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

Sing it, child

Till it's 5 p.m.

Then you go

Downtown, where the folks are broke

You go downtown, where your life's a joke

You go downtown, where you buy a toke and 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 hopheads 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

And uptown you cater to a million whores

Disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors

The jobs are really menial, you make no bread

And then at 5 o'clock you head

By subway

Downtown, where the guys are drips

Where they rip your slips (Downtown)

Where relationships are no-go (Downtown)

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 outta here

'Cause I constantly pray I'll get outta here

Please, won't somebody say I'll get outta here?

Someone gimme my shot or I'll rot here

Show me how, and I will, I'll get outta here (Downtown, there's no rules for us)

I'll start climbing uphill and get outta here (Downtown, 'cause it's dangerous)

Someone tell me I still could get outta here (Downtown, where the rainbow's just a no-show)

Someone tell Lady Luck that I'm stuck here (When you live)

Gee, it sure would be swell to get outta here (Downtown, where the sun don't shine)

Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here (Downtown, past the bottom line)

I'd move Heaven and Hell to get outta Skid (Downtown, go ask any wino, he'll know)

I'd do I don't know what to get outta Skid (Downtown)

But a Hell of a lot to get outta Skid (Downtown)

People tell me there's not a way outta Skid (Downtown)

But believe me, I gotta get outta Skid Row!