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Skid Row (Downtown) Lyrics
[WOMAN]
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.
[BUM 1]
Then You go
[COMPANY]
Downtown
Where the folks are broke.
Downtown
Where your life's a joke.
Downtown
When you buy your token,
you go
Home to skid row.
[BUM 2]
Yes, you go
[COMPANY]
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
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
[BUM 3]
That's when you go
[COMPANY]
Downtown
Downtown
Downtown
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row!
[AUDREY]
Where the guys are drips.
Where they rip your slips.
Where relationships are no go.
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
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
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR]
Where depressions' jes'
Status Quo.
[COMPANY]
Down on skid row
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.
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
There's no rules for us.
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
'Cause it's dangerous.
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Where the rainbow's jus a no-show
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Where the sun don't
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Past the bottom line
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
Go ask any wino, he'll know
I'll do I dunno what to get outa skid
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
But a hell of a lot to get outa skid
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
People tell me there's not a way outa skid
[COMPANY]
Downtown
[SEYMOUR & AUDREY]
But believe me I gotta get outa skid
[ALL]
Row!
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.
Downtown
Where your life's a joke.
Downtown
When you buy your token,
you go
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're messengers and
mailroom clerks
eating all your lunches at the
hot dog carts.
The bosses take your money
And they break your hearts.
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
Downtown
Downtown
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row
Down on skid row!
Where the guys are drips.
Where they rip your slips.
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
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.
Downtown
There's no rules for us.
Downtown
'Cause it's dangerous.
Downtown
Where the rainbow's jus a no-show
Downtown
Where the sun don't
Downtown
Past the bottom line
Downtown
Go ask any wino, he'll know
I'll do I dunno what to get outa skid
Downtown
But a hell of a lot to get outa skid
Downtown
People tell me there's not a way outa skid
Downtown
But believe me I gotta get outa skid
Row!
Song Info
Submitted by
fallacies On Jun 20, 2002
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Dentist
Da-Doo
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I think this song looses alot of meaning when you simply say its a metaphor. Anyone who has ever lived "downtown" realises the struggles portrayed here are not states of mind but are a harsh reality. And I think the song is pointing out how much environment has to do with one's success or overall happiness, which is critical to the movie. However, I do agree with your point lilacsweetie. I just think the meanings run parallel. Personally, this is my favorite song from the movie. I actually feel moved when the street people slowly shuffle along chanting "downtown".
Oh man, I love this song! I sing it to myself everytime I go walking on the estate I live. It's pretty much the same as Skid Row. These lyrics are kind of obvious, I reckon. It's just about a place in town where everybody has low spirits and they have no oppurtunity, just a rubbish life. (By the way that should be "where the sun don't shine")
i do hope that the person who posted above me realizes that "downtown" and the entire play are a huge metaphor. downtown is a state of mind where you are just extremely low and everything is going. and uptown is basically where you have to go to escape downtown but it still sucks.