ENGLISH PROJECT
ANALYSIS OF A SONG


TOPIC: IMMIGRATION


MEMBERS OF THE GROUP: Grossi, Galmes,
 Rodriguez

CLASS: 4º B
By Sting
Englishman In New York by Sting

   I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear
      I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
      I'm an Englishman in New York
    See me walking down Fifth Avenue
      A walking cane here at my side
        I take it everywhere I walk
     I'm an Englishman in New York
        I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
      I'm an Englishman in New York
        I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
      I'm an Englishman in New York
If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
        Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
     Be yourself no matter what they say
I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
        I'm an Englishman in New York
          I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
        I'm an Englishman in New York
    Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
       You could end up as the only one
   Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
    At night a candle's brighter than the sun
  Takes more than combat gear to make a man
      Takes more than a license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
      A gentleman will walk but never run
  If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said
          Then he's the hero of the day
  It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
       Be yourself no matter what they say
          I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
        I'm an Englishman in New York
          I'm an alien I'm a legal alien
        I'm an Englishman in New York
Englishmen have never been illegal or
    discriminated in the USA due to the English
             influence in American history.
In the case of Malvinas islands, USA agreed with the
       English position, and against Argentina.
In the First World War, the USA was neutral at first,
  but they tended to agree with England and France.
 In the Second World War the USA joined great
  Britain, France, Australia and new Zeeland against
                        Germany.
Name the song: An Englishman In New York
Sting, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, was born on October
   2nd 1951 in Wallsend – a town in England. If you want to know
   about his biography or his professional career (including his
    performance with the band The Police), you can find much
      more information in his official website: www.sting.com

 Quentin Crisp, Denis Charles Pratt, was born on the 25th of
   December 1908 and died on the 21st of November in 1999. He
    was a writer, an actor and a “raconteur” (story teller). He
                   became a gay icon in the70s.

But, what has this Quentin Crisp to do with this famous song
  written by Sting? Well, this song is inspired on him. Just after
 Crisp moved from London to a flat in Bowery, Manhattan, Sting
   wrote this song after a visit he paid to Mr. Crisp by the end of
    1986 in his flat in New York. During the meeting Crisp told
   Sting about how hard was life for an homosexual man in the
  homophobic Great Britain between the 20s and the 60s. Sting
       was so impressed that he decided to write the song.
In one hand, it tells us about the cultural differences between
  American and British people, (not only talking about manners,
                 but also about their accent).

Here are some references to British culture that you can see in the
                               song:

 I don’t drink coffee I take tea my dear (As we all know, tea is a
                           British tradition)
I like my toast done on one side (They seem to eat toasts done on
                                one side)
 And you can hear it in my accent when I talk (And of course,
       British accent is quite different from American accent).
                See me walking down Fifth Avenue
 A walking cane here at my side I take it everywhere I walk (The
   typical image of the English gentleman walking with his cane,
        although the song does not mention the bowler hat).
In the other hand, this song tells us about the feeling
   of being an alien – a foreigner - wherever you are,
             without belonging to a group:

                     Read this line:

I’m an alien, I’m a legal alien, I’m an Englishman in New
                             York.
 Does New York really welcome immigrants? Maybe
   Sting wants to show us that Englishmen are proud
  everywhere they are, even if people do not welcome
                        them.
• The following stanza talks about manners,
topic which caused passion in Quentin Crisp,
 and the fact of feeling proud of themselves,
  without worrying about what other people
                     think .

If, “Manners maketh man” as someone said
        Then he’s the hero of the day
 It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
     Be yourself no matter what they say
The following stanzas mention the same things:

    Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
        You could end up as the only one
   Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
    At night a candle’s brighter than the sun
                        
 Takes more than combat gear to make a man
      Takes more than a license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
       A gentleman will walk but never run
Does he consider American drinkers? Why are
there so many lights shining at night? According to
    him there are other important things to be
          considered a man for society.
Conclusion:

In our world discrimination towards
foreign people has always existed, but
 in this particular case it is not about
 the differences between English and
  American people. They have always
respected each other. In this song, the
 discrimination is about sexuality, not
 only in England (his origin country)
   but also in the United States, too.
References:
http://vocatic.com/el-significado-de-sting-en-ingles-
 y-la-cancion-englishman-in-new-york

