Alarm goes off at seven And you start uptown You put in your eight hours For the powers that have always been Till it's five P.M Then You go Downtown Where the folks are broke Downtown Where your life's a joke Downtown When you buy your token You go Home to skid row Yes, you go Downtown Where the cabs don't stop Downtown Where the food is slop Downtown Where the hop-heads 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 Uptown you cater to a million who*es You disinfect terrazzo on their Bathroom floors Your morning's tribulation Afternoon's a curse And five o'clock is even worse That's when you go Downtown Where the guys are drips Downtown Where they rip your slips Downtown Where relationships are no go 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 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 Ya live Downtown When your life's a mess Ya 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 Downtown There's no rules for us Downtown 'Cause it's dangerous Downtown Where the rainbow's jus a no-show Downtown Where the sun don't shine Downtown Past the bottom line Downtown Go ask any wino, he'll know I'll do I dunno 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