Bb 
Alarm goes off at seven 
         Gm 
And you start uptown 
    Dm 
You put in your eight hours 
        Cm               F      Bb          Gm 
For the powers that have always been 
                 Cm  F 
Till it's five p. m 

Then you go 
Bb 
Downtown 
Where the folks are broke 
       Dm 
You go downtown 

Where your life's a joke 
       Eb 
You go downtown 
                             Gm  F 
When you buy your token, you go 
             Bb 
Home to skid row 
              Gm  F 
(Home to skid row) 

Yes, you go 
Bb 
Downtown 
Where the cabs don't stop 
Dm 
Downtown 
                   
Where the food is slop 
Eb 
Downtown    
                                Gm  F 
Where the hop-heads flop in the snow 
             Bb 
Down on skid row 
    Gm                     
Oh, uptown you cater to a million jerks 
Uptown you're messengers and mailroom clerks 
Cm 
Eating all your lunches at the hot dog carts 
    F 
The bosses take your money and they break your hearts 
Gm 
Uptown you cater to a million whores 
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors 
    Cm 
The jobs are really menial you make no bread 
    Gm                       F 
And then at five-o'clock you head 
By subway 
Bb 
Downtown 
Where the guys are drips 
Dm 
Downtown 
Where they rip your slips 
Eb 
Downtown 
                           Gm  F 
Where relationships are no go 
             Bb 
Down on skid row 
Down on skid row 
             Gm 
Down on skid row 
Down on skid row 
             Eb 
Down on skid 
Down on skid row 
             Cm  F 
Down on skid row! 
G                                  Eb 
Poor, all my life I've always been poor 
                           Gm 
I keep askin' god what I'm for 
                              F 
And he tells me: Gee, I'm not sure 
Dm         F 
Sweep that floor, kid! 
Cm                       Gm 
Oh! I started life as an orphan 
                                         Cm 
A child of the street, down here on skid row! 
                       Gm 
He took me in, gave me shelter 
                F#m              F 
A bed, crust of bread and a job 
                        Em 
He treats me like dirt, calls me a slob 
        F 
Which I am 

So I live 
Bb 
Downtown 
That's your home address, you live 
Dm 
Downtown 
When your life's a mess, you live 
Eb 
Downtown 
                               Gm  F 
Where depression's just status quo 

Down on skid row 
Bb 
Someone show me a way to get outta here 
Dm 
'Cause I constantly pray I'll get outta here 
Eb 
Please won't somebody say I'll get outta here 
Bb                    F                               
Someone gimmie my shot, or I'll rot here! 
Bb 
(Downtown) 
(There's no rules for us) show me how and I will, I'll get outta here 
Dm 
(Downtown) 
('Cause it's dangerous) I'll start climbin' up hill and get outta here 
Eb      
(Downtown) 
                                  Gm    F 
(Where there rainbow just doesn't show) 
Someone tell me I still could get outta here 
Someone tell lady luck that I'm stuck here! 
Bb 
Gee it sure would be swell to get outta here 
Dm 
Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here 
Eb 
I'd move heaven and hell to get outta skid 
Gm                      F        
I'd do I don't know what to get outta skid 

Bb 
(Downtown) 
But a hell of a lot to get outta skid 
Dm 
(Downtown) 
People tell me there's not a way outta skid 
Eb 
(Downtown) 
But believe me I gotta get outta skid 
Bb 
Row!