'No Small Magic:' Penning a Song About NYC in Three Hours

Feb. 14, 2011 — -- A song about New York, N.Y. -- seems simple, right? The bright lights of the big city have inspired countless ditties, rhymes and symphonies.

But attach a three-hour deadline to the creation of that song and things get more complicated.

Apex Manor, the California-based indie rock duo, recently took on the challenge posed by ABC News Now's "Amplified": 180 minutes of hair pulling, soul searching and guitar strumming yielded a bittersweet anthem with an apt name: "No Small Magic."

Click the video on the left to hear their ode to New York City and check out the "No Small Magic's" lyrics, below.

Never left for the golden west
but the radio let you know
the echo of the wedding bells
ringing for someone else.

So you whistled down Broadway while
strangers tried to catch your eye
smiling like a newlywed
with a symphony in your head.

And no small magic
in your song
all alone in Manhattan
for so, for so long.

Crossed the street that bore your name
crashed into your first old flame
brushing by without a word
swelling strings were all you heard.

Turned on a dime when the chorus came
started running for the uptown train
burning for the studio --
heartache always has a home.

And no small magic
in your song
all alone in Manhattan
for so, for so long.