Skid Row (Downtown) lyrics

[CRYSTAL]
Alarm goes off at seven
And you start uptown
You put in your eight hours
For the powers that have always been

[RONETTE, spoken]
Sing it, child

[CRYSTAL]
Till it's five P.M

[WINO #1]
Then you go

[CRYSTAL, RONNETE, CHIFFON]
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 #1]
Yes, you go
[COMPANY]
Downtown

[CRYSTAL]
Where the cabs don't stop

[COMPANY]
Downtown

[MUSHNIK]
Where the food is slop

[COMPANY]
Downtown
Where the hop-heads flop
In the snow
Down on Skid Row

[GIRLS]
Uptown you cater to a million j*rks
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

Uptown you cater to a million whores
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors
Your morning's tribulation
Afternoon's a curse
And five o'clock is even worse
[WINO #1]
That's when you go

[COMPANY]
Downtown

[AUDREY]
Where the guys are drips

[COMPANY]
Downtown

[AUDREY]
Where they rip your slips

[COMPANY]
Downtown

[AUDREY]
Where relationships are no-go
Down on Skid Row

[COMPANY]
Down on Skid Row

[AUDREY]
Down on Skid Row
[COMPANY]
Down on Skid Row

[AUDREY]
Down on Skid Row

[COMPANY]
Down on Skid Row

[AUDREY & COMPANY]
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

[COMPANY]
Downtown

[SEYMOUR]
That's your home address, ya live

[COMPANY]
Downtown

[SEYMOUR]
When your life's a mess, ya live

[COMAPNY]
Downtown

[SEYMOUR]
Where depression's just status quo

[COMPANY]
Down on Skid Row

[SEYMOUR]
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 gimme my shot or I'll rot here

[SEYMOUR]
(simultaneously)
Show me how and I will, I'll get outta here

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown there's no rules for us

[SEYMOUR]
(simultaneously)
I’ll start climbing up hill and get outta here

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown 'cause it's dangerous

[SEYMOUR]
(simultaneously)
Someone tell me I still could get outta here

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown where the rainbow's just a no-show

[SEYMOUR]
(simultaneously)
Someone tell Lady Luck that I’m stuck here

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
When you live

[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Gee, it sure would be swell to get outta here

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown
Where the sun don't shine

[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
(simultaneously)
Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown
That's the bottom line

[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
(simultaneously)
I'd move heaven and hell to get outta Skid

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown
Go ask any wino, he'll know

[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
(simultaneously)
I'll do I dunno what to get outta Skid

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown

[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
But a hell of a lot to get outta Skid

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown

[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
(simultaneously)
People tell me there's not a way outta Skid

[COMPANY]
(simultaneously)
Downtown

[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
(simultaneously)
But believe me, I gotta get outta

[ALL]
Skid Row