Down and Out in the New York City
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Gonna move ahead about twenty years now
From the early '50s to the early '70s
For a brief time, there was a film genre called "blaxploitation"
Critics didn't think much of it, but
There were some important messages in those movies
And some of the great theme songs came from them
Like Isaac Hayes' "Shaft"
Curtis Mayfield's "Super Fly"
Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man"
Bobby Womack's "Cross 110th Street"
And this one from the legendary James Brown
Theme song to "Black Caesar"
Called "Down and Out in New York City"
I was born in New York City on a Monday
Seamed I was shining shoes Tuesday noon (New York City)
All the fat cats in the bad hats doing me a real big favor
You got the fat cats in the bad hats laying it on real good
Here's a dime, boy, give me a shine, boy
'Cause you're down and out in New York City
Ain't no place to be, but where can you go?
When you're down and out in New York City
I ain't never gonna get that way again
No, no
Ain't never, never
Gonna get that way again
Come, come, come live in New York City
Street's no place to be, but there you are (New York City)
Try hard or you die hard
Nobody really gives a good thing
Try hard or you die hard
Nobody gives a damn
Here's a dime, boy, give me a shine, boy
Oh, you're down and out in New York City
Ain't no place to be (Ain't no place to be), but where can you go?
'Cause you're down and out in New York City
I ain't never gonna get that way again
Gonna get myself together in the morning
Leave it all behind like old bad dreams
New York City
Fat cat in the bad hat
Do me a real big favor
Fat cat in the bad hat
Lay it on real good
It's a dime, boy (Oh)
Gimme a sign, boy (Gimme a sign, boy)
'Cause you're down and out
In New York City
Ain't no place to be (Ain't no place to be)
But where can you go?
You're down and out (Down and out)
Out (In New York City), New York
I said you're down (Down and out)
You're out (In New York City), New York
Ain't no place to be (Down and out)
(In New York City)
Try hard (Down and out)
Try hard, yeah (In New York City)
Try hard, try hard
Nobody (Down and out), nobody (In New York City)
Nobody gives a good damn
Down and out (Nobody), in New York City
When you're down and out in New York City
When you're down and out in New York City