Smoke over the city’s soul 
Pollutes our sons and daughters 
You can fall asleep on sheets of gold 
And still wake up a pauper 

We all get old 
We all slow down 
As the walls they close 
We fall we’re drowning 

I need some breathing space 
I won’t grow old with grace 
I need some breathing space 
I can’t keep living straight... 

We ain’t gonna linger and lie low 
When there’s hard [bad word] back 
No way I’ll just sit here when I know 
That there’s hard [bad word] back 

Hard hard cash 
Don’t want no easy money 

Money couldn’t buy me happiness 
Just a prettier misery 
There’s a price to pay 
For a life of luxury 

The air is thin 
The glare the smoke and 
The wear within 
It tears it’s choking 

I need some breathing space 
I won’t grow old with grace 
I need some breathing space 
I can’t keep living straight... 

We ain’t gonna linger and lie low 
When there’s hard [bad word] back 
No way I’ll just sit here when I know 
That there’s hard [bad word] back 

Hard hard cash 
Don’t want no easy money 

And now that we have all arrived 
My friends get in your cars and drive