In his classic Broadway tune, “I Happen to Like New York,” Cole Porter wrote:
“I happen to like New York, I happen to like this town
I like the city air, I like to drink of it
The more I see New York, the more I think of it
I like the sight and the sound and even the stink of it”
Porter’s playful ode to the enduring appeal of New York City premiered in the Broadway show The New Yorkers in 1930, at the end of the booming development of New York in the roaring twenties and the beginning of the Great Depression. It became a classic of the American songbook, recorded by everyone from Judy Garland to Bobby Short.
As the song’s history reminds us, New Yorkers are among the most resilient people on this planet. Our city indeed got through the Great Depression, 9/11, the financial crisis, COVID-19, and countless other challenges. Our ability to bounce back is remarkable, but…
