Empire State Of Mind, Pt. 2 - Broken Down (Tokyo Version) Lyrics
Alicia Keys
Lyrics
Oooh oooh, New York Grew up in a town,
That is famous as a place of movie scenes
Noise is always loud
There are sirens all around
And the streets are mean
If I could make it here
I could make it anywhere
That's what they say
Seeing my face in lights
Or my name in marquees found down Broadway
Even if it ain't all it seems
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from
New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York
On the avenue, there ain't never a curfew
Ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot on the corner selling rock
Preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab
Takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Someone sleeps tonight with a hunger
For more than from an empty fridge
I'm going to make it by any means
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from
One hand in the air for the big city
Street lights, big dreams, all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compared
Put your lighters in the air
Everybody say yeah, yeah yeah
Song & Lyrics Facts
Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind, Pt. 2 - Broken Down (Tokyo Version)" is a song released on March 16th, 2010 as part of her album The Element of Freedom.
It was written by Alicia Keys, Angela Hunte and Jane't Sewell-Ulepic, with production handled by Jeff Bhasker. This version of the song features an alternate arrangement than the original single release, which was produced by Al Shux. The Tokyo version also includes additional instrumentation from members of the Japanese band Dreams Come True. The lyrics to this version of the song are slightly different than those in the original single, providing a unique take on the popular track. In it, Keys reflects on the beauty of New York City while expressing her love for the city she calls home. She sings about her experiences of growing up in Harlem and the challenges she faced along the way. Despite these struggles, Keys ultimately finds solace in the city's culture and its people.