"The Boy from New York City" is a song originally recorded by the American soul group The Ad Libs, released in 1964 as their first single. Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the song peaked at No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the chart week of February 27, 1965. Though the group continued to record other singles, they never repeated the chart success of "The Boy from New York City". According to Artie Butler, the track was recorded at A&R Studios in New York, in three separate sessions. The first session was to lay down the rhythm section, then the next session was for the lead and backup vocals, with the last session was just for the horns.
Track listing "The Boy from New York City" - 2:50 "Kicked Around" - 1:47
Personnel
Mary Ann Thomas: lead vocals Hugh Harris: backing vocals Danny Austin: backing vocals Dave Watt: backing vocals Norman Donegan: backing vocals
Chart history Weekly charts Chart (1965)PeakpositionUS Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - 8US Cash Box Top 10010Canada RPM 2
Year-end charts Chart (1965)RankUS Billboard Hot 100Musicoutfitters.com98
Influence on The Beach Boys
In 1965, The Beach Boys recorded an answer song to "The Boy From New York City" titled "The Girl From New York City" for their album Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!). The following year Beach Boys songwriter and arranger Brian Wilson took further inspiration from the rhythm of the original Ad Libs song in conceiving a new R&B-inflected composition that would eventually become “Good Vibrations.”
Cover versions
The song was later covered by Darts and The Manhattan Transfer, both becoming chart hits in the UK and US respectively. Darts peaked at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1978, while The Manhattan Transfer's version, featuring Janis Siegel on lead vocals, peaked at No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1981. The Manhattan Transfer version was used by pro wrestler Boogie Woogie Man Jimmy Valiant as his theme music during his tenure with Jim Crockett Promotions in the 1980s.
Darts version
Track listing
"The Boy from New York City" "Bones"
Personnel
Rita Ray, vocals Den Hegarty, vocals Griff Fender, vocals Bob Fish, vocals Horatio Hornblower, saxophone Thump Thomson, bass guitar John Dummer, drums George Currie, lead guitar Hammy Howell, piano
Chart history
Weekly charts Chart (1978)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)34UK2
Year-end charts Chart (1978)RankUK35
The Manhattan Transfer version
"To have a hit like that you need a great song. We thought 'Boy from New York City' had a second shot [at success] in it and it did. It's one of those perfect sing-a-long songs. People love to sing it & the key to that song is the bassline at the beginning...that grabs the listener. That song swings."Hartford Courant 24 September 2014 "Still on Track: Manhattan Transfer remains unique" by Ed Condran p.D1-D2
This version was used as the entrance theme for wrestler Jimmy Valiant in the 1980s.
Track listing
"The Boy from New York City" "(The Word Of) Confirmation"
Personnel
The Manhattan Transfer Cheryl Bentyne – vocals Tim Hauser – vocals Alan Paul – vocals, vocal arrangement Janis Siegel – vocals
Additional musicians David Foster – acoustic piano Dean Parks, Jay Graydon – guitar Abe Laboriel – bass guitar Mike Baird – drums Don Roberts – saxophone Jerry Hey – trumpet
Chart history
Weekly charts Chart (1981)PeakpositionAustralia KMR36Canada RPM Top Singles8New ZealandNZ Top 40 Singles, 27 September 19812Switzerland 3US Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - 7US Billboard Adult Contemporary4US Cash Box Top 1008
Year-end charts Chart (1981)RankCanada 60New Zealand 28Switzerland Swiss Year-End Charts, 198119US Billboard Hot 100Musicoutfitters.com36US Cash Box 49
References
External links
Lyrics of this song Entry at 45cat.com