[Verse 1]
Well, we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem, they're killing time
Filling out forms, standing in line

[Verse 2]
Well, our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
Met our mothers at the USO
Asked them to dance, danced with them slow

[Chorus]
And we're living here in Allentown
But the restlessness was handed down
And it's getting very hard to stay

[Verse 3]
Well, we're waiting here in Allentown
For the Pennsylvania we never found
For the promises our teachers gave
If we worked hard, if we behaved

[Verse 4]
So the graduations hang on the wall
But they never really helped us at all
No they never taught us what was real
Iron and coke, chromium steel
[Chorus]
And we're waiting here in Allentown
But they've taken all the coal from the ground
And the union people crawled away

[Bridge]
Every child had a pretty good shot
To get at least as far as their old man got
But something happened
On the way to that place
They threw an American flag in our face

[Chorus]
Well I'm living here in Allentown
And it's hard to keep a good man down
But I won't be getting up today

[Instrumental Break]

[Outro]
And it’s getting very hard to stay
And we’re living here in Allentown