Recently came across a fairly accurate word for that: anemoia -- n. nostalgia for a time you’ve never known Imagine stepping through the frame into a sepia-tinted haze, where you could sit on the side of the road and watch the locals passing by. Who lived and died before any of us arrived here, who sleep in some of the same houses we do, who look up at the same moon, who breathe the same air, feel the same blood in their veins-and live in a completely different world.
So beautiful. This is one of the most haunting versions I've ever heard, even more so with the photos. You know these are people who have moved on, are no longer with us. They are all ghosts now, still, perhaps, dancing down those sidewalks of New York.
A timeless, deeply moving rendition of this song. The sadness of the final verse is heartbreaking. Ric Burns "New York: A Documentary Film" is superb, a must see for anyone who, like me, has had a lifelong (albeit unrequited) love affair with New York city.
This touches me deeply as I recall my Irish grandmother singing this and she of course taught my mother this and my mom sang it often to us. My grandmother sang it wigh a VERY strong Gaelic Lilt. This brings tears to my eyes. It does have a very mournful longing for simpler times when neighbors knew neighbors. Bittersweet~~~~
Reminds me of my grandfather who grew up in the New York of 1900. This was one of the first songs my father taught me as a child. Thank you so much for uploading this wonderful video clip.
The first time I saw the wonderful documentary series on NY, I was a little surprised that they'd chosen this way of presenting "Sidewalks of New York", i.e. a cappella and in a slow and melancholy way. I had expected more of a peppy, organ-grinder-type version. In the meantime I've grown particularly fond of this version. I think Leonard sings the song beautifully, giving the song a haunting quality that is quite captivating.
The sense of loss for the times of one's youth here is palpable. Although there is an unsettling lament in the acapella delivery, I thought it worked wonderfully in context to this documetary's volume. For a time I was a stone's throw away from NYC, and fell in love with the dazzling complexity, energy, unpredictability, and rapid pace of change this city has always meant for me. This series reaffirmed all of this.
This humanizes the victorians. It's hard to grasp that these were real people back there who lived lives. This makes me think of them missing all these childhood friends since many died sooner, and whoever survives probably has the struggle to survive but an appreciation for it, while treasuring occasional fun. They could miss good times like any of us. All of them have their lives over by now, with their ways washed out by the next generations. Whoever made it to the Great War and then the 1920s likely had a huge culture shock since it seems like change was slow for previous generations.
I wonder if in 2123, people will find it hard to grasp the humanity of Millennials and Zoomers. I can imagine it: "Rare 21st century TikTok footage, remastered in 6D."
I can't help but imagine the warmth on the sidewalks of New York on those old golden days, children played in the open spaces, children of migrants some from small Italian villages, others from the green hilly island of Ireland, the Sidewalks of New York must have been something to behold.
I would pay serious money for a full-length version of this song as sung here by Robert Sean Leonard (I had NO IDEA he could sing, his voice is so beautiful!!!). Just saying.
There's a great scene in Boardwalk Empire where Mrs Schroder is talking to Nanna Britton and there is a fairground version of the sidewalks of New York. It floats looming in the background.
His name is David Ogden Stiers. He's done lots of narrating and acting. A lot of people know him from M.A.S.H. where he played Major Winchester. This clip is from Ric Burns' documentary called "New York." There are eight DVDs, so you can here lots of him narrating.
I am from Alabama, but I think my fascination with New York City began with the music of Frank Sinatra and a novel I found randomly at a used bookstore called The Enemy Camp. It was about a Jewish man who was hiding his past and his Jewish background in NYC even from his wife so he could have a “perfect life” in Connecticut, but all he could think about were the old days with characters named something like “Doo Doo Kashkawitz” and Jimmy Knuckles and the sidewalks of NYC. I think the truth comes out and he’s happier in the end. I need to reread it. I ended up marrying a man from NYC btw.
though not by Robert. That's David Ogden Stiers narrating (aka Major Winchester on M*A*S*H, Dr. Jumba on Disney's Lilo and Stitch, the clock on Disney's Beauty and the Beast). Quite an accomplished voice actor.
