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