Good Night, New York

Nanci Griffith · Winter Marquee [2002]

My mother came to America

Sailed through the harbor of hopes and of dreams

Back in the Thirties with the streets paved in gold

And the sky laced with moonbeams

Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons

Here in the free world, we're the lucky ones



All of my yearning, all of my hunger

Maybe we're learning sometimes I wonder

Good night, New York



Before the Kennedy's, before the Beatles

Before the Vietnam War

Back to a time when anything was possible

Having less meant knowing more

Brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts

Here in the free world, for that second chance



All of my yearning, all of my hunger

Maybe we're learning sometimes I wonder

Good night, New York



My mother came to America

She sailed through the harbor of hopes and of dreams

And here in her future, I hope I've not failed her

'Cause nothings the way that it seems



All of my yearning, all of my hunger

Maybe we're learning sometimes I wonder

Good night, New York