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116:, was devised by Lawlor. He had been singing at Charlie Murphy's Anawanda (Democratic) Club, for a Ladies' Night with a good party. On his walk home, he thought to himself that he sang everyone else's tunes, and he should write one of his own. He couldn't think of anything on his long walk home, but during the night the tune and theme came to him - from the walk itself. The next day, he went downtown to John Golden's hat store, where Blake worked, and hummed the melody for him. The melody was very similar to an 1892 song called "
34:
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envisioned a "big husky policeman leaning against a lamppost and twirling his club, an organ grinder playing nearby, and the east side kids with dirty faces, shoes unlaced, stockings down, torn clothes, dancing to the music, while from a tenement window an old Irish woman with a checkered cap and one of those old time checkered shawls around her shoulders, looking down and smiling at the children." The words of the song tell the story of Blake's childhood, including the friends (all with
128:, and had Lawlor repeat it several times. "You get the music on paper," he told Lawlor, "and I'll write the words for it." Lawlor returned to the store in about twenty minutes with the musical notes written, and Blake was halfway through the lyrics, having been interrupted by a customer. He finished the words in another half-hour. The tune and words became familiar and well known throughout New York City. It was first made famous by
468:) in the Washington, D.C., area. The words were: "East side, west side, all around the town/Wherever you look for a place to eat, a Hot Shoppes can be found/Take a bus or streetcar, or drive right up to the door/Hot Shoppes food is the kind that always brings you back for more." Another 1950s' jingle used the song to advertise
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In the 1970s, the song was again used for a radio jingle. This time the client was the Scull's Angels taxicab company, which has long since ceased to exist. The radio ad was very popular, and gave the cab company more business than they could handle. At that point they took it off the air. It was
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While variations exist depending on the artist performing the song, the chorus has remained consistent. The original lyrics are as follows and contain an ethnic slur in the first verse, referring to
Italian sidewalk organ grinders. In later versions, this term was replaced by "Tony", a popular
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The words were a shared vision of Lawlor and Blake, and recall their childhood neighborhoods and those who grew up with them. It was a universal longing for youth, yesteryear, and place, although it was also idealized because both Lawlor and Blake had grown up quite poor. Lawlor said that he
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Before I sold my rights in it, I was told that 80,000 copies had been sold. But I know that sales must have been up in the millions. How much did I get for that song? Why, just $ 5,000, and this I split fifty-fifty with my friend James W. Blake... and who was good at writing little
148:" — an extravagant expression for dancing). The song is sung in nostalgic retrospect, as Blake and his childhood friends went their separate ways, some leading to success while others did not ("some are up in 'G' / others they are on the hog").
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In the mid-1950s, the song was used for TV commercials in an anti-littering campaign. The commercial showed an Irish New York City cop strolling along the sidewalk, twirling his nightstick, finally standing alongside a garbage can, as he sang,
472:: "East side, west side, all around the town/Rheingold extra dry beer is the beer of great renown/Friendly, freshening Rheingold; always happily dry/The crisp, clean taste you want in beer is in Rheingold extra dry." Lastly, it was used in
763:"Sidewalks' Bard Saved From Want — J.W. Blake, Who Wrote Words of Famous Song, Gets Relief as Smith Aids Him — Hesitated to Ask for Help — Destitute at 70, He Is Assured of Pension to Care for an Aged Sister and Blind Brother"
737:"Jas. W. Blake Dead — Wrote Famed Song — Author of 'Sidewalks of New York' Succumbs at 72 in St. Vincent's Hospital — Smith His Benefactor — In Later Days of Adversity the Former Governor Saw to It That He Was Provided For"
255:, and earned only $ 5,000 for their efforts. Lawlor died penniless in 1925, and Blake was also destitute when he died in 1935, with their song reportedly still selling 5,000 copies annually at the time of Blake's passing.
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and collaborator
Matthew Billy wrote additional lyrics to reflect the fallen towers and honor the victims of the attack. While celebrating the perseverance of the city itself, the revised song was released as a single
681:"Composer Tells of Sidewalks Song — Charles B. Lawlor, Now Blind, Wrote It 30 Years Ago and Got $ 5,000 for It — Linked With Gov. Smith — Not a Copy of it Available, Although It Was Sung at the Democratic Convention"
186:. As a result, there was speculation that a jinx had fallen over any horse attempting to win the Triple Crown. Although four horses between 1979 and 1996 had already failed to win the Triple Crown after winning the
598:
sung by a singer, Herb
Wasserman, who had a very gruff voice, and an over the top New York cabbie accent. The lyrics were written by prolific jingle writer Joan Wile and produced by Don Elliott productions.
