You’re probably humming that smooth, jazzy piano intro right now. It’s one of those songs that feels like it has existed forever, like the Empire State Building or the smell of roasted nuts on a Manhattan street corner. But if you’ve ever found yourself arguing over a bar table about who sings New York State of Mind, you’re not alone.
The short answer? Billy Joel. He didn't just sing it; he wrote it, breathed life into it, and basically gifted the city its second national anthem. But like any great standard, it’s been passed around. From Barbra Streisand’s powerhouse belts to Tony Bennett’s gravelly charm, the song has lived many lives.
The Man Who Wrote the State of Mind
Billy Joel didn't write this while looking out of a penthouse window. He wrote it on a Greyhound bus. Honestly, that's about as "real" New York as it gets.
The year was 1975. Joel had spent three years living in Los Angeles, and quite frankly, he was over it. He missed the "give and take." He missed the grit. As the bus rolled along the Hudson River Line, the lyrics started flowing. By the time he walked through his front door in Highland Falls, the song was essentially done.
It eventually landed on his 1976 album, Turnstiles.
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Interestingly, it wasn't a massive radio hit at first. It was never even released as a single! It grew through word of mouth, becoming the emotional centerpiece of his live shows. When you hear that saxophone wail—originally played by Richie Cannata—you aren't just hearing music; you're hearing the sound of a man coming home.
That One Time Barbra Streisand Made It a Standard
If Billy Joel gave the song its soul, Barbra Streisand gave it its wings.
In 1977, just a year after Joel's version came out, Streisand covered it for her album Superman. She didn’t just sing it; she sang it. Her version brought a theatrical, sophisticated polish that caught the ear of a completely different audience.
Billy Joel has actually said in interviews that her cover was a turning point. It proved the song was a "standard"—a piece of music that could be reinterpreted by anyone, in any style, and still hold its power. Decades later, the two of them finally teamed up to record it as a duet for her 2014 album Partners. Hearing those two New York legends trade lines is basically a sonic hug for the tri-state area.
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The 9/11 Anthem You Can’t Forget
Songs change meaning over time. For twenty-five years, "New York State of Mind" was a jaunty, bluesy celebration of the city’s vibe.
Then came September 11, 2001.
During The Concert for New York City in October of that year, Billy Joel sat at his piano in Madison Square Garden. The city was broken. The world was watching. He played the song slow. It wasn't a celebration anymore; it was an elegy. He performed it as a bluesy, somber tribute to the first responders and the lives lost.
Suddenly, the line "I'm taking a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line" didn't just feel like a travel itinerary. It felt like a defiant statement of belonging.
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A Who’s Who of Famous Covers
Because the song is built on a classic blues-jazz structure, it’s a playground for vocalists. If you’re wondering who else sings New York State of Mind, the list is basically a music industry yearbook:
- Tony Bennett: He recorded a famous duet version with Billy for the 2001 album Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues. It even snagged a Grammy nomination.
- Ray Charles: Joel actually wrote the song with Ray’s style in mind. While Ray didn’t record the definitive version, his influence is all over the piano phrasing.
- Shirley Bassey: The "Goldfinger" legend gave it her signature powerhouse treatment in 1982.
- The 2021 All-Star Redux: During the pandemic, a massive group of New York icons—including Idina Menzel, Sara Bareilles, and Suzanne Vega—recorded a collaborative version to lift the city's spirits.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
We live in a world of 15-second TikTok sounds, but "New York State of Mind" is a six-minute journey. It works because it isn't cynical. It acknowledges that the city can be "dirty" or "bad," but it chooses to stay anyway.
It’s about the reality of a place versus the postcard version.
Whether you’re listening to the original Turnstiles recording or a live version from a stadium tour, the message is the same: you don't need a reason to love where you're from. You just need the right rhythm.
Next Steps for Your Playlist:
- Listen to the 1976 Original: Pay attention to the raw, slightly faster tempo compared to later live versions.
- Compare the Sax Solos: The original Richie Cannata solo is legendary, but Billy re-recorded the sax parts for his Greatest Hits albums in the 80s and 90s—see if you can spot the difference.
- Watch the 2001 Benefit Performance: It’s available on most video platforms and remains the most emotionally heavy version of the song ever captured.