I had skin like leather and the diamond-hard look of a cobra
I was born blue and weathered but I burst just like a super-nova
I could walk like brando right into the sun, an' dance just like a casanova
With my black-jack and jacket and my hair slicked sweet
Silver studs on my duds just like a harley in heat
When I strut down the street I can hear its' heartbeat
The sisters fell back and said don't that man look pretty
The cripple on the corner cried out penny, nickels for your pity
Them gasoline boys down-town, they sure talk gritty
It's so hard to be a saint in the city

I was the king of the alley, mama, I could talk some trash
I was the prince of the paupers, crowned down-town at the beggars' bash
I was a pimps main prophet, I kept everything cool
Just a back-street gambler with the luck to lo..ose
And when the heat came down it was left on the ground, mama
Devil appeared to me like jesus through the steam in the street, an'
Showed me a hand that even the cops couldn't beat
And I felt his hot breath on my neck as I dove into the heat, and it's so hard to be a saint when you're just a poor bo..oy out on the street

And the sages of the subway sit just like the living dead
As the tracks clack out the rhythm, the eyes fixed straight ahead
They ride the line of balancin', hold on by just a thread
Well, it's too hot in these tunnels, you can get hit up by the heat
When you get up to get out at your next stop, but they push you right down in your seat
And your heart starts beatin' faster as you struggle to your feet
Then you're out of that hole!, back on the street
And them south-side sisters, they sure look pretty
And the cripple on the corner cries out nickels for your pity
And them down-town boys, they sure talk gritty
It's so hard to be a saint in the c..c..city

• & Quot;Helden & Quot ;
• 1917
• 1984/do Do
• A Big Hurt
• A Foggy Day
• Absolute Beginners
• After Today
• Alabama Song
• All Saints
• All The Young Dudes
• Amazing
• Amlapura
• Amsterdam
• As The World Falls Down
• Ashes to Ashes
• Baal's Hymn
• Baby Can Dance
• Baby Universal
• Ballad of The Adventurers
• Better Wrong
• Bleed Like a Crazed, Day
• Buddha of Suburbia
• Buss Stop
• Buzz The Fuzz
• Chilly Down
• Columbine
• Conversation Piece
• Crack City
• Crystal Japan
• Dancing in The Street
• David Bowie's Revolutionary Song
• Dead Against It
• Dirty Song
• Do Do
• Don't Be Afraid
• Even a Fool Learns to Love
• Everything is You
• Footstompin'
• Girls
• Goodbye Mr. Ed
• Gunman
• Hammerhead
• Heaven's in Here
• Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
• Holy Holy
• How Lucky You Are
• I Can't Read
• I Pray Ole
• I'm a Laser
• If There is Something
• It's Gonna Be Me
• It's Hard to Be a Saint in The City
• John, I'm Only Dancing
• Julie
• Jump They Say[Alt Mix]
• Knock on Wood
• Lieb Mis Bis Dienstag-love You Till Tuesday
• Lightning Fightning
• Little Toy Soldier
• London Bye Ta-ta
• Looking for Lester
• Love Song
• Lover to The Dawn
• Lust for Life
• Magic Dance
• My Death
• Nightclubbing
• Nothing to Be Desired
• One Shot
• Over The Wall We Go
• Peace on Earth - Little Drummer Boy
• People from Bad Homes
• Planet of Dreams
• Pretty Pink Rose
• Pretty Thing
• Prisoner of Love
• Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola
• Real Cool World
• Remembering Marie a.
• Right on Mother
• Round & Round
• Run
• Rupeat The Riley
• Sacrifice Yourself
• Sex & The Church
• Shadow Man
• Shoppong for Girls
• Silver Treetop School for Boys
• Some Are
• Sorry
• South Horizon
• Stateside
• Sweet Head
• That's a Promise
• That's Motivation
• The Drowned Girl
• The King of Stamford Hill
• The Mirror
• The Mysteries
• The Wedding
• This is Not America
• Threepenny Pierrot
• Tin Machine
• Tired of My Life
• Under Pressure
• Under The God
• Underground
• Underground[Long Version]
• Untitled No. 1
• Velvet Goldmine
• Video Crime
• Volare
• Waiting for The Man
• We Shall Go to Town
• When I'm Five
• When The Wind Blows
• White Light, White Heat
• Who Can I Be Now
• Within You
• Working Class Hero
• You Belong in Rock N' Roll
• You Can't Talk