Native New Yorker (song)

"Native New Yorker"
Single by Odyssey
from the album Odyssey
B-side"Ever Lovin' Sam"
ReleasedNovember 1977 (1977)
Recorded1977
House of Music, West Orange, New Jersey
GenreDisco[1][2]
Length3:29
5:35 (Disco Version)
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Charlie Calello
  • Sandy Linzer
Official audio
"Native New Yorker" on YouTube

"Native New Yorker" is a disco song written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell. It was first recorded in 1977 by Frankie Valli and released on his album Lady Put the Light Out. Later in 1977, the song became a hit single for the soul dance band Odyssey, reaching No. 3 on the U.S. disco chart.[1] Odyssey's "Native New Yorker" also went to No. 6 on the soul chart and No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] It reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart.[4]

The group recorded the song at House of Music in West Orange, New Jersey. Jeffrey Kawalek was the recording and mix engineer. Richard Tee played its signature piano track. Jim Bonnefond assisted on many sessions. Studio owner Charlie Conrad did additional engineering, and added additional instrumental solos to the original mixes to create extended dance versions. Sandy Linzer added Tommy Mandel on clavinet and played hair drum himself on the mix that would be released as a single, engineered by Billy Radice at Olmstead studios in New York City.

"Native New Yorker" was also recorded by Esther Phillips in 1978, and Black Box in 1998.

It was later sampled by Rich Cronin's band, Loose Cannons, for their song "New York City Girls", as well as by the house music group, Kluster, in their song featuring Ron Carroll, entitled "My Love".

The tenor saxophone solo on Odyssey's recording is played by Michael Brecker.[5] George Young was part of the horn section, where he played alto sax.[6]

  1. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 193.
  2. ^ Billboard Staff (October 19, 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2024. One of the best one-off disco hits ever recorded, with a sophisticated air and a somewhat jaded undertone.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 437.
  4. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 404. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. ^ "Lillian Lopez: Singer with hit band Odyssey". The Independent. 12 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Sax player on track "native new yorker"". Sax on the Web. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2021.