The narrator is David Ogden Stiers. Many might recognize him as Major Winchester of M.A.S.H. This 9 or 10 part series was undoubtedly tedious to narrate, but he blew it out of the (Central?) park. May he R.I.P.
David Ogdon Steirs was a favorite of mine in MASH. he was also the orchestra conductor for our local symphony orchestra in Newport Oregon. Fine gentleman. Will miss him deeply.
John Barbaro: And good riddance. I'd much rather visit there on UA-cam than ever live there. Believe me, it wasn't pie in the sky and was a lot harder to make one's life in those days. Today is far from perfect of course, but the late 1800's in New York was (for most) very, very tough.
In the words of Steven Patrick Morrissey: all those people, all those lives where are they now? with the loves and hates and passions just like mine they were born and then they lived and then they died seems so unfair I want to cry
No need to cry or mourn for them, for they are in a beautiful, higher dimension, and it is one we will return to. It is filled with love, laughter, and no worries - far different than where we are now for a brief stop.
How sentimental of a New York long, long gone. As a New Yorker myself, I am sorry to say the changes in the city, for the most part, have not been good.
This blows my mind. I don't think I would have noticed the song if it didn't have the mournful interpretation... There are hidden layers in melodies...
I couldn't agree more. I was watching the documentary about New York and thought I'd try and find a better rendition. I didn't expect to find the same crappy version.
Yeah, "New York, New York" is sung at the end of the Yankees games as well (Or at least at the end of the last Subway Series when they played and beat the Mets recently) I still love "The Sidewalks Of New York" however.
If anyone sees this comment could you please explain what the lyric 'some are up in G' means? I think I know (they're deceased?) but not sure... love this song and this version...
Irritated that the NYRA Belmont Stakes dropped this sing-along song for hard-to-sing Broadway belter "New York, New York". Not only easier for a crowd to sing (a`la "beer-hall song") but goes much better with horses and dirt and ....uh...droppings.
@cyn33667 Your opinion, Times Square is a tourist trap, but it's so santitized and family friendly these days you could eat off the streets compared to what it was like back in the 70s and 80s :-P. I know several friends who live in NYC and they wouldn't leave it for anything, not even after 9/11.
Hold on, did RSL also sing "Edelweiss" in the American Musical documentary on PBS? I was watching it recently and thought, hmm, that subdued, mumbly-sounding singing voice is familiar. But I'm not sure if it is, in fact, him. IMDB was no help.
There was a movie called the Sidewalks of New York....and my old friend vaudvillian Will Ahearn and his wife Gladys Ahearn were in it. Look up Glady's obit on google.
strangely there is actually a US Army Infantry Regiment that adopted this as their march song. This is incredibly depressing, which actually makes a lot a sense if you'd ever served in 16th Infantry.
Do a UA-cam search for "Sidewalks of New York--player piano" There's a great post of this song played as it would have been back at the turn of the century, with the full lyrics.
Does Anyone know where I can dowload this version of the song? All the versions on itunes are upbeat and I think it kills the song. Any advice would be great. Thanks!
I read once that G was a nickname for a jail. I don't know but the next lyric is about some other people doing well, so it makes sense. The Irish word for jail is gaol.
Makes me nostalgic for a time I have never lived in and a place I have never been.
Don't be so sure of that.
Maybe subconsciously you are missing your own “Streets of New York, and your own Meme O’Rourke” ?
Very good (accurate) comment here... exactly what I felt/thought too.
It seems to achieve this affect with the combination of period photos/music...
Recently came across a fairly accurate word for that:
anemoia -- n. nostalgia for a time you’ve never known
Imagine stepping through the frame into a sepia-tinted haze, where you could sit on the side of the road and watch the locals passing by. Who lived and died before any of us arrived here, who sleep in some of the same houses we do, who look up at the same moon, who breathe the same air, feel the same blood in their veins-and live in a completely different world.
@@garyodriscoll7988 Spelled and spoken as Mame .. May meet. I am a New Yorker from NYC! Grew up there 1956 til 1985.
