In "A Good Day to Die Hard", what Frank Sinatra song was sung by the Russian taxi cab driver?

The story behind the answer

In "A Good Day to Die Hard," the Russian taxi cab driver sings Frank Sinatra’s "New York, New York." The brief Moscow taxi scene uses the song as a playful connection between John McClane’s New York identity and his arrival in Russia.

McClane tells the driver that he is from New York, prompting the musical exchange. The familiar lyrics about the city that never sleeps make the song instantly recognizable, even across the language barrier. The driver then advises McClane to walk because traffic is barely moving and refuses payment, saying that McClane let him sing.

The scene is sometimes described loosely as McClane singing Sinatra to the driver, because McClane starts the song and the cabbie joins in. The driver sings part of it as well, which is why the quiz’s wording points to the taxi driver. Sinatra’s recording is associated with the song, although "New York, New York" was written for the 1977 film "New York, New York" and became especially famous through Sinatra’s later performances.

The moment is an intentionally light interlude in the 2013 film, which otherwise follows McClane and his son through a violent mission in Moscow and Chernobyl.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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