Hard Times In New York Town

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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, 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, livin' down in New York town.

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    Well, the weak and the strong and the rich and the poor,
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    gather together there, ain't room for no more,
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    crowded up above and crowded down below,
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    if someone disappears, you never even know.
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    And it's hard times in the country, 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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    and old Mister Rockefeller never says a word.
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    It's hard times from the country, 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, 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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    if I had my way, I'd sell it right back.
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    And it's hard times from the country, 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, 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, livin' down in New York town.