Songwriter: Bob Dylan
[Verse 1]
Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-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
It’s hard times in the city
Living’ down in New York town
[Verse 2]
Old New York City is a friendly old town
From Washington Heights to Harlem on down
There’s a-mighty many people all milling’ all around
They’ll kick you when you’re up and knock you when you’re down
It’s hard times in the city
Living’ down in New York town
[Verse 3]
It’s a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
To Rockefeller Plaza ’n’ the Empire State
Mister Rockefeller sets up as high as a bird
Old Mister Empire never says a word
It’s hard times from the country
Living down in New York town
[Verse 4]
Well, it’s up in the morning trying to find a job of work
Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt
If you got a lot o’ 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 city
Living down in New York town
[Verse 5]
Mister Hudson come a-sailing down the stream
And old Mister Minuet paid for his dream
Bought your city on a one-way track
’F I had my way I’d sell it right back
And it’s hard times in the city
Living down in New York town
[Verse 6]
I’ll take all the smog in Cal-i-for-ne-ay
’N’ every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains
’N’ 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 city
Living down in New York town
[Verse 7]
So all you newsy people, spread the news around
You can listen to m’ story, listen to m’ 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 city
Living down in New York town
Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-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
It’s hard times in the city
Living’ down in New York town
[Verse 2]
Old New York City is a friendly old town
From Washington Heights to Harlem on down
There’s a-mighty many people all milling’ all around
They’ll kick you when you’re up and knock you when you’re down
It’s hard times in the city
Living’ down in New York town
[Verse 3]
It’s a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
To Rockefeller Plaza ’n’ the Empire State
Mister Rockefeller sets up as high as a bird
Old Mister Empire never says a word
It’s hard times from the country
Living down in New York town
[Verse 4]
Well, it’s up in the morning trying to find a job of work
Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt
If you got a lot o’ 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 city
Living down in New York town
[Verse 5]
Mister Hudson come a-sailing down the stream
And old Mister Minuet paid for his dream
Bought your city on a one-way track
’F I had my way I’d sell it right back
And it’s hard times in the city
Living down in New York town
[Verse 6]
I’ll take all the smog in Cal-i-for-ne-ay
’N’ every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains
’N’ 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 city
Living down in New York town
[Verse 7]
So all you newsy people, spread the news around
You can listen to m’ story, listen to m’ 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 city
Living down in New York town
more tracks from the album
The Bootleg Series, Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964
- Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Demo)
- All Over You
- Long Ago, Far Away
- Man on the Street
- Standing on the Highway
- Ballad for a Friend
- Poor Boy Blues
- John Brown
- Seven Curses
- Only a Hobo
- I’d Hate to Be You on That Dreadful Day
- Long Time Gone
- Farewell
- Man on the Street (Fragment)
- Hard Times in New York Town
- Bound to Lose, Bound to Win
- Talking Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues
- Guess I’m Doing Fine
- Ain’t Gonna Grieve
- Gypsy Lou
- Whatcha Gonna Do?
- Hero Blues
- Paths of Victory
- Walkin’ Down the Line
- Quit Your Low Down Ways
- Oxford Town
- Bob Dylan’s Dream
- Bob Dylan’s Blues
- Girl from the North Country
- A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
- Blowin’ in the Wind
- Mr. Tambourine Man
- Masters of War
- I Shall Be Free
- Let Me Die in My Footsteps
- Rambling Gambling Willie
- Baby, I’m in the Mood for You
- I’ll Keep It with Mine
- Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
- Mama, You Been on My Mind
- The Death of Emmett Till
- When the Ship Comes In
- Boots of Spanish Leather
- Ballad of Hollis Brown
- Talkin’ John Birch Paranoid Blues
- The Times They Are A-Changin’
From the album
Bob Dylan popular songs
- Murder Most Foul
- Blowin’ in the Wind
- The Times They Are A-Changin’
- All Along the Watchtower
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Make You Feel My Love
- Hurricane
- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
- Mr. Tambourine Man
- A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
- Subterranean Homesick Blues
- Desolation Row
- Tangled Up in Blue
- Masters of War
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
- It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
- Girl from the North Country
- Tempest
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
- Ballad of a Thin Man
- Visions of Johanna
- I Contain Multitudes
- To Fall in Love with You
- Shelter from the Storm