198:, who was scratched the morning of the race because of lameness. It was said that the ghost of Mamie O'Rourke would never let another Triple Crown winner emerge unless and until
167:. During Smith's 1928 campaign, the urban-centric tune proved symbolic of a campaign that failed to find its footing in America's more rural areas, where
61:(September 23, 1862 – May 24, 1935). It was an immediate and long-lasting hit and is often considered a theme for New York City. Many artists, including
144:) with whom he played as a child, namely Johnny Casey, Jimmy Crowe, Nellie Shannon (who danced the waltz), and Mamie O'Rourke (who taught Blake how to "
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In 1960, WABC-TV Channel 7 children's show host Ed Bakey used the song as the theme for his tramp clown character, "Tommy Seven", with the lyrics:
182:. Then, the management of the Belmont, trying to appeal to a younger demographic, decided to alter tradition and changed the post parade song to
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791:"Story of "The Sidewalks of New York" — The Song That Charles Lawlor Wrote Thirty-four Years Ago Has Lived to Become a Smith Campaign Hymn"
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The song is also used in the first few scenes of the film adaptation of Mary
Higgins Clark best selling novel, All Around The Town.
270:(in 1941), and recorded by musicians of various backgrounds. The song appeared in a 1954 medley (along with two other 1890s songs, "
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of New York was credited for its renaissance, having used it as a theme song during his presidential campaigns of
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Although the song achieved cultural success shortly after its release, its two authors had sold its copyright to
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Italian name, to maintain the spirit of the original without the use of derogatory terminology.
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The durability of the song was demonstrated once again in 2011, on the tenth anniversary of the
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process. The
Fleischers re-released the song on 5 February 1929 with a new soundtrack in the
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was reinstated as the post parade song for The
Belmont Stakes. The alleged curse ended when
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won the Triple Crown with his wire-to-wire win at the
Belmont Stakes on June 6, 2015.
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during the 1890s. It was composed in 1894 by vaudeville actor and singer
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In the 1950s, the tune was used for a commercial jingle advertising the
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The song became popular right after it was published, and
Governor
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While not using the song itself, the title of the 1960s TV series
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With their best girl and have a twirl on the sidewalks of New York
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recorded at different concert locations in New York City called
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She first picked up the waltz step on the sidewalks of New York
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Scull's Angels will take ya, back and forth, and up and down,
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While the Guinea played the organ on the sidewalks of New York
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Until 1996, it also was used as the post parade song for the
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They'd part with all they've got, could they once more walk
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Things have changed since those times, some are up in "G"
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Others they are wand'rers but they all feel just like me
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975:, Lincoln, NE: Writers Club Press, p. 243,
973:A Different Drummer: What Makes Me Tic, a Memoir
638:was used in the ending montage of the HBO drama
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608:We'll take ya to the theater, and the airport.
352:Boys and girls together we would sing and waltz
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377:Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O'Rourke
389:That's where Johnny Casey, little Jimmy Crowe
348:On a summer's evening we formed a merry group
57:(June 2, 1852 – May 31, 1925) with lyrics by
604:"East Side, West Side, All around the town.
294:included the song in a medley on his album
887:"The Sidewalks of New York" (1929) at IMDB
876:"The Sidewalks of New York" (1925) at IMDB
615:(lyrics used by permission of the writer)
490:East side, West side, All around the town,
341:Down in front of Casey's old brown wooden
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798:(magazine section ed.). p. 8
622:) while learning to ride a bicycle on
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178:, the third race in of horse racing's
28:Sidewalks of New York (disambiguation)
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817:Hayford, Da Jack (August 19, 2016).
788:Adams, Mildred (September 9, 1928).
618:This song is sung by John Thackery (
500:It’s the trash that’s on the ground.
300:(1962). It is also a standard among
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81:, have performed it. Governor
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1016:", Edward Schuberth & Co.
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565:He's got a nose that's magic,
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520:On the sidewalks of New York.
397:Pretty Nellie Shannon with a
371:London Bridge is falling down
253:Howley, Haviland, and Company
124:. Blake took a liking to the
961:(retrieved January 12, 2015)
580:For the show has just begun.
534:of New York City, played by
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97:. The song is also known as
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971:Wasserman, Herbert (2000),
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37:Sheet music cover from 1914
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717:. June 1, 1925. p. 15
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278:") in a version by
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590:, starring
480:tap-dancing
462:Hot Shoppes
292:Bing Crosby
288:Buddy Greco
280:Don Cornell
248:" gimmick.
122:Harry Dacre
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1035:1894 songs
1024:Categories
862:2024-06-12
659:References
620:Clive Owen
527:Beau James
477:cigarettes
276:The Bowery
272:Daisy Bell
857:0362-4331
649:Bob James
641:The Deuce
625:The Knick
431:In 1923,
284:Alan Dale
264:Mel Tormé
63:Mel Tormé
991:52229234
898:untitled
536:Bob Hope
474:Old Gold
190:and the
153:Al Smith
126:3/4 tune
83:Al Smith
698:squibs.
636:Blondie
274:" and "
226:cartoon
224:made a
108:History
45:" is a
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433:a film
324:Lyrics
286:, and
163:, and
134:catchy
93:, and
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439:film
343:stoop
336:Score
114:waltz
987:OCLC
977:ISBN
957:.com
928:.com
920:Hits
903:Time
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830:2016
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693:2014
399:dude
369:," "
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