Song Lyrics

Alarm goes off at seven
And you start uptown
You put in your eight hours
For the powers that have always been
Till it's five P.M.

Then you go

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)

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
Mail room 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

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!)

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

Downtown

That's your home address
Ya live

Downtown

When your life's a mess
Ya live

Downtown

Where depressions' jes'
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 gimme my shot or I'll
Rot here

Downtown

Show me how and I will, I'll get outta here

Downtown, 'cause it's dangerous

I'll start climbing up hill and get outta here

Downtown, where the rainbow's just a no-show!

Someone tell me I still could get outta here
Someone tell lady luck that I'm stuck here

When you live
Downtown, where the sun don't shine

Gee it sure would be swell to get outta here

Downtown, past the bottom line

Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here

Downtown, go ask any wino, he'll know

I'd move heaven and he'll to get outta skid

Downtown

I'd do I dunno 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

Row!

Alan Menken, Howard Elliott Ashman

The duration of Act 1. Skid Row (Downtown) is 4:05 minutes and seconds.