Grossi galmes-rodrigues

  • 1.
    ENGLISH PROJECT ANALYSIS OFA SONG TOPIC: IMMIGRATION MEMBERS OF THE GROUP: Grossi, Galmes, Rodriguez CLASS: 4º B
  • 2.
  • 3.
    Englishman In NewYork by Sting I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear I like my toast done on one side And you can hear it in my accent when I talk I'm an Englishman in New York See me walking down Fifth Avenue A walking cane here at my side I take it everywhere I walk I'm an Englishman in New York I'm an alien I'm a legal alien I'm an Englishman in New York I'm an alien I'm a legal alien I'm an Englishman in New York If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said Then he's the hero of the day It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile Be yourself no matter what they say
  • 4.
    I'm an alienI'm a legal alien I'm an Englishman in New York I'm an alien I'm a legal alien I'm an Englishman in New York Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety You could end up as the only one Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society At night a candle's brighter than the sun Takes more than combat gear to make a man Takes more than a license for a gun Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can A gentleman will walk but never run If, "Manners maketh man" as someone said Then he's the hero of the day It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile Be yourself no matter what they say I'm an alien I'm a legal alien I'm an Englishman in New York I'm an alien I'm a legal alien I'm an Englishman in New York
  • 5.
    Englishmen have neverbeen illegal or discriminated in the USA due to the English influence in American history. In the case of Malvinas islands, USA agreed with the English position, and against Argentina. In the First World War, the USA was neutral at first, but they tended to agree with England and France. In the Second World War the USA joined great Britain, France, Australia and new Zeeland against Germany.
  • 6.
    Name the song:An Englishman In New York Sting, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, was born on October 2nd 1951 in Wallsend – a town in England. If you want to know about his biography or his professional career (including his performance with the band The Police), you can find much more information in his official website: www.sting.com Quentin Crisp, Denis Charles Pratt, was born on the 25th of December 1908 and died on the 21st of November in 1999. He was a writer, an actor and a “raconteur” (story teller). He became a gay icon in the70s. But, what has this Quentin Crisp to do with this famous song written by Sting? Well, this song is inspired on him. Just after Crisp moved from London to a flat in Bowery, Manhattan, Sting wrote this song after a visit he paid to Mr. Crisp by the end of 1986 in his flat in New York. During the meeting Crisp told Sting about how hard was life for an homosexual man in the homophobic Great Britain between the 20s and the 60s. Sting was so impressed that he decided to write the song.
  • 7.
    In one hand,it tells us about the cultural differences between American and British people, (not only talking about manners, but also about their accent). Here are some references to British culture that you can see in the song: I don’t drink coffee I take tea my dear (As we all know, tea is a British tradition) I like my toast done on one side (They seem to eat toasts done on one side) And you can hear it in my accent when I talk (And of course, British accent is quite different from American accent). See me walking down Fifth Avenue A walking cane here at my side I take it everywhere I walk (The typical image of the English gentleman walking with his cane, although the song does not mention the bowler hat).
  • 8.
    In the otherhand, this song tells us about the feeling of being an alien – a foreigner - wherever you are, without belonging to a group: Read this line: I’m an alien, I’m a legal alien, I’m an Englishman in New York. Does New York really welcome immigrants? Maybe Sting wants to show us that Englishmen are proud everywhere they are, even if people do not welcome them.
  • 9.
    • The followingstanza talks about manners, topic which caused passion in Quentin Crisp, and the fact of feeling proud of themselves, without worrying about what other people think . If, “Manners maketh man” as someone said Then he’s the hero of the day It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile Be yourself no matter what they say
  • 10.
    The following stanzasmention the same things: Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety You could end up as the only one Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society At night a candle’s brighter than the sun  Takes more than combat gear to make a man Takes more than a license for a gun Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can A gentleman will walk but never run Does he consider American drinkers? Why are there so many lights shining at night? According to him there are other important things to be considered a man for society.
  • 11.
    Conclusion: In our worlddiscrimination towards foreign people has always existed, but in this particular case it is not about the differences between English and American people. They have always respected each other. In this song, the discrimination is about sexuality, not only in England (his origin country) but also in the United States, too.
  • 12.