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Skid Row (Downtown)

by Howard Ashman

on Little Shop of Horrors (1982) Little Shop of Horrors (2003)

b>Soloist:
Alarm goes off at seven
And you start uptown
You put in your eight hours
For the powers that have always been
(Sing it, child)
Till it's five P.M.

Company:
Then you go
Downtown
Where the folks are broke, you go
Downtown
Where your life's a joke, you go
Downtown
Where you buy a token, you go
Home to Skid Row
(Home to Skid Row)

Yes, you go
Downtown
Where the cabs don't stop
Downtown
Where the food is slop
Downtown
Where the hopheads flop in the snow
Down on Skid Row

Uptown you cater to a million jerks
Uptown you're messengers and mailroom clerks
Eating all your lunches at the hot dog carts
The bosses take your money and they break your hearts
And uptown you cater to a million whores
You disinfect terrazzo on their bathroom floors
The jobs are really menial, you make no bread
And then at five o'clock, you head
By subway

Audrey:
Downtown
Where the guys are drips
(Downtown)
Where they rip your slips
(Downtown)
Where relationships are no go
Down on Skid Row
(Down on Skid Row)
Down on Skid Row
(Down on Skid Row)
Down on Skid Row
(Down on Skid Row)
Down on Skid Row

Seymour:
Poor, all my life I've always been poor
I keep askin' God what I'm for
And he tells me, "Gee, I'm not sure
Sweep that floor, kid
Oh, I started life as an orphan
A child of the street, here on Skid Row
He took me in, gave me shelter
A bed, crust of bread, and a job
Treats me like dirt, calls me a slob, which I am
So I live

(Downtown)
That's your home address, you live
(Downtown)
When your life's a mess, you live
(Downtown)
Where depression's just status quo.
(Down on Skid Row)

Someone show me a way to get outta here
'Cause I constantly pray I'll get outta here
Please, won't somebody say I'll get outta here?
Someone gimme my shot, or I'll rot here

(Downtown, there's no rules for us)
Show me how and I will, I'll get outta here
(Downtown, 'cause it's dangerous)
I'll start climbin' uphill and get outta here
(Downtown, where the rainbow's just a no-show)
Someone tell me I still could get outta here
Someone tell lady luck that I'm stuck here

(When you live downtown, where the sun don't shine)
Gee, it sure would be swell to get outta here
(Downtown)
Bid the gutter farewell and get outta here
(Downtown)
I'd move heaven and hell to get outta Skid
I'd do I don't know what to get outta Skid
(Downtown)
But a hell of a lot to get outta Skid
(Downtown)
People tell me there's not a way outta Skid
(Downtown)
But believe me, I gotta get out of Skid Row