[Verse 1]
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
Monsters prowl and never sleep
Don't cross the road if you haven't got the time of day

[Chorus 1]
Well, I lost my girl waiting for the train from Ride
I know she's out there somewhere
Selling all we got, but I don't mind

[Verse 2]
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
Black earth trembles when the trains go by
Bums on the corner tell you gently to fuck off and die

[Chorus 2]
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
[Verse 3]
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, 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

[Chorus 3]
I lost my girl waiting for the train from Ride
Well I don't mind matching colours or parking people's cars
And telling little lies, if that's alright

[Outro]
In the big city
In the big city
In the big city
In the big city
In the big city
In the big city