Ode To NYC

Album: Ribbon Around The Bomb (2022)
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Songfacts®:

  • This upbeat track is Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden's love letter to his favorite city. He imagines running around New York with his wife as he shouts out various landmarks. They include:

    The Empire State Building
    Broadway
    Central Park where "a sea of pink forms from trees of blossom"
    The Bowery
    The street fairs
    Times Square, "a kaleidoscope of color."
    The subway (his "haven")
    Grand Central station
    Washington Square Park at sunset
  • Tom Ogden's wife, Katie, is the sister of Blossoms drummer Joe Donovan. He said "Ode To NYC" is a love letter to her as well.
  • I get my kicks at West 56th, we'll go sing Sinatra

    The lyric refers to going to watch a tribute at the Carnegie Club on West 56th. "That club is like something from a Scorsese movie," said Ogden.
  • Blossoms released this country-tinged track as the third single from Ribbon Around The Bomb on February 25, 2022. Ogden centered the album on a character called "The Writer."

    "The more songs I wrote, the more I realized that the writer referenced in the songs was in fact me," he said. "Having been so busy for the past eight years I and the band have never really had the chance to step back and reflect on what we've achieved. You're so focused on the future; write the next album then tour. Your life is usually mapped out at least two years in advance."
  • Edwin Burdis directed the video. Burdis is Arctic Monkeys' Creative Director; he worked on their AM and Tranquility Base Hotel albums.
  • Ribbon Around The Bomb debuted at #1 on the UK albums chart, becoming Blossoms' third consecutive chart-topper. It followed 2016's Blossoms and 2020's Foolish Loving Spaces.

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