Hard Times In New York Town (Demo - 1961)

Come you ladies and you gentlemen, 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

And it's hard times in the country
Living 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 and a million all around
They'll kick you when you're up and knock you when you're down

And it's hard times in the country
Living down in New York town

When the weak and the strong
And the rich and the poor
Gather together and you roofin' 'em all
Crowded up above and crowded down below
And someone disappears and you never even know

And it's hard times from the country
Living down in New York town

It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
To Rockefeller Plaza n' the Empire State
Mister Empire sets up as high as a bird
And old mister Rockefeller never says a word

It's hard times from the country
Living down in New York town

Well, it's up in the mornin' tryin' to find a job of work
Stand in one place 'til your feet begin to hurt
If you got a lot of 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 country
Living down in New York town

Mister Hudson come a-sailin' down the stream
And old Minuet Mister had paid for his dream
Bought your city on a one-way track
If I had my way I'd sell it right back

And it's hard times in the country
Living down in New York town

I'll take all the smog in California
And every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains
And 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 country
Living down in New York town

So all you newsy people, let's spread the news around
You can listen to my story, you can listen to my song
You can step on my name, you can try 'n' get me beat
When I leave New York, I'll be standing on my feet

And it's hard times in the country
Living down in New York town