Hard Times In New York Town

Bob Dylan

Tom: G

                      G                       C                  G
    Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-listen to my song,
      G                 C                    G
    sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong,
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    just a little glimpse of a story I'll tell,
                    G                                  C              D
    'bout an East Coast city that you all know well.
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    It's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

             G             C            G
    Old New York City is a friendly old town,
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    from Washington Heights to Harlem on down,
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    there's a-mighty many people all millin' all around,
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    they'll kick you when you're up, and knock you when you're down.
           G                                C   G                    D             G
    It's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

                      G                    C                   G
    Well, the weak and the strong and the rich and the poor,
     G            C                          G
    gather together there, ain't room for no more,
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    crowded up above and crowded down below,
        G                                        C                  D
    if someone disappears, you never even know.
                  G                                C   G                    D             G
    And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

               G                 C                    G
    It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
          G                 C                G
    to Rockefeller Plaza n' the Empire State,
                 G         C               G
    Mister Empire sets up as high as a bird,
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    and old Mister Rockefeller never says a word.
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    It's hard times from the country, livin' down in New York town.

                   G               C                    G
    Well, it's up in the mornin' tryin' to find a job of work,
      G                  C                   G
    stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt,
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    if you got a lot o' money you can make yourself merry,
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    if you only got a nickel, it's the Staten Island Ferry.
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    And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

                 G          C          G
    Mister Hudson come a-sailin' down the stream,
            G               C         G
    and old Mister Minuet paid for his dream´,
       G                C            G
    bought your city on a one-way track,
          G                       C               D
    if I had my way, I'd sell it right back.
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    And it's hard times from the country, livin' down in New York town.

         G                   C         G
    I'll take all the smog in Cal-i-for-ne-ay,
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    'n' every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains,
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    'n' the dirt in the caves of the Rocky Mountain mines,
          G                                        C             D
    it's all much cleaner than the New York kind.
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    And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.

          G                      C            G
    So all you newsy people, spread the news around,
                  G                C      G
    you c'n listen to m' story, listen to m' song,
                   G               C                   G
    you c'n step on my name, you c'n try 'n' get me beat,
                 G                                   C                     D
    when I leave New York, I'll be standin' on my feet.
                  G                                C   G                    D             G
    And it's hard times in the country, livin' down in New York town.