New York State of Mind is a 1976 song by Billy Joel from his fourth album Turnstiles. It is a jazz-influenced rock ballad written in 3/4 time in the key of C major, with piano-led verses and an orchestral backdrop arranged by Ken Ascher, plus a saxophone solo by Richie Cannata. Although not released as a single, the track has become one of Joel's most acclaimed and widely covered songs, a fan favorite performed in concert. The song was inspired by Joel's return to New York after three years in Los Angeles, written as soon as he arrived in Highland Falls. An early live version appeared on Live at the Great American Music Hall (1975); Barbra Streisand helped popularize it with her 1977 version on Superman. It has since been covered by many artists and re-recorded in collaborations, including a Streisand-Joel duet on Partners (2014). The Turnstiles version runs about six minutes and was released by Columbia, with Joel as producer.
