New York At Christmas - Tommy Tune

music: Richard Currier
words: Jim Piazza

Christmas in the air and my heart is here and there
The Yellow Rose of Texas is mistletoe to me
But come December, I suddenly remember
That Manhattan is the only place to be...

A Santa Claus on every block, Radio City
Skyscrapers wrapped with a bow
It's Christmas Eve around the clock, In New York City
Wish you were here for the show

Thought it won't be as merry without you tonight
I've still got Broadway to make Christmas bright

The neon glow of falling snow lights up the city
New York is Christmas to me
If dreams come true and here they do
Soon I'll be seeing
New York at Christmas with you

If you long for the song of a snow crested lark
It's just a subway to old Central Park

The neon glow of falling snow lights up the city
New York is Christmas to me
If dreams come true and here they do
Soon I'll be seeing
New York at Christmas with you...
Light up the City!
New York is Christmas to me.
©2007 currier/piazza music

Tommy first introduced this Christmas song,"New York At Christmas" (In Tribute to 9/11) in his off-Broadway review, White Tie and Tails, at The Little Shubert Theater on West 42nd Street, NYC. THE (MUSIC) TO THE INTRO WOULD COME UP AND IT BEGAN TO SNOW ON STAGE!

The President of The United States presented Tommy with The National Medal of Arts in November 2003. He added this honor to his already unprecedented nine Tony Awards in four different categories plus, eight Drama Desk Awards, two Obie Awards, two (Fred) Astaire Awards, the American Dance Award, the Drama League Award, and the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement... and they keep coming!

Tommy has sung and danced for three U.S. Presidents, Queen Elizabeth II, The Royal Family of Monaco. In 1991, Gwen Verdon inducted him into Broadway's Theatre Hall of Fame, and Hollywood soon followed suit when three years later he was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame appropriately placed directly in front of the Capezio Dancewear shop.

In 1965 Tommy first danced on Broadway in the chorus of "Baker Street". In 1967 he was in A "Joyful Noise" and 1968, "How Now Dow Jones". Five years and countless raves later Tommy received his first Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in Michael Bennett's, "Seesaw".

Tommy's directing debut was the Off-Broadway hit, "The Club", in 1976. Back on Broadway, but this time as choreographer and co-director Tune gave us "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" followed by "A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine", for which he won his second Tony Award, this time for Best Choreography. He returned to Off-Broadway in 1981 to direct the controversial production of Carol Churchill's "Cloud 9". The next year Tommy brought us "Nine", The Musical for which he won his third Tony, his first for directing a Broadway Musical. A double Tony Award win followed for Tommy as Best Actor in a Musical and Best Choreography for the Broadway hit "My One and Only" co-starring Twiggy. "Grand Hotel", The Musical followed with Tony wins for Best Choreography and Best Director and the following year, Tommy did what no artist had done before when he won the same two prestigious honors back to back this time for, "The Will Rogers Follies".

Tommy has shied away from Hollywood, appearing in only two films early in his career. He played Ambrose Kemper in "Hello, Dolly" starring Barbra Streisand, Walter Matthau, Michael Crawford, Louis Armstrong and directed by Gene Kelly. Tommy played "Tommy" in Ken Russell's "The Boy Friend" and starred with Twiggy.

In 1997 Tommy wrote, Footnotes, a memoir about his life in the theater. The same year he recorded Slow Dancin', a CD compilation of his favorite romantic ballads. The end of the millennium was the beginning of a dream come when he made his Las Vegas debut as the star of EFX, the ninety million dollar spectacular at the MGM Grand Hotel.

I first met Tommy through our mutual friend Michel Stuart (original cast member of A Chorus Line) in 1974. I went to their loft "Giraffe House" to audition new songs for Tommy. Thirty years later, Tommy chose to sing "New York at Christmas" and it became an "Overnight Success".

I forgot to mention that Tommy is 6 foot 6 and 1/2 inches tall, a really big guy! He is a truly brilliant, sweet and a very kind man.

Sincerely,
Richard Currier

Discover Tommy @: http://www.tommytune.com/

Additional recordings of "New York At Christmas";
Ed Rambeau @: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unWdbjr8Svw
Paul Safy Jr @: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPMkSZjQmxs
Sean MeDermott @: http://cdbaby.com/cd/smcdermott2

DISCLAIMER: WE MAKE NO CLAIM TO THE VIDEO RIGHTS OF THIS PARTIAL/"NEWS-CLIP". [COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1976 "FAIR USE" ALLOWANCE IS MADE FOR EDUCATIONAL USE. WE ARE IN NO WAY PROFITING FROM THE USE OF THIS MATERIAL.]

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[DominiqueRawr]

There goes my great uncle nice job keep up the work(:

[edwardconway27]

so lovely, I can't wait for this winter! :D

[noraisaninja]

My father is one of those Manhattan Rythm Kings, and I love watching these videos. Thank you!

[NewYorkHoliday]

Great vid

[singingkid]

Wow! Love Tommy Tune! Such a wonderful song, and he sings it so beautifully. Thanks for sharing this great clip, Richard, and of course, thank you, and Jim, for the song! :)

[RonFerriArtist]

Brilliant man... Beautiful song!

[YouzTube99]

Nicely done! And live, no less!

Hard to believe Tommy was sneaking up on 70 years old when this was aired.

He's now touring (occasionally) his bio-show 'Steps In Time'. A consummate entertainer!

[oldstrat1]

Hi Richard,

What a beautiful song, a perfect christmas gift,

thank you for sharing.

Thank you ever so much.

Best wishes, have a merry christmas and a very happy new year.

Mark :)

[iluvmori]

wow i am  suprised

[iluvmori]

Tommy Tune was in the movie Hello Dolly! and he was so tall back then