have you seen the well-to-do
up on lenox avenue
on that famous thoroughfare
with their noses in the air
high hats and arrowed collars 
white spats and fifteen dollars
spending every dime
on a wonderful time

if you're blue and you don't know where to go to
why don't you go where harlem sits
puttin' on the ritz

spangled gowns upon a bevy of high browns
from down the levee, all misfits
puttin' on the ritz

that's where each and ev'ry lulu bell goes
ev'ry thursday ev'ning with her swell [bad word] elbows [bad word] with me and we'll attend their jubilee
and see them spend their last two bits
puttin' on the ritz

have you seen the well-to-do
up on lenox avenue
on that famous thoroughfare
with their noses in the air
high hats and arrowed collars 
white spats and fifteen dollars
spending every dime
for a wonderful time

if you're blue and you don't know where to go to
why don't you go where harlem sits
puttin' on the ritz

spangled gowns upon a bevy of high browns
from down the levee, all misfits
puttin' on the ritz

that's where each and ev'ry lulu bell goes
ev'ry thursday ev'ning with her swell [bad word] elbows [bad word] with me and we'll attend their jubilee
and see them spend their last two bits
puttin' on the ritz