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Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-listen to my song
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Sing it to you right, but you might think it’s wrong
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Just a little glimpse of a story I’ll tell
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’Bout an East Coast city that you all know well
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It’s hard times in the country
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Livin’ down in New York town
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Old New York City is a friendly old town
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From Washington Heights to Harlem on down
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There’s a-mighty many people all millin’ all around
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They’ll kick you when you’re up and knock you when you’re down
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It’s hard times in the country
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Livin’ down in New York town
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It’s a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
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To Rockefeller Plaza ’n’ the Empire State.
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Mister Empire sets up as high as a bird
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Old Mister Rockefeller never says a word
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It’s hard times from the country
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Livin’ down in New York town
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Well, it’s up in the mornin’ tryin’ to find a job of work
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Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt
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If you got a lot o’ money you can make yourself merry
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If you only got a nickel, it’s the Staten Island Ferry
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And it’s hard times in the country
G# C#
Livin’ down in New York town
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Mister Hudson come a-sailin’ down the stream
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And old Mister Minuet paid for his dream
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Bought your city on a one-way track
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’F# I had my way I’d sell it right back
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And it’s hard times in the country
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Livin’ down in New York town
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I’ll take all the smog in Cal-i-for-ne-ay
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’N’ every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains
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’N’ the dirt in the caves of the Rocky Mountain mines
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It’s all much cleaner than the New York kind
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And it’s hard times in the country
G# C#
Livin’ down in New York town
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So all you newsy people, spread the news around
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You c’n listen to m’ story, listen to m’ song
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You c’n step on my name, you c’n try ’n’ get me beat
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When I leave New York, I’ll be standin’ on my feet
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And it’s hard times in the country
G# C# F# G# C#
Livin’ down in New York town