some NYC-related songs you might recommend for a "classic New York" themed cocktail party?

I am helping to make a playlist for a cocktail party. The theme is "classic New York". My instructions for the playlist are as follows:

American songbook, cabaret, etc. Ideal artists would be Sinatra, Bobby Short, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett. Cole Porter is prime.

Any New York themed songs you know of that would be appropriate for an 80-person cocktail party, consisting mostly of guests above 50 years old, would be much appreciated!
posted by socks are for puppets to Media & Arts (30 answers total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
Autumn in New York
Spanish Harlem
Downtown Train
Take the A Train
Big Wikipedia list
posted by Ideefixe at 3:57 PM on October 19, 2013


New York, New York!
A helluva town!
The Bronx is up but the Battery's down!

Seriously, anything from On The Town would do nicely, but especially that number.
posted by Sara C. at 4:09 PM on October 19, 2013


Basically anything Michael Feinstein.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:23 PM on October 19, 2013


If you want to step away from cabaret/standards, what about:

Luckiest Guy On The Lower East Side

I And Love And You (possibly about a person named Brooklyn, but whatever.)

New York, New York (by Ryan Adams, no relation to the standard.)
posted by Sara C. at 4:32 PM on October 19, 2013






Manhattan - Blossom Dearie
posted by cazoo at 4:38 PM on October 19, 2013


The Only Living Boy In New York

Actually, a lot of Simon & Garfunkel songs mention New York.

You've got The Boxer ("New York City winters are a-bleeding me"), Fifty-Ninth Street Bridge (doesn't actually mention New York at all but folks will get it), and Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard (" Goodbye, Rosie, queen of Corona"). For starters?
posted by Sara C. at 4:42 PM on October 19, 2013


There's also Moon River, which neither mentions New York nor has New York in the title, but is from Breakfast At Tiffany's, which is an iconic New York movie. And is a little closer to your American Songbook ideal.
posted by Sara C. at 4:43 PM on October 19, 2013


I love all of these suggestions! Please keep them coming.
posted by socks are for puppets at 4:46 PM on October 19, 2013


Simon and Garfunkel also did Bleecker St.

Christopher Street from Wonderful Town.
Manhattan Avenue by Nellie McKay has that American Songbook feel but may not be familiar to lots of people.

What about some of the Gershwin songs Woody Allen used in "Manhattan"?
posted by plastic_animals at 4:47 PM on October 19, 2013


Another idea that doesn't explicitly mention New York but is connected with New York in a lot of people's minds would be Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue".
posted by Sara C. at 4:47 PM on October 19, 2013




The Cat Power version of New York, New York is sultry and nice for a cocktail party.
posted by sweetkid at 4:48 PM on October 19, 2013


Cab Calloway - Man from Harlem, Harlem Hospitality
posted by Potomac Avenue at 4:50 PM on October 19, 2013


Pretty much anything by George Gershwin.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 4:50 PM on October 19, 2013


Joni Mitchell, Chelsea Morning.
posted by sweetkid at 4:51 PM on October 19, 2013


Springsteen's "Tenth Avenue Freakout" comes to mind.
posted by Sara C. at 4:56 PM on October 19, 2013


Leonard Cohen, Chelsea Hotel.
posted by sweetkid at 5:10 PM on October 19, 2013


The Tenth Ave. in "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is in Belmar, NJ.

U2's Angel of Harlem isn't American Songbook but it does have those brassy horns.
posted by plastic_animals at 5:15 PM on October 19, 2013




Holy shit, Potomac Avenue - I wish I could favorite that a million times.
posted by socks are for puppets at 5:39 PM on October 19, 2013


Complete 180 from anything you are probably thinking of putting on your playlist, but you would be a damn fool not to add Empire State Of Mind.

Which means, of course, that you have to play "New York State Of Mind" as well.

Has anyone mentioned "On Broadway" yet?
posted by Sara C. at 5:41 PM on October 19, 2013


Ella Fitzgerald, Manhattan of course.

Judy Garland's "I happen to like New York" might be my favorite of this genre.
posted by ch1x0r at 5:57 PM on October 19, 2013


Manhattan Skyline from the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever is perfect for when you're driving into town. Also, the Bee Gees songs therefrom.

"Someone's Coming" from "West Side Story" maybe as performed by Todd Rundgren. Or just have a West Side Story CD looping in one party room. (That would only work for a certain kind of party, of course.)
posted by Rash at 6:38 PM on October 19, 2013


Manhattan Transfer -- Boy From New York City. Or any of their catalogue, really!
posted by goo at 12:45 AM on October 20, 2013


Give Suzanne Vega's "New York is a Woman" a listen. It's newish, but sounds classic, and it's a fantastic song.
posted by edlundart at 12:59 AM on October 20, 2013


On a related note: I just found an online tool "Ivy" to convert a text-playlist (i.e. Potomac Avenue's) to a Spotify Playlist. Mods, feel free to delete this comment if it's not relevant to the discussion.
posted by mathiu at 3:11 AM on October 20, 2013


How About You - Frank Sinatra

Well, Did You Evah? - Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby
posted by h00py at 3:19 AM on October 20, 2013


Anything from Pink Martini.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 1:51 PM on October 21, 2013


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