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