Impact

PRETTY CITY DITTIES

by Daniel Mennerich. “Hannover - Neues Rathaus.” Hannover, Germany.

While there’s a higher ratio of beautiful things in natural landscapes, urban landscapes and cities, in general, a centers for beauty as well. The concentration of artists, the mix of cultures, the mashup of history, the intense energy, all come together and inspire the creation of even more beauty.

Songwriters have been celebrating the beauty of cities for as long as songs have been written. We’ve gathered some old and new favorites to share, along with magnificent photos. Check them out below.

Boy with giant bubbles in Central Park, New York.

“You feel the deal is real

You're a New York City boy

So young, so run

into New York City”

-- Pet Shop Boys, “New York City Boy”

Image by Michael Levine Clark Denver Skyline Denver Colorado

“Day breaks over the city of my childhood

Daybreak over the city i called home

where the sage met the sea and the groves were sweet and green

it's a city that lives only in my dreams.”

-- Ben Harper, “City of Dreams”

Tower Bridge, City Hall and Gherkin at night in London.

“I’m burning on the back street

Stuck here sitting in the backseat

I'm blazing on the street

What I do isn't up to you

And if the city never sleeps then that makes two.”

-- Ed Sheeran, “The City”

Beautiful night scene at rush hour in Cleveland.

“In these deep city lights

Girl could get lost tonight

I'm finding every reason to be gone

There's nothing here to hold on to

Could i hold on to you?”

-- Sara Bareilles, “City”

Little boy plays with fire hydrant spray in Brooklyn, New York.

“Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile.

Da-n-do-da-n-do-da-n-do

Here I am,

The only living boy in New York.

Half of the time we're gone but we don't know where,

And we don't know where.”

-- Simon & Garfunkel, "The Only Living Boy In New York"

Two men standing in neon tunnel at covered with posters and graffiti, in New York.

“A hustle here and a hustle there

New York City's the place

Where they said, "Hey, babe,

Take a walk on the wild side."

-- Lou Reed, “Walk on the Wild Side”

Fireworks exploding on Brooklyn Waterfront on July 4th with Manhattan skyscrapers and bridge in background.

“Now you're in New York

These streets will make you feel brand new

The lights will inspire you

Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York.”

-- Jay Z, “Empire State of Mind”

Moon glows behind clouds in night sky above Paris, France.

“Night in the city looks pretty to me. Night in the city looks fine.”

-- Joni Mitchell, “Night in the City”

Cleveland skyline at sunset, with Rock Hall of Fame.

“We built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll

Built this city, we built this city on rock an' roll.”

-- Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, and Peter Wolf, “We Built This City”

Manhattan skyline at dusk, with Empire State Building lit up in red, white and green.

“New York, Just like I pictured it

Skyscrapers and everything…”

-- Stevie Wonder “Living for the City”

Budapest architecture lit up at night.

Read more about Urban Beauty in Random & Planned Beautiful Spots in Paris and Way Beyond Pretty City Suites.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

Sunset at Victoria Harbour, in Hong Kong.

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Multi-colored balloons rise up through San Francisco skyscrapers. Do you have amazing photos? Enter them in this week’s BN Photo Contest. We run new creative contest every week!

City of Oia clings to hillside overlooking sea on the island of Santorini, Greece.

IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: by Daniel Mennerich. “Hannover - Neues Rathaus.” Hannover, Germany.
Image: by leasqueaky. “Bubbles.” Central Park. New York, NY.
Image: by Michael Levine-Clark. “Denver Skyline.” Denver, Colorado.
Image: by Jacob Surland. “Tower Bridge and City Hall under the Stars.” London, UK.
Image: by Can Pac Swire. “Night Calm, Night Rush.” Cleveland, Ohio.
Image: by Chris Goldberg. “Hot Summer Day in Park Slope, Brooklyn.” New York, NY.
Image: by Andreas Komodromos. “Manhattan After Dark, Comme des Garçons.” New York, NY.
Image: by Brian Kingsley. “Brooklyn 4th of July.” New York, NY.
Image: by Scott Ableman. Paris, France.
Image: by Erik Drost. “Cleveland Skyline.” Cleveland, Ohio.
Image: by MK Feeney. “New York City Skyline.” New York, NY.
Image: by Chris. “Magyar magnificent.” Hungary.
Image: by Studio Incendo. “Sunset Hong Kong.” Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong.
Image: by torbakhopper. “details from a beautiful city, Scott Richard.” San Francisco, CA.
Image: by PaulSchliebs. “Oia - Santorini.” Oia, Greece.