Downtown (Skid Row) Songtext
von Alan Menken

Alarm goes off at seven
and you start up-town.
You put in your eight hours
for the powers
that have always been.
(Sing it child)
′Til it's five-pm...

"Then you go..."

Downtown
Where the folks are broke. You go
Downtown
Where your life′s a joke. You go
Downtown
Where you buy a token. You go...
Home to Skid Row.
Home to Skid Row.

"Yes you go..."


Downtown
Where the cabs don't stop.
Downtown
Where the food is slop.
Downtown
Where the hop-heads flop in the snow...
Down on Skid Row.

Uptown you cater to a million jerks.
Uptown you're messengers and mailroom clerks.
Eating all your lunches at the hot-dog carts.
The bosses take your money and they break your hearts.
Uptown you cater to a million whores.
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors.
Morning′s tribulation, afternoon′s a curse
And five o'clock is even worse

"That′s when you go..."


(Downtown)
Audrey: Where the guys are drips.
(Downtown)
Audrey: Where they rip your slips.
(Downtown)
Audrey: Where relationships are no go.
Down on Skid Row. Poor, all my life I've always been poor.
I keep askin′ God what I'm for.
And he tells me, "Gee, I′m not sure."
"Sweep that floor, kid!"
Oh! I started life as an orphan,
A child of the street, here on Skid
Row! He took me in gave me shelter
A bed, crust of bread and a job.
Treats me like dirt, calls me a slob,
Which I am...
So I live

(Downtown)
Seymour: That's your home address, you live
(Downtown)
Seymour: When your life's a mess, you live
(Downtown)
Seymour: Where depression′s just status quo.
(Down on Skid Row.)

Seymour: Someone show me a way to get outta here.
′Cause I constantly pray I'll get outta here.
Please won′t somebody say I'll get outta here.
Someone gimmie my shot, or I′ll rot here!

(Downtown)
Show me how and I will, I'll get outta here.
(There′s no rules for us)
(Downtown)
I'll start climbin' up hill and get outta here.
(′Cause it′s dangerous)
(Downtown)
Someone tell me I still could get outta here.
(Where there rainbow just doesn't show)
Someone tell lady luck that I′m stuck here!
(When you get...)

(Downtown)
Seymour and Audrey:
Gee it sure would be swell to get outta here.
Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here.
I'd move heaven and hell to get outta Skid.
I′d do I don't know what to get outta Skid.
But a hell of a lot to get outta Skid.
People tell me there′s not a way outta Skid.
But believe me I gotta get outta Skid
Row!