Hard Times in New York Town

Come you ladies and you gentlemen and 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

And it's hard times, from the country living 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 in the middle and all around

They'll kick you when you're up and knock you when you're down

It's hard times, from the country living down in New York town

Well the weak and the strong and the rich and the poor

Gather, gathering room for no more

Crowded up abovе and crowded down below

And someonе disappears you never even know

And it's hard times, from the country living down in New York town

It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate

To Rockafeller Plaza and the Empire State

Mr. Empire sits up as high as a bird

And old Mr. Rockafeller never says a word

It's hard times, from the country living down in New York town

Well it's up in the morning trying to find a job or work

Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt

If you got a lot of money you can make yourself merry

If you only got a nickel it's the Staten Island ferry

It's hard times, from the country living down in New York town

Mr. Hudson come a-sailing down the stream

And old Minuet mister paid for his dream

Bought your city on a one-way track

If I had my way I'd sell it right back

It's hard times, from the country living down in New York town

I'd take all the smog in California

And every bit of dust in the Oklahoma planes

And the dirt and in the caves of the Rocky Mount mines

It's so much cleaner than the New York kind

It's hard times, in the country living down in New York town

So all you newsy people let spread the news around

You've listened to my story, you've listened to my song

You can stamp on my name, you can try and get me beat

When I leave New York I'll be standing on my feet

It's hard times from the country, living down in New York town