So beautiful. This is one of the most haunting versions I've ever heard, even more so with the photos. You know these are people who have moved on, are no longer with us. They are all ghosts now, still, perhaps, dancing down those sidewalks of New York.
So beautifully worded! Thank you.
Now they are ghost of their own footsteps and soon it will be us one day.
A timeless, deeply moving rendition of this song. The sadness of the final verse is heartbreaking.
Ric Burns "New York: A Documentary Film" is superb, a must see for anyone who, like me, has had a lifelong (albeit unrequited) love affair with New York city.
Truly. One of the best documentaries ever. I adore the gravity and poignancy they gave the writing of this song.
This touches me deeply as I recall my Irish grandmother singing this and she of course taught my mother this and my mom sang it often to us. My grandmother sang it wigh a VERY strong Gaelic Lilt. This brings tears to my eyes. It does have a very mournful longing for simpler times when neighbors knew neighbors. Bittersweet~~~~
Allthough I never met him, my granddad told my mom this was his very favorite song...Thank you AP for your lovely post.
More so 2024
Reminds me of my grandfather who grew up in the New York of 1900. This was one of the first songs my father taught me as a child. Thank you so much for uploading this wonderful video clip.
I'm not a New Yorker but my parents used to sing this to me and I think it is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
The first time I saw the wonderful documentary series on NY, I was a little surprised that they'd chosen this way of presenting "Sidewalks of New York", i.e. a cappella and in a slow and melancholy way. I had expected more of a peppy, organ-grinder-type version. In the meantime I've grown particularly fond of this version. I think Leonard sings the song beautifully, giving the song a haunting quality that is quite captivating.
My aunt had a music box that played this with a dancing ballerina. It was around 1959, and I was 10. Her home was a magical place for me.
My grandfather used to sing this song to me. Today, it happened to just pop into my head. & it's 2017!
Makes me homesick for my true home in this universe. Breaks my heart, actually.
This Documentary is a must see!!!
The sense of loss for the times of one's youth here is palpable. Although there is an unsettling lament in the acapella delivery, I thought it worked wonderfully in context to this documetary's volume. For a time I was a stone's throw away from NYC, and fell in love with the dazzling complexity, energy, unpredictability, and rapid pace of change this city has always meant for me. This series reaffirmed all of this.
I ❤ you Ny and miss you. 1982 2022 for me
Fantastic song about a fantastic city. I love New York!
Can't help it - every time I see old-time photos of kids I wonder whatever became of them. Bittersweet at best.
A few went into the olive oil import business.
Yes, me too. Especially haunting when you know that they are no longer with us.
So touching. Had a tear in my eye. So much simpler back then.
John Campolo Same here. Very moving version.
This humanizes the victorians. It's hard to grasp that these were real people back there who lived lives. This makes me think of them missing all these childhood friends since many died sooner, and whoever survives probably has the struggle to survive but an appreciation for it, while treasuring occasional fun. They could miss good times like any of us. All of them have their lives over by now, with their ways washed out by the next generations. Whoever made it to the Great War and then the 1920s likely had a huge culture shock since it seems like change was slow for previous generations.
I wonder if in 2123, people will find it hard to grasp the humanity of Millennials and Zoomers.
I can imagine it: "Rare 21st century TikTok footage, remastered in 6D."
David's wonderful voice will be remembered by this narrative
Thanks for bringing back so many happy memories of where I grew up in N.Y.C..
Made my cry--in a good way.
Hauntingly beautiful.
I can't help but imagine the warmth on the sidewalks of New York on those old golden days, children played in the open spaces, children of migrants some from small Italian villages, others from the green hilly island of Ireland, the Sidewalks of New York must have been something to behold.
Yeah me to, but too bad it's turned into a shithole!!
This is beautiful, I am sure anyone can say this about their neighbourhood while growing up!
I might be a thousand miles away but no matter where I am I will always be a New Yorker
OMG Robert Sean Leonard sang that?! Now he’s cuter than ever. 😍
I would pay serious money for a full-length version of this song as sung here by Robert Sean Leonard (I had NO IDEA he could sing, his voice is so beautiful!!!). Just saying.
