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 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 [bad word] 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 [bad word] 
You try hard and you die hard -
Nobody gives a [bad word] 

Here's a dime, boy,
Gimme a shine, boy.
Down and out in New York City
Ain't nowhere to be,
Where can you go
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 go
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 [bad word] 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.