Laura Nyro, "Mercy on Broadway"

Fourth song on New York Tendaberry. It's so freewheeling, and I love it, even though I have little clue what it means - maybe I'll find out when I move to NY. The "HAH!" at the very end kills me.

Madison smiled, and she hung with a band of strays;
Band was gone, bringin' it on to the Broadway blaze...

Once, I lived under the city in my sweet July...
July, mercy on Broadway!
Don't you believe it! You better know what I say - she'll make you pay...
Down the alleyway, slippin' off a sidestreet;
Shine, everybody, shine, everybody,
Everybody, shine, everybody...

On Broadway, jive and pray, there ain't no mercy now on Broadway...

People and the landlords shine, down and gay wine
In the doom, swept the band away... (Baby, on Broadway...)
Is she mild, like mother and child? Does she obey?

Once, I lived under the city in my sweet July...
July, mercy on Broadway!
Don't you believe it! You better know what I say - she'll make you pay...
Black city fair, ole road-runner there;
Shine, everybody! (Everybody!)
Everybody, shine, everybody... shine, everybody...

Baby, no mercy on Broadway, mercy on Broadway, mercy on Broadway...
HAH!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Laura
• Nyro
• Broadway
• New
• York
• NY
• piano
• singer-songwriter
• Brill
• Building
• Tori
• Amos
• Suzanne
• Vega
• Kate
• Bush
• Sarah
• McLachlan
• Diane
• Birch
• Lush
• 5th
• Dimension
• Three
• Dog
• Night
• Todd
• Rundgren
• Barbra
• Streisand
• David
• Geffen

[Lovemylovething]

@YearOfCam Imagine if Laura had become the Lead Singer for Blood, Sweat, & Tears, that would have been a great V8 for her! Alas, David Geffen talked her out of it, telling her they were going nowhere - then their next album went multi platinum, on the strength of a hit they had with a song written by Laura! I suspect he sensed that all along, but probably didn't like the idea of her career not being under his control, not to mention her making tons of money that he wouldn't be getting 50% of.

[peterzang]

@YearOfCam I love it till the end...the trumpets are annoying. "Emmie," now THAT'S a beautiful arrangement.

[YearOfCam]

@Lovemylovething Now that you mention it...

the "Save the Country" single might be the best thing Laura ever recorded, at least from that period. The great thing about Laura's music is - it can be so sensitive, but let a solid, stand-up group get behind her - even in the studio - and she can rock the house down. I prefer when she's commandeering a roadster with a good V-8 and flooring it.

[peterzang]

@YearOfCam Lots of smart comments here. I disagree though with the "demo" comment though. The sound is dry, but all those voices, handclaps, time-changes, harmonica, not demo-y to me. Yes, 'Christmas' may be even better, but man I love this album too. Who else references 5 kinds of music in a song and still makes it work. I interviewed Felix last year, he LOVED working with Laura. Called her the "truest artist I ever worked with."

[Lovemylovething]

Yup, the "HAH" is awesome!

YearOfCam, I too wish this, and lots of her songs had been hits,(by her) but I love this one just as it is.

I get the impression that on this album, Laura was kind of rebelling against the "You could be the next Streisand, if you'd only do things OUR way" attitude the suits had taken with her since the beginning. She tried it their way with the poppy single version of "Save the country", and it still didn't chart.

I think Laura was right all along. ;)

[sake008]

I always loved the gunshot sound in the middle of the song.

[YearOfCam]

@JigsawCaptain You know... it might. While this is my favorite NYT track, it still comes off all demo-ey, and (IMHO) could immensely benefit from the able production guidance of... well, anybody... but in particular, somebody like Felix Cavaliere or Arif Mardin who made her next album a joy to behold. Can't fault the songwriting, though...but really, this should have been a hit.

[SmartyLion]

Madison smiles.......

I love this song as do I love everything that Laura ever wrote.

I love it mostly because Madison was my aunt.

Peace and love to my love Laura.

[JigsawCaptain]

does'nt get any better!

[millvalleyrn]

thanks for posting ... favorited!