There's a great scene in Boardwalk Empire where Mrs Schroder is talking to Nanna Britton and there is a fairground version of the sidewalks of New York. It floats looming in the background.
Beautiful song and singer
It's difficult to find a quality version of this that does it right. Good stuff.
***** I agree.
If that's what you want, go to: ua-cam.com/video/hXM-g-UAJiA/v-deo.html
His name is David Ogden Stiers. He's done lots of narrating and acting. A lot of people know him from M.A.S.H. where he played Major Winchester.
This clip is from Ric Burns' documentary called "New York." There are eight DVDs, so you can here lots of him narrating.
I am from Alabama, but I think my fascination with New York City began with the music of Frank Sinatra and a novel I found randomly at a used bookstore called The Enemy Camp. It was about a Jewish man who was hiding his past and his Jewish background in NYC even from his wife so he could have a “perfect life” in Connecticut, but all he could think about were the old days with characters named something like “Doo Doo Kashkawitz” and Jimmy Knuckles and the sidewalks of NYC. I think the truth comes out and he’s happier in the end. I need to reread it. I ended up marrying a man from NYC btw.
Finding a random used book and getting into it is a special experience. I’ll add that to my list, sounds like my family history
I love this song,
Thank you so much for downloading this clip.
I used to have this on an old cassette of classic tunes that my mom got me for when I was a kid. always brings back memories.
Time capsule of the a century ago
Those pictures are amazing i love New-York City i hope to return
though not by Robert.
That's David Ogden Stiers narrating (aka Major Winchester on M*A*S*H, Dr. Jumba on Disney's Lilo and Stitch, the clock on Disney's Beauty and the Beast). Quite an accomplished voice actor.
Because of an excellent UA-cam video, "Those Were The Days" (sung by Mary Hopkin) is the anthem of 1960 - 1980 Brooklyn.
very well put that's how i fell i wish i had the chance to live in that time and the days of old
The narrator is David Ogden Stiers. Many might recognize him as Major Winchester of M.A.S.H. This 9 or 10 part series was undoubtedly tedious to narrate, but he blew it out of the (Central?) park.
May he R.I.P.
What’s this from?
David Ogdon Steirs was a favorite of mine in MASH. he was also the orchestra conductor for our local symphony orchestra in Newport Oregon. Fine gentleman. Will miss him deeply.
He was also Governor Ratcliffe, the antagonist of that inaccurate Pocahontas movie. One of the saving graces of it, in my opinion.
This tune is played in season 1 episode 9 of Board Walk empire.
Debbie Harry did a nice version of this song fir the final episode of HBO series The Duece.
Does anyone else remember ring around the Rosie? I was 7 when I last heard of it. I'm 21 and I'm sad the newer kids will never know of this joy
It’s been around for hundreds of years. I doubt it’s died out.
Very beautiful.
WOW what great stuff.
both you and jmkoons sum up my feelings towards this version. I really don't understand all the hate towards it. I like it. a lot.
Proud to be born in New York City!!
those days are gone Forever..
John Barbaro: And good riddance. I'd much rather visit there on UA-cam than ever live there. Believe me, it wasn't pie in the sky and was a lot harder to make one's life in those days. Today is far from perfect of course, but the late 1800's in New York was (for most) very, very tough.
@@lazurm they mean as their childhood in general
How lovely
In the words of Steven Patrick Morrissey:
all those people, all those lives
where are they now?
with the loves and hates
and passions just like mine
they were born
and then they lived
and then they died
seems so unfair
I want to cry
No need to cry or mourn for them, for they are in a beautiful, higher dimension, and it is one we will return to. It is filled with love, laughter, and no worries - far different than where we are now for a brief stop.
How sentimental of a New York long, long gone. As a New Yorker myself, I am sorry to say the changes in the city, for the most part, have not been good.
lilting two-step? lovely indeed, for being a two-step in waltz-time.
BRING THIS BACK TO THE BELMONT STAKES!!!
This blows my mind. I don't think I would have noticed the song if it didn't have the mournful interpretation... There are hidden layers in melodies...
