Englishman in New York
Englishman in New York is a song by British singer Sting from the year 1988. Was later released on the album ... Nothing Like the Sun.
History
With the "Englishman " Sting in the song refers to the eccentric Quentin Crisp, who inspired Sting to the song. Sting wrote the song not long after Crisp moved from London to an apartment in Manhattan, New York City. Before the recording of the song Sting visited Crisp in his apartment in the Bowery. Crisp had Sting tells of the difficulties in the 1950s publicly confess in England to own homosexuality and to live as an outsider for a lifetime. Sting produced the song along with Neil Dorfsman. The text describes the life of an English banker in Wall Street and an old lady who can barely afford their apartment.
The song only reached number 51 in the UK charts upon its release. In the United States reached Englishman in New York 1988 number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 In Germany the song was successful, reaching number 20
Branford Marsalis plays on the recording soprano saxophone and percussion Manu Katche. In 1990, shortly before the release of his third album The Soul Cages, Sting's record company hired the Dutch DJ and producer Ben Liebrand to include a remix version of Englishman in New York, which has been published in the same year as a single. This remix version of the song was successful, reaching number 15 in the British charts.
The song was also heard in a British commercial for the Rover 200. A film biography of Crisps life in New York City was named after the song title.
On the B - side of the single of the title Ghost appeared in the beach.
Music Video
The music video for the song was directed by David Fincher in black and white. Sting is seen as a major player in the video. He tells of the contrasts between the Americans and the British, and that he feels as a foreigner, although he goes by the Fifth Avenue and is dressed like an American. Crisp and Sting's band are also watch the music video. As the video ends in the fadeout, says an older male voice: "If I have an ambition other than a desire to be a chronic invalid, it would be to meet everybody in the world before the ... and I 'm not doing badly. "