I turn the corner
See a rat in the rubble
As I try with all my might
To put it out of mind
I step on some Budweiser glass
A limousine drives by
A rich man turns the corner
Sees a rat in the rubble
He raises his smoked glass window
And reads the Wall Street Journal
Sky's not free
River's not free
I'm not free
Life's not free
In the city
I'm told I too, must wear a tie
Or they'll fire me
From my boring, nothing job
I guess a tie is the ornament of establishment
Though it seems to me
To be more of a leash than a bow
So many people hound it to the pound
So many people collar to the dollar
Sky's not free
River's not free
I'm not free
Life's not free
In the city
Ok, freedom is a state of mind, I agree
But I need the elements
To remind me why
With all this steel, and concrete
And noise about money
Honey, you get tunnel vision
You forget that there's earth
Below the subway
And beyond the scrapers
There is sky
...'s not free
River's not free
I'm not free
Life's not free
In the city
I plan a day in the country with you
Having gotten home from work
Last night at twelve-thirty AM
Having fallen asleep
Last night at three-thirty AM
Because I couldn't shut down my mind
To the city never sleeps
As the phone rang this morning
Your sweet voice was calling
I looked at that clock
How I hate that damn clock
I excuse myself from our date
Oh, fate, see I had to be
Back by mid-afternoon
And the travel time cuts in
And the trains are always late
And the station's on the east side
And I know these are lame excuses
And I'm so damn sorry
I'm so damn sorry, Laury
I know it's important
But I feel like I've gotten
My priorities beaten out of me
With a rolled up New York Times
And this leash
Keeps yanking on my tie
Sky's not free
River's not free
I'm not free
Life's not free
In the city
I love "Rhapsody in Blue" too
It's just that he was rich when he wrote it
And only the rats, the roaches
The rubble, and the rich men are free
In the city