Englishman in New York
Song DNA
A commentary on cultural differences and identity.
Cultural Context
Addresses themes of alienation and belonging.
Listening Prompt
Think about your own cultural experiences.
What to Expect
Maintains a steady groove with a reflective lyrical journey.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: contemplative, intimate
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 6/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.
Sudden changes: none. Transitions are musically signaled — nothing will surprise you if you're only half-listening.
Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.
Predictability is high — the song telegraphs what it will do next. A sensory-sensitive listener can usually guess where it's going without close attention.
Vocal style: soft vocals.
Where this sits in Sting's catalog
We have 7 songs from Sting in the library. Of those, 5 are rated Safe, 2 Moderate, and 0 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 6/10 sits below the artist average of 6.1, making it the #4 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from ...Nothing Like the Sun
We have 2 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans safe in sensory profile.
- Fragile — safe DR 5
1987 context
Released in 1987. We have 205 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.5/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1980s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Why this rating
We rate this song Safe because its dynamic range stays within our low-variance band, there are no unsignaled changes, and the texture and vocal style are both in the low-fatigue range. Our methodology uses an AND rule for Safe — a song has to clear every dimension to earn the rating.
Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-05. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Email the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
Songs with the same DNA
layered texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
What this song means to people
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