Song Lyrics

Life and death in an alley way
Just a heartbeat away from a ma-a-an
Who's learned to turn his head away
From the pai-ain that drai-ains the la-and
Harlem's not too far from here
You can smell the garbage, feel the fear
I hear they're gonna build a skyscraper there-ere
As if we didn't need the extra air-air

[Chorus]
New York City blue-ues
In order to wi-in, you've got to lo-o-ose
Old before your ti-ime
The dirt and the gri-ime get into everythi-ing
And the papers love to say-ay-ay
It's the meanest town in the USA
But I think it's okay
It's the town I've ma-ade my home

On another side of Park Avenue
Respectable folks don't know-ow-ow
Hungry eyes take in the view
Of the wor-orld that lay-ays them low-ow
Too many years on a welfare line
The old song and da-ance, ti-ime after time
You can only get so pushed arou-ound
Until you want to tear the damn thing dow-own
Tear it dow-own

[Chorus x 2]

Neil Sedaka, Philip Cody

The duration of New York City Blues is 4:18 minutes and seconds.