Two years later, Frank Sinatra covered the song, and it became closely identified with both him and New York City.

Composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb attributed the song's success to Robert De Niro, who rejected their original theme for the film because it was "too weak".

When they were ready, Kander & Ebb played the songs for Martin Scorsese, Liza Minnelli and De Niro.

After the recital, De Niro pulled Scorsese aside and convinced him the title song needed to be stronger.

[3]: 25–6  Liza Minnelli's performance was released as a single from the soundtrack album and peaked at #104 on the Billboard chart.

It was through those performances that Sinatra developed the massive rallentando that defines his interpretation of the song and is immortalized on record.

[10] In Mexico, it reached #1 on Notitas Musicales' Hit Parade chart in December 1981,[11] remaining in that position for three fortnights.

Ebb was not fond of the revision but was deeply grateful to Sinatra for giving them an "enormous hit".

[23] Liza Minnelli performed the song live during the July 4, 1986 ceremony marking the rededication of the Statue of Liberty after extensive renovations.

In the 2005 Arrested Development episode "Queen for a Day" Tobias Fünke starts singing the song in presence of Minnelli's character Lucille Austero, causing her to roll her eyes and complain that "everyone thinks they're Frank Sinatra.

The Sinatra version is played at the end of every New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden.

and burying his face in a big banana split with "THE END" written on his bald head.

(Koch used the same rallentando climax Sinatra used, albeit with one big difference: "A-number one, top of the list, king of the hill..." followed by his impression of Groucho Marx completing, "...and incidentally a heckuva nice guy!