Strokes, Rapture on NYC Comp

The Strokes' sardonic "New York City Cops" will finally see U.S. release on Yes New York, a compilation that documents the recent resurgence of New York rock. Along with a live version of "Cops," the other unreleased nugget on the collection, due June 3rd, is an acoustic take of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Our Time."

The studio version of "Cops" was included on the British version of the Strokes' debut Is This It, released in August of 2001, but it was pulled from the U.S. version (released that fall) after September 11th made poking fun at the police gauche.

Titled to reference Brian Eno's legendary no-wave compilation No New York, the set also includes tracks from buzz trio the Rapture ("Olio"), gloomy Joy-Division channelers Interpol ("NYC") and veteran punk-pop songwriter Ted Leo ("The Ballad of the Sin Eater").

Yes New York track listing:

The Strokes, "New York City Cops" (live)
Radio 4, "Save Your City"
The Rogers Sisters, "Zero Point"
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, "The Ballad of the Sin Eater"
The Fever, "Ladyfingers"
Calla, "Strangler"
The Rapture, "Olio"
The Walkmen, "Rue the Day"
Interpol, "NYC"
The Natural History, "The Right Hand"
LCD Soundsystem, "Tired"
Le Tigre, "Deception" (DFA remix)
The Secret Machines, "What Used to Be French"
Unitard (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), "Our Time" (acoustic)

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »

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