I was born in
New York City on a Monday
I was out shining shoes
By Tuesday noon
All the bad cats in the bad hats
Doing me a real big favor
Got the bad cats in the bad hats
Laying it on real good
Here's a dime, boy
Gimme a shine, boy
When the cold wind comes
It lives in New York City
And the street's no place to be
But there you are
So you try hard or you die hard
No one really gives a good damn
You try hard and you die hard
Nobody gives a damn
Here's a dime, boy
Gimme a shine, boy
Down and out in New York City
Ain't nowhere to be
Where can you do when you're
Down and out in New York City
Never, never, never
Gonna get that way again
No, no, no, no, no, not me
When you need a friend
Need to have a
When you want a friend
Gonna get myself together
In the morning
Gonna leave it all
I want that dream
All the bad cats in the bad hats
Doing me a real big favor
Got the bad cats in the bad hats
Laying it on real good
Here's a dime, boy
Gimme a shine, boy
Gimme a shine, boy
Gimme a shine, hey
Down and out in New York City
Ain't nowhere to be
Where can you do when you're
Down and out in New York City
Said I'm never, never, never
Gonna get that way again
No, no, no, no, not me
When you need a friend
Troubled mind
When you need a friend
Got a troubled mind
Ain't nobody gonna
Give you one thin dime
Friends can be cruel sometimes
Can be sweet but what
What bugs a man, what hurts a man
Is when you give him a drink
Just can't get nothing to eat
That's New York City
That's New York City
New York City
One-hundred and twenty-five street
The bricks, Eight Avenue