"Downtown (Skid Row)" Lyrics

[Woman]
Alarm goes off at seven
and you start uptown.
You put in your eight hours
for the powers that have always been.

[Ronnette]
Sing it, child.

[Woman]
Til it's five p.m.

[Wino #1]
Then you go

[Girls]
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!

[Wino #2]
Yes, you go

[All]
Downtown

[Italian Man]
Where the cabs don't stop.
[All]
Downtown
[Man]
Where the food is slop.
[All]
Downtown
Where the hop-heads flop in the snow!
Down on Skid Row!

[Girls]
Uptown you cater to a million jerks
Uptown your messengers and mailroom clerks
Eatin' 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
Jobs are really meanial, You'll make no bread
And then at five o'clock you head

[Wino #3]
By subway

[All]
Downtown
[Audrey]
Where the guys are drips.
[All]
Downtown
[Audrey]
Where they rip your slips.
Downtown
Where relationships are no-go.

[All]
Down on Skid Row!

[Seymour]
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...

[Others]
Downtown
[Seymour]
That's your home address, ya live
[Others]
Downtown
[Seymour]
When your life's a mess, ya live
[Others]
Downtown
[Seymour]
Where depression's jes' status quo!

[Others]
Down on Skid Row!

[Seymour]
Someone show me a way to get outa here
Cause I constantly pray I'll get outa here
Please won't somebody say I'll get outa here
Someone gimme my shot or I'll rot here!

{lyrics A and B are sung at the same time, C and D will be sung at the same time}

[Seymour](A) [Others] (B)
Show me how and I will, Downtown
I'll get outa here There's no rules for us,
I'll start climbin' up hill Downtown-
and get outa here Cause it's dangerous
Someone tell me I still Downtown
could get outa here Where the rainbow's just
Someone tell lady luck A no-show!
that I'm stuck here When you live...

[Seymour & Audrey] (C) [Others](D)
Gee, it sure would Downtown
be swell Where the sun don't
To get outa here shine!
Bid the gutter fare- Downtown
well Past the bottom
and get outa here line
I'd move heaven and Downtown
hell Go ask any wino,
to get outa Skid He'll know
I'd do I-dunno-what
to get outa Skid,
But a hell of a lot Downtown
to get outa Skid,
People tell me Downtown
theres
not a way outa Skid
But believe me I Downtown
gotta get outa...

[All]
Skid Row!