In the song "New York, New York", is Frank Sinatra saying "New York (City), New York (City)" or "New York (City), New York (State)"?

BTW: I only recently learned that "New York, New York" implies "Manhattan" whereas "New York City" refers to all five boroughs. (New Yorkers can take issue with this, but it's in the stylebook at my job.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, February 14, 2005 11:11 AM (10 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Aw, I was so much younger then.

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/25/457289950/broadway-composer-john-kander-reflects-on-a-career-of-hidden-treasures

has a big clip from the rejected theme song. clearly about manhattan.

Re: thread 1, seems obvious to me that he's borrowing the familiar City, State formula, but giving emphasis to to it in a way that turns it, emotionally, into City, CITY!!!! I mean no way on that awesome last declaration is he thinking about NYC's situaton within the larger state economy or upstate getaway optiions or w/e.