Skid Row

Alarm goes off at seven
And you start up-town
You put in your eight hours
For the powers
That have always been

'Til it's five-pm

Then you go

Downtown
Where the folks are broke
You go downtown
Where your life's a joke
You go downtown
Where you buy a token
You go downtown
Home to Skid Row

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
And uptown you cater to a million whores
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors
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

Poor
All my life, I've always been poor
I keep askin' 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, you live
(Downtown)
When your life's a mess, you 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 gimmie my shot, or I'll rot here

(Downtown)
Show me how and I will, I'll get outta here (There's no rules for us)
(Downtown)
I'll start climbin' up hill and get outta here ('Cause it's dangerous)
(Downtown)
Someone tell me I still could get outta here (Where there rainbow just doesn't show)
Someone tell lady luck that I'm stuck here! (When you get)

(Downtown)
Gee, it sure would be swell to get outta here (Downtown)
Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here (Downtown)
I'd move heaven and hell to get outta Skid (Downtown)
I'd do I don't know 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 (Downtown)
Row!