[00:05.78] Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-listen to my song.
[00:07.24] Sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong.
[00:10.44] Just a little glimpse of a story I'll tell
[00:12.31] Bout an East Coast city that you all know well.
[00:14.59] It's hard times in the city,
[00:16.82] Livin' down in New York town.
[00:20.14] Old New York City is a friendly old town,
[00:22.45] From Washington Heights to Harlem on down.
[00:24.12] There's a-mighty many people all millin' all around,
[00:26.47]They'll kick you when you're up and knock you when you're down.
[00:28.55] It's hard times in the city,
[00:30.96] Livin' down in New York town.
[00:36.04] It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
[00:38.39] To Rockefeller Plaza n' the Empire State.
[00:40.46]Mister Rockefeller sets up as high as a bird,
[00:42.93] Old Mister Empire never says a word.
[00:45.01]It's hard times from the country,
[00:47.68] Livin' down in New York town.
[00:52.71]Well, it's up in the mornin' tryin' to fins a job of work.
[00:55.08] Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt.
[00:57.64] If you go a lot o' money you can make yourself merry,
[01:00.07] If you only got a nickel, it's the Staten Island Ferry.
[01:02.24]And it's hard times in the city,
[01:04.45] Livin' down in New York town.
[01:08.88] Mister Hudson come a-sailin' down the stream
[01:10.86] And old Mister Minuet paid for his dream.
[01:12.95] Bought your city on a one-way track,
[01:15.06] 'F I had my way I'd sell it right back.
[01:17.16] And it's hard times in the city,
[01:19.22] Livin' down in New York town.
[01:23.23] I'll take all the smog in Cal-i-for-ne-ay,
[01:25.49] 'N' every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains,
[01:27.58]'N' the dirt in the caves of the Rocky Mountain mines.
[01:30.04] It's all much cleaner than the New York kind.
[01:32.20] And it's hard times in the city,
[01:34.36] Livin' down in New York town.
[01:40.31]So all you newsy people, spread the news around,
[01:42.59] You c'n listen to m' story, listen to m' song.
[01:44.76] You c'n step on my name, you c'n try 'n' get me beat,
[01:47.09]When I leave New York, I'll be standin' on my feet.
[01:49.11]And it's hard times in the city,
[01:51.37]Livin' down in New York town.