Hard Times in New York Town - Witmark Demo - 1962

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