Come, you ladies and you gentlemen, listen to my song,
Sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong,
Just a little glimpse of a story I'll tell
'Bout an East Coast city that you all know well.
It's hard times, from the country, living down in New York town.
Old New York City is a friendly, old town,
From Washington Heights to Harlem on down.
There's a-mighty many people in the middle and all around,
They'll kick you when you're up and knock you when you're down.
It's hard times, from the country, living down in New York town.
When the weak and the strong and the rich and the poor
Gather there together, ain't room for no more.
Crowded up above and crowded down below,
When someone disappears, you never even know.
And it's hard times, from the country, living down in New York town.
It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
To Rockefeller Plaza and the Empire State.
Mr. Empire sits up as high as a bird
And old Mr. Rockefeller never says a word.
And it's hard times, from the country, living down in New York town.
Well, it's up in the morning trying to find a job of work,
Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt.
If you got a lotta money, you can make yourself merry,
If you only got a nickel, it's the Staten Island Ferry.
And it's hard times, from the country, living down in New York town.
Mr. Hudson come a-sailing down the stream
And old Minu––Mister––et
1 paid for his dream.
He bought your city on a one-way track.
If I had my way, I'd sell
2 it right back.
It's hard times, from the country, living down in New York town.
I'll take all the smog in Ca-li-for-ni-a
3
And every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains
And the dirt in the caves of the Rocky Mountain mines,
It's all much cleaner than the New York kind.
It's hard times, in the country, living down in New York town.
So, all you newsy people, spread the news around,
You can listen to my story, you can listen to my song,
You can step on my name, you can try and get me beat,
When I leave New York, I'll be standing on my feet.
It's hard times, from the country, living down in New York town.
1
Dylan fumbles on the name "Mr. Minuet".
2
Although sell seems most probable here due to the context (i.e. Mr. Minuet "paid" for his dream, "bought" your city), it seems that Dylan either mispronounces "sell" or mixes a few different words together – perhaps sell, send, and/or give.
3
"California" is sounded out syllable by syllable.