A dog barking at the crack of dawn
A baby's crying 'cause his mama's gone
I toss and turn and then I stretch and yawn
Another morning, another day
In the heart of Harlem

I feel the tenement coming alive
Another working day I've gotta survive
Fighting the foreman from 8:30 till 5
To make a dollar so I can live
In the heart of Harlem

I pitch and kick and
Get my feelings hurt downtown
I'm just a little spoke
That helps the wheel go round

If I was rich, maybe I'd move away
Out to the country where my kids could play
But I can't make it on my poor man's pay
We gotta stay here, can't get away
Get away from Harlem

If I was rich, maybe I'd move away
Out to the country where my kids could play
But I can't make it on my poor man's pay
We gotta stay here, can't get away
Get away from Harlem

Deep, deep in the heart of Harlem
So deep, so deep, so deep
In the heart of Harlem