[Verse 1]
There's a hot sun shining on the roadway
Going home and its 8am
I've been out all night
With the boys from home
I seem to spend a lot of time with them
One of them comes from my hometown
But the rest are from far and near
Following their daddy's footsteps
And trying to make themselves a new life out here
[Verse 2]
And there's a cold wind blowing down the alley tonight
I'm going out at it's 10pm
We'll be out all night
With the girls from home
I seem to spend a lot of time with them
We'd give anything to be in Ireland
But there's nothing for us there but tears
And does anyone in Glocca Morra ever wonder
How are things with us out here?
[Chorus]
The ups and downs
Of a big old town
They'll hit you like a freight train here
You've got to learn to stand
On your own two feet
But it's hard sometimes with all the beer
There's always someone standing behind you
Emigration or internal revenue
And I'm slowly going downhill
Walking up Bainbridge Avenue
[Verse 3]
Some of us are going
To a night cla**
To get a qualification or two
Because we just can't walk
Into the police department
Like our old folks used to do
In my hometown
They can't field a football team
Because the whole bloody league's over here!
So we help each other
Keep our act together
And we watch our people march every year
[Chorus]
The ups and downs
Of a big old town
They'll hit you like a freight train here
You've got to learn to stand
On your own two feet
But it's hard sometimes with all the beer
There's always someone standing behind you
Emigration or internal revenue
And I'm slowly going downhill
Walking up Bainbridge Avenue
[Verse 4]
At home we're just not wanted
But we don't really mind
They're only five short hours ahead
But a hundred years behind
And two guys in my house
Work in Wall Street
Because they did their homework back home
And one of my sisters
Works for IBM
So it's a good life out here for some
And all the bars in the village
Are open all night
And we go back to hear the music play!
So we stay here on
The streets of New York city
Till the Earls can fly home one day
[Chorus]
The ups and downs
Of a big old town
They'll hit you like a freight train here
You've got to learn to stand
On your own two feet
But it's hard sometimes with all the whiskey and beer
There's always someone standing behind you
Emigration or internal revenue
And I'm slowly going downhill
Walking up Bainbridge Avenue
[Outro]
Yeah, we're slowly going downhill
Walking up Bainbridge Avenue...