Lyrics Down and Out in New York City (version with Spoken intro) - James Brown

Say, brother
Can I borrow a fan, brother, you know
Say, say, say
I'd sure like just a dime
So I can buy some coffee and snacks
I guess I'd better stop trying to be hip and get on down
Hey man, you know...
I was born in New York City
Saved by the night on a Monday
Trying to shoot the news
Not a bad cat, not a bad hat
Doing me a real big favor
Forget the bad cats and the bad hats
Playing it all real good
And a damn boy give me a shine, boy, ha!
When a cold wind comes in New, New York City
And the street's no place to be but there you are
So you try hard or die hard
No one really gives a damn to try hard
And to die hard, no one give a damn
And a damn boy give me a shine, boy, ha!
Down and out in New York City
This ain't no way to be
Oh boy, letting you go
When you're down and out in New York City
Never, never, never gonna get that way again
No... not me, when you need a friend
You need to have her
When you want a friend
Gonna get myself together in the morning
Gonna leave it all
I want my dream
All the bad cats and the bad hats
Doing me a real big favor
You've got the bad cats and the bad hats
Paying me all real good
And a damn boy give me a shine, boy, ha!
Give me a shine, boy
Down and out in New York City
This ain't no way to be
Oh boy, letting you go
When you're down and out in New York City
Never, never, never gonna get that way again
No... not me, when you need a friend
Troubled mind
When you need a friend
You've got a troubled mind
Ain't nobody gonna give you one thin dime
Friends can be cruel sometimes
And be sweet, but what?
What bugs a man, what hurts a man
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
Horton and 25th Street
Bricks
8th Avenue...