Gershwin explained in Musical America, "My purpose here is to portray the impressions of an American visitor in Paris as he strolls about the city, listens to the various street noises, and absorbs the French atmosphere.
dʒˈɜːʃwɪn ɛksplˈeɪnd ɪn mjˈuːzɪkəl ɐmˈɛɹɪkə, "maɪ pˈɜːpəs hˈɪɹ ɪz tə poːɹtɹˈeɪ ðɪ ɪmpɹˈɛʃənz əvən ɐmˈɛɹɪkən vˈɪzɪɾɚɹ ɪn pˈæɹɪs æz hiː stɹˈoʊlz ɐbˌaʊt ðə sˈɪɾi, lˈɪsənz tə ðə vˈɛɹiəs stɹˈiːt nˈɔɪzᵻz, ænd ɐbsˈoːɹbz ðə fɹˈɛntʃ ˈætməsfˌɪɹ.