Hard times in New York town (intro)

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1. Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-listen to my song,

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sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong,

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just a little glimpse of a story I'll tell,

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'bout an East Coast city that you all know well.

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It's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

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2. Old New York City is a friendly old town,

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from Washington Heights to Harlem on down,

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there's a-mighty many people all millin' all around,

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they'll kick you when you're up, and knock you when you're down.

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It's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

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3. Well, the weak and the strong and the rich and the poor,

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gather together there, ain't room for no more,

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crowded up above and crowded down below,

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if someone disappears, you never even know.

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And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

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4. It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate

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to Rockefeller Plaza n' the Empire State,

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Mister Empire sets up as high as a bird,

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and old Mister Rockefeller never says a word.

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It's hard times from the country, livin' down in New York town.

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5. Well, it's up in the mornin' tryin' to find a job of work,

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stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt,

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if you got a lot o' money you can make yourself merry,

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if you only got a nickel, it's the Staten Island Ferry.

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And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

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6. Mister Hudson come a-sailin' down the stream,

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and old Mister Minuet paid for his dream´,

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bought your city on a one-way track,

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if I had my way, I'd sell it right back.

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And it's hard times from the country, livin' down in New York town.

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7. I'll take all the smog in Cal-i-for-ne-ay,

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'n' every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains,

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'n' the dirt in the caves of the Rocky Mountain mines,

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it's all much cleaner than the New York kind.

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And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

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8. So all you newsy people, spread the news around,

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you c'n listen to m' story, listen to m' song,

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you c'n step on my name, you c'n try 'n' get me beat,

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when I leave New York, I'll be standin' on my feet.

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And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

(orig. = capo 4th) (Bob Dylan)