An Englishman In New York - Sheet Music for Sting

"An Englishman In New York" sounds instantly like the original on guitar. The distinctive, lightly swinging feel comes together quickly. These guitar sheet music in lead sheet format are aimed at beginners and returning players who want to play the song with chords and melody right away.

Sheet Music "An Englishman In New York" – Elegant Pop Classic for Guitar

Sting released "An Englishman In New York" in 1987 on the album "…Nothing Like the Sun". The song portrays the eccentric British writer Quentin Crisp, who lived in New York – a quiet outsider in a loud city. The melody is calm and concise, with a character that feels almost chamber-music-like for a pop song. Sting blends British restraint with New York cosmopolitanism here – and you can hear it in every phrase.

The arrangement is in E minor – a guitar-friendly key with natural fingering positions. The melody moves comfortably in the middle register, without wide leaps. The song's gently flowing character gives you time to place the chord changes cleanly. The lead sheet displays melody and chord symbols simultaneously – ideal as a foundation for your own accompaniment patterns or as a guide for singing along.

• Difficulty: Easy – thanks to manageable chords and a stepwise melodic line
• Main challenge: Keeping the swing feel consistent: play eighth notes with a slight unevenness (long–short) without disrupting the calm, steady flow
• Ideal for: Beginners and returning players who want to work through an atmospheric pop classic with chords and melody

If you practice the chord changes without the melody first, you'll quickly notice that E minor, G major, and A minor sit comfortably under the fingers and recur throughout the piece. Once the shapes feel secure, the melody can be layered on top seamlessly. The song's steady flow works in your favor – there are no abrupt rhythmic shifts to throw you off. For the characteristic swing feel of the piece, a light swing interpretation in the accompaniment is recommended: rather than playing eighth-note pairs exactly straight, give the first note a slightly longer emphasis than the second – this gives the guitar precisely the relaxed groove the song calls for. Once you have the melody in your ear, it almost plays itself.

The sheet music is available for immediate download after purchase. 100% licensed – ready to play legally, right away.

Editorially reviewed by the notendownload.com team