@ricardojrdg what it means legal alien is actually cultural, he feels an alien because New York culture is Alien to an Englishman. It was his expericence of living in New York. This song is dedicated to a Gay man Quinten Crisp, that is a FACT. Crisp was an Englishman in New York, just a Gay one! Its not how New Yorkers treated him, just how a foreign culture made him feel. "They drink coffee, I take tea my dear!" etc etc
@Emanusmell you don"t understand the song is about Quinton Crisp a gay englishman in New York, legal alien means, he is entitled to be there be he feels an alien for the way he is treated, for being a Gay man!
Musical genius. I made a playlist out of Sting's and others performances of this song at: ru-vid.com/group/PLB8C933B053241C41 "Best Englishman In New York renditions" includes the sizzling Pascale Succar's live version in Lebanon, Beirut and a young French girl whose audio recording quality didn't do it justice, so I edited her audio and video and reloaded it to the list. Check it out. You'll like it.