New York City Boy

"New York City Boy" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 22 September 1999 as the second single from their seventh studio album, Nightlife (1999). In the UK, the single peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached the charts in numerous European countries, peaking at number three in Spain, and number four in Finland and Hungary. In the US, the song hit number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and number 53 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart.

One of the single's B-sides, "Casting a Shadow", was written for BBC Radio 1 during the 11 August 1999 solar eclipse, and CD2 included a video of the song with footage of the eclipse in the UK.

The song's string arrangements, by Vincent Montana Jr., interpolate "It's Good for the Soul" by Montana's Salsoul Orchestra. The song also samples "MacArthur Park" as recorded by Donna Summer.

Critical reception
Pop Rescue commented, "Disco comes unashamedly bursting in, with second single 'New York City Boy', a kind of early 'Your Disco Needs You', complete with camp video and men’s choruses throughout."

Music video
The music video for the song features the New York nightspot Studio 54 and was directed by British director Howard Greenhalgh.

Track listings

 * UK CD1 and Australian CD single
 * 1) "New York City Boy" (radio edit)
 * 2) "The Ghost of Myself"
 * 3) "New York City Boy" (the Almighty Definitive mix)
 * 4) "New York City Boy" (music video)


 * UK CD2
 * 1) "New York City Boy" (album version)
 * 2) "Casting a Shadow"
 * 3) "New York City Boy" (Superchumbo's Uptown mix)
 * 4) "Casting a Shadow" (live video from the solar eclipse of 11 August 1999)


 * UK cassette single
 * 1) "New York City Boy" (radio edit)
 * 2) "The Ghost of Myself"
 * 3) "New York City Boy" (The Almighty Definitive mix)


 * UK 2×12-inch single
 * A1. "New York City Boy" (the Morales club mix)
 * B1. "New York City Boy" (the Almighty Man on a Mission mix)
 * B2. "New York City Boy" (the Lange mix)
 * C1. "New York City Boy" (the Thunderpuss 2000 club mix)
 * D1. "New York City Boy" (the Superchumbo Downtown dub)


 * European CD single
 * 1) "New York City Boy"
 * 2) "The Ghost of Myself"


 * US maxi-CD single
 * 1) "New York City Boy" (radio edit)
 * 2) "New York City Boy" (the Superchumbo Uptown mix)
 * 3) "New York City Boy" (the Superchumbo Downtown dub)
 * 4) "New York City Boy" (the Almighty Definitive mix)
 * 5) "New York City Boy" (the Almighty Man on a Mission mix)
 * 6) "New York City Boy" (the Thunderpuss 2000 club mix)
 * 7) "New York City Boy" (the Thunderdub)
 * 8) "New York City Boy" (the Morales club mix)
 * 9) "New York City Boy" (the Lange mix)


 * US 12-inch single
 * A1. "New York City Boy" (the Superchumbo Uptown mix)
 * A2. "New York City Boy" (the Almighty Definitive mix)
 * B1. "New York City Boy" (the Thunderpuss 2000 club mix)
 * B2. "New York City Boy" (the Lange mix)


 * US cassette single
 * 1) "New York City Boy" (US radio edit) – 3:31
 * 2) "Lies" – 4:41

Personnel
Credits adapted from Nightlife / Further Listening 1997–2000 liner notes.
 * Conductor and vocal arranger: Danny Madden
 * Arranger and conductor strings and horns: Vincent Montana, Jr.
 * Backing vocals: Billy Cliff, John James, Keith Fluitt and Steve Abram
 * Bass guitar: Gene Perez
 * Engineers: Steve Barkan, Bill Importico, Jr., Jon Smelz
 * Mixing engineer: Goetz Botzenhardt
 * Percussion: Carlos Gomez
 * Keyboards, vocals: Chris Lowe
 * Producer: David Morales
 * Keyboards and programming: Joey Mosk
 * Vocals: Neil Tennant
 * Mixing engineers: Pet Shop Boys
 * Remastering engineer: Tim Young