[Verse 1]
Alarm goes off at seven
And you start uptown
You put in your eight hours
For the powers that have always been
Until it's five p.m
[Chorus][x2]
Then You go
Downtown
Where the folks are broke
You go Downtown
Where your life's a joke
You go Downtown
When you buy your token, you go
Home to Skid Row
(Home to Skid Row)
[Verse 2]
Oh, Uptown you cater to a million jerks
Uptown you're messengers and mail room clerks
Eating all your lunches at the hot dog carts
The bosses take your money and they break your hearts
Uptown you cater to a million who*es
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors
The jobs are really menial you make no bread
And then at five-o'clock you head
By subway
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
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, down here on Skid Row
He took me in, gave me shelter
A bed, crust of bread and a job
He treats me like dirt, calls me a slob
Which I am
So I live
[Chorus]
[Verse 4]
Someone show me a way to get out of here
Because I constantly pray I'll get out of here
Please won't somebody say I'll get out of here
Someone give me my shot, or I'll rot here
(Downtown)
(There's no rules for us) Show me how and I will, I'll get out of here
(Downtown)
(Because it's dangerous) I'll start climbing up hill and get out of here
(Downtown)
(Where there rainbow just doesn't show) Someone tell me I still could get out of here
Someone tell lady luck that I'm stuck here!
[Bridge]
Gee it sure would be swell to get out of here
Bid the gutter farewell and get out of here
I'd move heaven and hell to get out of Skid
I'd do I don't know what to get out of Skid
[Outro]
(Downtown)
But a hell of a lot to get out of Skid
(Downtown)
People tell me there's not a way out of Skid
(Downtown)
But believe me I've got to get out of Skid Row