I couldn't agree more. I was watching the documentary about New York and thought I'd try and find a better rendition. I didn't expect to find the same crappy version.
Yeah, "New York, New York" is sung at the end of the Yankees games as well (Or at least at the end of the last Subway Series when they played and beat the Mets recently) I still love "The Sidewalks Of New York"
however.
Wow!! 😳💓
If anyone sees this comment could you please explain what the lyric 'some are up in G' means? I think I know (they're deceased?) but not sure... love this song and this version...
Be not afraid.
I think the singing is charming. Just the thing for this video!
Nostalgia feels
I am just a kid from uptown Manhattan…. Harlem. Washington heights. Dyckman. 💪🏻
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn brought me here
You're damn right,
There's no place like Brooklyn.
Irritated that the NYRA Belmont Stakes dropped this sing-along song for hard-to-sing Broadway belter "New York, New York". Not only easier for a crowd to sing (a`la "beer-hall song") but goes much better with horses and dirt and ....uh...droppings.
I love this song. It's about childhood. Did you have a good one or what? Take care no matter what.
I don't even care for the song, but David Ogden Steirs' narration makes anything sound interesting and significant.
long live the irish 💚❤☘
Exactly when to breathe
To hell with whoever changed the Belmont Stakes song to corny "new York New York"
@cyn33667 Your opinion, Times Square is a tourist trap, but it's so santitized and family friendly these days you could eat off the streets compared to what it was like back in the 70s and 80s :-P. I know several friends who live in NYC and they wouldn't leave it for anything, not even after 9/11.
Hold on, did RSL also sing "Edelweiss" in the American Musical documentary on PBS? I was watching it recently and thought, hmm, that subdued, mumbly-sounding singing voice is familiar. But I'm not sure if it is, in fact, him. IMDB was no help.
There was a movie called the Sidewalks of New York....and my old friend vaudvillian Will Ahearn and his wife Gladys Ahearn were in it.
Look up Glady's obit on google.
In the background the only word I heard in the background was "Billy"
just realized who Robert Sean Leonard is!
gee, i wish i had a voice like david ogden stiers.
It's not a two-step. It's a waltz.
This song used to be sung at the beginning of the Belmont Stakes horserace but has been replaced by "New York, New York," the Sinatra song
strangely there is actually a US Army Infantry Regiment that adopted this as their march song. This is incredibly depressing, which actually makes a lot a sense if you'd ever served in 16th Infantry.
This was the campaign song for Al Smith's presidential race.
Do a UA-cam search for "Sidewalks of New York--player piano" There's a great post of this song played as it would have been back at the turn of the century, with the full lyrics.
Hi, I love The Sidewalks of New York and I love New York. Eugenia Renskoff
17 years ago!?
I think the lyrics were meant in that nostalgic fashion.
Does Anyone know where I can dowload this version of the song? All the versions on itunes are upbeat and I think it kills the song. Any advice would be great. Thanks!
"not literally, but metaphorically" LOL
Awe, come on. He's not that bad! haha.
-Sigh- I love him.
Breathe air in.
"two step"? wasn't it first composed as a waltz?
whos sings this song?
Great song,Dodger and Giant fans became Mets fans. They stayed with the National League.
has anybody seen the film by ed burns? =)
Asmr song
"Screw the Yankees?!!
"Bah! Now c'mon, What kind of team
does Brooklyn have?
The Dodgers left some years ago you know,
I do love the Cyclones though.
Over 1 century before the invasion 😥
For a more accurate (the baker for instance) analysis and amazing account/history of this song go to: ua-cam.com/video/hXM-g-UAJiA/v-deo.html
Go Giants!
LOL I just know that comment
is going to start a flame war.
The streets of saint denis
Anyone else here from that carbon microphone guy from tiktok?
I have sheet music with a strange term, "Some are up in 'G'." I never did understand that usage...
I read once that G was a nickname for a jail. I don't know but the next lyric is about some other people doing well, so it makes sense. The Irish word for jail is gaol.
1:10
Great photos but the song could have been livelier. It sounded more like a funeral dirge.