Years ago—24 to be exact— I re-wrote the song “Manhattan” to make a San Francisco version. I can’t claim to have invoked the genius of Lorenz Hart, but still, it was fun to try. Interesting that some of the issues brought up near the end still hold true, even as some are obsolete (Lawrence Ferlinghetti, RIP, and the ball park is not new!). Today I added two verses, the negative and the positive, and definitely could have kept going. But not easy to rhyme “Tunnel Top” and “Slow Streets” and “Parklets,” etc.. So if you live in or have lived in San Francisco, I hope you’ll get a kick out this version. Sing it out loud!
NEW LYRICS TO MANHATTAN (with apologies to Rodgers and Hart)
©2001 Doug Goodkin
1. The peacenik kids go, to San Francisco, in July,
They lie on hippie hill so high.
And all the rest go, to drink expresso, in old North Beach,
They sit and write a poem, or else they dial home, on their cell phone.
There's Ferlinghetti, in old Spaghetti, Factory
He's signing books you see, for me.
This small town's city's a wondrous treat,
Whether you're square or beat,
In San Francisco, we'll sneak a kiss so sweet.
2. Let's dilly-dally, on Kerouac Alley, near City Lights,
Or hit the Hungry I, Oh my!
The Kingston Trio, we'll never see so, let's go in.
Where Carol Doda's skin, made all the leches grin, chin to chin.
Walk for an hour, up to Coit Tower, to catch the view.
We'll watch the fog roll in, boo hoo!
Though the guidebooks always say,
Don't dress for a summer's day,
We're here in San Fran, we'll change to pants and stay.
3. Embarcadero, you've got the fare so, get on board,
The ferry on the Bay, Hoo-ray!
Drive south of Market, if you can park it, or ride on Bart
To the Museum of Art, or to the new ball park, for a lark.
In Sausalito, where the elite go, to stop and shop
The trendy stores so hip, or not.
We can stop at Alcatraz, then go out and hear some jazz,
Another good day, on San Francisco Bay.
4. In San Francisco, you can go disco, dance at night.
By day, you fly a kite, all right!
It's very fash' nable, the international neighborhoods.
Go eat a Boston sub, or find an Irish pub, or salsa club.
We'll study Russian, or play percussion, at the Wharf.
Or take a workshop on, Carl Orff.
We can learn what we want to know
Or take in an ethnic show,
It's San Francisco, so come kids, let's go.
7. All day we'll mirth make, forget the earthquake, we'll live for now.
Do what the crowds allow, and how!
We're here without Mom, with all the dot com, she'll never come.
Because the scene's too young, all those pierc-ed tongues climbing rungs.
Rents astronomic, a bad dot-com-ic, mom and pops shut down,
The low and middle class, leave town.
This great old city has lost its edge, Turned into a well-pruned hedge,
No longer shame-faced, it's not the same place now.
(2025 verses)
8. The culture’s changin’, AI invasion, everywhere
No billboard shouts “Beware!” Who cares?
It’s a new day, so, Get used to Waymo, you got no choice.
They’re the new techno toys, most rejoice, why raise your voice?
The skyline’s growin’, a phallic showin’, like Sales Force,
Big money is the source, of course.
Though we voted, long ago, Manhattan here? No, no, no!
Still it keeps growin’ and we have lost our glow.
9. But good things comin’, the bikes are hummin’, on JFK.
Because it’s now car-free, Hooray!
Go to Chase Center, it's quite a splendor, right by the Bay
Go see the Warriors play, they're okay! but you gotta pay.
But not to worry, we’ve got Steph Curry, he’s Number one.
4 times the Warriors won, ………..Such fun!
This beautiful city still does shine, forever a Baghdad shrine,
So hip-hip-and yes,hooray, it’s here that I will stay!
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