Si Billy Joel, en vez de haber nacido en el Bronx, lo hubiera hecho en San Telmo, Barracas o La Boca, esta canción sería un tango. Es un canto a la ciudad, inspirado en el regreso a casa de Billy después de haber vivido tres años en Los Ángeles. En una entrevista, Billy Joel dijo que se le ocurrió escribirla cuando estaba por tomar el Greyhound (el autobús) on the Hudson River Line. Durante el viaje imaginó las notas y a poco de llegar a su casa la canción ya estaba escrita. En 1976 fue incluida en el álbum Turnstiles, que contiene varias canciones, todas ellas memorables, que relatan la experiencia del regreso a Nueva York.
Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighborhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I'm taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I'm in a New York state of mind
I've seen all the movie stars
In their fancy cars and their limousines
Been high in the Rockies under the evergreens
But I know what I'm needing
And I don't want to waste more time
I'm in a New York state of mind
It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and blues
But now I need a little give and take
The New York Times, The Daily News
It comes down to reality
And it's fine with me 'cause I've let it slide
Don't care if it's Chinatown or on Riverside
I don't have any reasons
I've left them all behind
I'm in a New York state of mind
It was so easy living day by day
Out of touch with the rhythm and blues
But now I need a little give and take
The New York Times, The Daily News
It comes down to reality
And it's fine with me 'cause I've let it slide
Don't care if it's Chinatown or on Riverside
I don't have any reasons
I've left them all behind
I'm in a New York state of mind
I'm just taking a Greyhound on the Hudson River Line
'Cause I'm in a New York state of mind