"Skid Row (Downtown)"

Alarm goes off at seven
And you start uptown
You put in your eight hours
For the powers that have always been
Till it's five PM

Then you go downtown
Where the folks are broke
You go downtown
Where your life's a joke
You go downtown
When you buy your token
You go home to Skid Row

Home to Skid Row

Yes you go downtown
Where the cabs don't stop
Downtown
Where the food is slop
Downtown
Where the hop-heads flop in the snow
Down on Skid Row

Uptown you cater to a million jerks
Uptown you're messengers and mailroom clerks
Eating all your lunches at the hot dog carts
The bosses take your money and they break your hearts

Uptown you cater to a million whores
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors
Your morning's tribulation, afternoon's a curse
And five o'clock is even worse

That's when you go downtown
Where the guys are drips
Downtown
Where they rip your slips
Downtown
Where relationships are no go
Down on Skid Row (down on Skid Row)

Down on Skid Row (down on Skid Row)
Down on Skid Row (down on Skid Row)
Down on Skid Row

Poor
All my life I've always been poor
I keep asking God what I'm for
And he tells me "Gee I'm not sure
Sweep that floor, kid"

Oh I started life as an orphan
A child of the street
Here on Skid Row

He took me in
Gave me shelter, a bed
Crust of bread and a job
Treats me like dirt
Calls me a slob which I am

So I live
downtown
That's your home address
You live
downtown
When your life's a mess
You live
downtown
Where depression's just status quo
Down on Skid Row

Someone show me a way to get out of here
'Cause I constantly pray I'll get out of here
Please won't somebody say I'll get out of here
Someone give me my shot or I'll rot here

Show me how and I will, I'll get out of here
(downtown, there's no rules for us)
I'll start climbing uphill and get out of here (downtown, 'cause it's dangerous)
Someone tell me I still can get out of here (downtown, where the rainbow's just a no-show)
Someone tell Lady Luck that I'm stuck here (when you go)

Gee it sure would be swell to get out of here
(downtown, where the sun don't shine)
Bid the gutter farewell and get out of here (downtown, past the bottom line)
I'd move heaven and hell to get out of Skid
(downtown, go ask any wino, he'll know)
I'd do I don't know what to get out of Skid
(downtown)
But a hell of a lot to get out of Skid
(downtown)
People tell me there's not a way out of Skid (downtown)
But believe me I've got to get out of Skid Row

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