In the big city
Where the lights are low
Cold dirty ground where the rivers don't flow
Nothing's gonna change so throw it all away

In the big city
Where the kids will come cheap
And monsters prowl and never sleep
Don't cross the road if you haven't got the time of day

Well, I lost my girl waiting for the train to ride
I know she's out there somewhere
Selling all we got but I don't mind

In the big city
You can walk a thin line
And your mother won't know that you do a bit of crime
Your father's on the dole and he really hasn't got the time

In the big city
Where it's hard to see the sky
The black earth trembles when the trains go by
And the bums on the corner tell you gently to fuck off and die

Well, I lost my girl and I missed my train to ride
And I'm stuck here selling papers
And spitting on the ground when you walk by

In the big city
You can dance all night
Only if you're clean and the lads are not uptight
Or you may as well forget it and wait until the broad daylight

In the big city
Where the suits don't look you in the eye
Learn how to laugh you'll be planning when to die
And don't expect any favours from the cars passing by

I lost my girl waiting for the train to ride
Well, I don't mind matching colours or parking people's cars
And telling little lies if that's alright

In the big city...