Ian Miller is a New York City based singer, songwriter and pianist. Earlier this year, he participated in the 15th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project. He wrote and performed Take Me To Roosevelt Island for the closing event of the project.

It’s a beautiful song which truly captures the uniqueness of Roosevelt Island, an oasis in the middle of New York City.

Watch the video and listen to the words – I’ll bet they resonate with many.

According to Mr. Miller:

I live in Astoria, about a 30 minute walk from Roosevelt Island, and the first time I visited I was just struck by how it felt like an oasis in the middle of the city it felt like I could leave the stress and hubbub on the other side of the river, and I had such a sense of peace that was hard to come by elsewhere in town.

Once the pandemic hit, and I spent so much of my time cooped up in my apartment, I started taking walks over there whenever I could walking 30 minutes there, walking around for maybe an hour, and then walking back. It became my go-to place to restore my peace of mind.

The song is, for me, about coming to terms with the difficulty of making a life in a city like New York, and longing for relief from the pressure and the non-stop grind.

I tell everyone that Roosevelt Island’s my dream spot to live, whenever I can afford it!

More info about my music is also available on my website.

Here are the lyrics to Take Me To Roosevelt Island by Ian Miller:

I feel like Im wasting away in this town
I stare at the Hudson and watch myself drown
In this city that wont let me sleep
Full of promises that it cant keep

Take me to Roosevelt Island
Where the river flows gently all day
Ill sit neath the bridge in the silence
And hear what the breeze has to say
Im getting lost in this city
All the busyness just doesnt pay
So take me to Roosevelt Island
Its only a mile away

All these people move fast and I want to go slow
And if I disappeared, well, would anyone know? No…
In this city that dont give a damn
Where I dont even know who I am

Take me to Roosevelt Island
Where the river flows gently all day
Ill sit neath the bridge in the silence
And hear what the breeze has to say
Im getting lost in this city
I used to know how to pray
So take me to Roosevelt Island
Its only a mile away

Getting tired of fighting
Cant you see that Im trying?
Need a place I can hide here
Or else Im gonna die here

So take me to Roosevelt Island
Where the river flows gently all day
Ill sit neath the bridge in the silence
And hear what my heart has to say
God get me out of this city
Or give me a reason to stay
Im sick of the noise and the striving
Im young but Im barely surviving
Just longing for Roosevelt Island

Forever a mile away

Ian MillerMusic Director * Pianist * Singer-Songwrite