As I roved out one May morning

On down by old Times Square

I met a sportin' lady

Sweet Nancy was her name

She said "Me dearest darlin'

You're so young and you smell so sweet

But you'll age 10 years in 20 days down on 42nd Street"



She took me upstairs to a room

With cobwebs on the wall

She said "Lay down, me darlin'

You and I gonna have a ball"

And as she kissed me virgin tears away

She sang in her sweet voice

Fare thee well my 42nd street

Good-bye my forty-deuce



In the years to come I had occasion

To remember sweet Nancy's song

For I fell in with bad company

I lived me life all wrong

I did everything forbidden

By bible, book and creed

'Til I'd no more virgin tears to shed

Down on 42nd Street



I fell in with two blaggards

Spider Murphy and Jem Black

We terrorized Hell's Kitchen

We robbed both white and black

We never gave a damn about

The Narcos or the Vice

For the days were short and the nights were long

Down on dear old forty-deuce



One night on 7th Avenue 

I was accosted by the law

They said "We've got your number, lad

You're time is gettin' short

Take our advice, me bucko

Kick the dust up with your heels

And leave your false companions 

Down on 42nd Street"



But I was young and stupid

And loyal to a fault

I had a package in me shirt 

To deliver to Jem Black

When I handed him his contraband 

I was pounced on by 2 narcs

Spider Murphy had betrayed me

Farewell my forty-deuce



I spent 10 years in Sing Sing

Goin' slowly up the walls

With revenge the only motive

That kept me alive at all

I came out of there a different man

Cruel, vicious, but discreet

Bought a gun and went back home

Down to 42nd Street



I followed Spider Murphy 

Into a church down by Times Square

I blew him to sweet Jesus

While he was kneelin' at his prayers

If you're ever lookin' for Jem Black

Don't bother tryin' home

Coz he's 40 feet down under

The Hudson's ragin' foam



So, fare thee well, sweet Nancy

Give back me virgin tears

I'm goin' back to Sing Sing 

For five and fifty years

Please hold me like the first time

Sing in your sweet voice

Fare thee well my 42nd Street

Goodbye my forty-deuce