The phrase is both the first and fourth on a list of four superlative titles the singer strives to achieve — "A-number-one, top of the list, king of the hill, A-number-one" — where Ebb's original lyrics (performed by Minnelli) were "king of the hill, head of the list, cream of the crop, at the top of the heap.
В 1979 году тему «Нью-Йорк, Нью-Йорк» использовал Синатра, поменяв там несколько слов (заменил "My old town blues" на "These little town blues" и "To find I’m king of the hill, Head of the list" на "And find I’m a number one, top of the list").