"New York State of Mind" is a ballad composed by Billy Joel in 1975, first released on his album Turnstiles on Columbia Records in 1976, with orchestration by Ken Ascher. Joel wrote the song upon returning to New York after three disillusioning years in Los Angeles, jotting down initial ideas during a Greyhound bus ride along the Hudson River Line to Highland Falls and completing the composition quickly after arriving home. Inspired by his experience playing classic standards in L.A. piano bars, Joel set out to write a personal standard of his own, and the resulting composition captures a deep nostalgia for the energy and character of New York City during a period when the city was struggling with crime and financial hardship. The song is built around a soulful, piano-driven melody supported by understated orchestral strings and a prominent saxophone line, with rich harmonic layers that reflect Joel's jazz influences and give the composition substantial appeal for improvisers. Richie Cannata's saxophone solo on the original recording became iconic in its own right, with Joel later re-recording the track with revised saxophone parts. Though never released as a single from Turnstiles, the song became one of Joel's most celebrated works and a concert staple. It has been covered hundreds of times across genres, with jazz musicians drawn to its harmonic sophistication, and its themes of homecoming and belonging have given it enduring resonance, notably at Joel's performance at the 2001 Concert for New York City following the September 11 attacks.
