Released: June 12, 1972

Songwriter: John Lennon

Producer: John Lennon Yoko Ono Phil Spector

[Verse 1]
Standing on the corner, just me and Yoko Ono
We was waiting for Jerry to land
Up come a man with a guitar in his hand
Singing "have a marijuana if you can"
His name was David Peel, we found that he was real
He sang "The Pope Smokes Dope Everyday"
Up come a police man shoved us up the street
Singin, "Power to the People today!"

[Chorus]
New York City...New York City...New York City
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey hey

[Verse 2]
Well down to Max's City
Put down the nitty gritty with the Elephants Memory Band
Laid something down as the news spread around
About the Plastic Ono Elephants Memory Band!
We played some funky boogie and laid some "Tutti Frutti"
Singing "Long Tall Sally's A man"
Up come a preacher man trying to be a teacher
Singing "God's a red herring in drag!"

[Chorus]
New York City...New York City...New York City
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey hey

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]
Hey, New York City
All right, New York City
New York City
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey hey

[Verse 3]
Well we did the Staten Island Ferry
Making movies for the telly
Played the Fillmore and Apollo for freedom
Tried to shake our image
Just a cycling through the Village
But found that we had left it back in London
Well nobody came to bug us, hustle us or shove us
We decided to make it our home
If the man wants to shove us out
We gonna jump and shout
The Statue of Liberty said "Come!"

[Chorus]
New York City...New York City...New York City
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey hey

[Outro]
Hey New York City
Back in New York City
Hey New York City
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey City
Down in the Village
Hey what a city
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey walk on
Yeah
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey what a bad, bad city
Bad-ass city
Bad-ass city
Que pasa New York?...Que pasa New York?
Hey New York City

John Lennon

As the founding member of The Beatles, John Winston Lennon (1940-1980) is one of the most recognizable cultural icons of the 20th Century. He is also the other half of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership, alongside fellow Beatle, Paul McCartney.

As a solo artist and through his relationship and collaboration with avant-garde artist Yoko Ono, he became just as recognizable for his political activism.

Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980, outside of his New York apartment, The Dakota. Since then, his music and message remain timeless.