Hard Times In New York Town

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 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 all milling 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 weekend is strong and the rich and the poor Get there together in roof an' no more Crowdin' up 'bove and crowdin' down below And someone disappears, you never even know And it's hard times from the country, livin' down in New York town It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate To Rockefeller Plaza and the Empire State Mister Empire sets up as high as a bird Old Mister Rockefeller 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 of work Stand in one place 'til 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 And it's hard times from the country Living' down in New York town Mister Hudson come a-sailing down the stream And old Mister Minuet paid for his dream Bought your city on a one way track If I had my way I'd sell it right back And it's hard times from the country Living' down in New York town I'll take all the smog in California And every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains And 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 country Living down in New York town So all you newsy people, spread the news around You can listen to my story, listen to my song You can step on my name, you can try and get me beat When I leave New York, I'll be standing on my feet And it's hard times from the country Living down in New York town