Verse 1
I don't drink coffee, I take tea, my dear
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
I'm an Englishman in New York
See me walking down Fifth Avenue
A walking cane here at my side
I take it everywhere I walk
I'm an Englishman in New York
Chorus 1
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Verse 2
If "manners maketh man" as someone said
He's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
Chorus 2
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Bridge
Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
You could end up as the only one
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
At night a candle's brighter than the sun
Verse 3
Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Takes more than a license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
A gentleman will walk but never run
If "manners maketh man" as someone said
He's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Be yourself no matter what they say
Chorus 3
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Oh, Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
Be yourself no matter what they say
Fun fact
Sting has his own way of writing music, and his choice of melody notes is always interesting. An example of this is in the verse of ”Englishman In New York”, where he’s emphasizing the 9th in the B minor chord, which gives us a beautiful Bm9 sound.
The song combines elements of jazz, pop, and world music to create a unique and timeless sound. When the saxophone solo starts, the band switches to a jazz swing feel, which is very different from the rest of the song. It is things like this that makes Sting’s music unique and fresh! Let’s play ”Englishman In New York”!