Willie Nile’s “New York Is Rockin'” Raucous and Uplifting (premiere)

Willie Nile‘s latest album, New York at Night is a celebration of his adopted hometown and the latest track culled from that record, “New York Is Rockin'” proves no exception. Built upon a steady rock ‘n’ roll foundation that recalls past NYC poets such as Lou Reed and Jim Carroll, Nile takes on a tour of the Big Apple amid these courses and verses with Springsteen-esque enthusiasm for the city that never sleeps, a place that had immeasurable resilience.

Written and recorded well before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, “New York Is Rockin'” provides hope that the great city will rise once again.

“New York City has always inspired me,” says Nile. “I love the energy, the grit, and the mystery of it all. There’s an edge to it that makes me feel alive. It’s a great place for a writer. There are ideas and creatures of all kinds walking down every street. The rich, the poor, the lost, the lonely, the big shots, the con artists, the visionaries, the good, the bad, the ugly, all living in this great metropolitan area with people from all over the world and all walks of life. I learn something new every day living here.

“This was originally a sonic love song to the city, but given the current world situation with the pandemic, the economy crashing, and all the racial problems we have, I now feel that it’s a call to arms to fight back. New York is a tough town, and though it’s down, it’s not out. If we all work together, we can heal some of these wounds and make things better. New York will rock again, and so will the world.”