from the songs album Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3: Rare & Unreleased, 1961-1991
Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-listen to my song.
Sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong.
Just a little glimpse of a story i'll tell
"bout an east coast city that you all know well.
It's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in new york town.
Old new york city is a friendly old town,
From washington heights to harlem on down.
There's a-mighty many people all millin' all around,
They'll kick you when you're up and knock you when you're down.
It's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in new york town.
It's a mighty long ways from the golden gate
To rockefeller plaza n' the empire state.
Mister rockefeller sets up as high as a bird,
Old mister empire never says a word.
It's hard times from the country,
Livin' down in new york town.
Well, it's up in the mornin' tryin' to fins a job of work.
Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt.
If you go a lot o' money you can make yourself merry,
If you only got a nickel, it's the staten island ferry.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in new york town.
Mister hudson come a-sailin' down the stream
And old mister minuet paid for his dream.
Bought your city on a one-way track,
'f i had my way i'd sell it right back.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in new york town.
I'll take all the smog in cal-i-for-ne-ay,
'n' every bit of dust in the oklahoma plains,
'n' the dirt in the caves of the rocky mountain mines.
It's all much cleaner than the new york kind.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in new york town.
So all you newsy people, spread the news around,
You c'n listen to m' story, listen to m' song.
You c'n step on my name, you c'n try 'n' get me beat,
When i leave new york, i'll be standin' on my feet.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in new york town.
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