Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that would make it okay

“Wondah why no one was buyin’ da papes today. I didn’t think da headline was all dat bad....”

“Jesus, I sold pretty good taday. If I make da same tomorra, I’ll be set for da week.....”

“Damn! What am I gonna do fer money tomorra? I can’t believe I spent it all on dat stupid horse! Dere’s no way I’m gonna be able to pay fer food....”

There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day

“Why didn’t dey just leave dat poor kid alone? Dey beat ‘im so bad, I couldn’t even recognize ‘is face. Why didn’t I do anythin’ ta help. It was like I was paralyzed or somethin’.....”

“Dat goil sure was pretty. But she didn’t even look at me. Stupid hoity-toity rich folk. Bein’ a newsie is honest woirk - well, most of the time - and dey make it seem like I’s just some dumbassed street trash with no feelin’s....”

“What’d I do ta dersoirve dis, huh? It just ain’t fair. Saw some guys me own age taday, and dey was walkin’ home from school. Deir clothes was poirfect, and deir faces was clean. I felt like I shouldn’t be sharin’ da same sidewalk as them. Like I didn’t even belong in da woirld....”

I need some distraction
Oh beautiful release
Memory seeps from my veins

“I remembah dat on nights like dis, Ma would come in and read me a story or jist tawk to me. Sometimes, I can even remembah her voice...”

“...And den aftah dinnah we’d all sit by da fire and me pop would tell us what his day was like. Jesus, Pop, why’d ya hafta go ‘n’ leave us? Ya detroyed everythin’....”

Let me be empty
And weightless then maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

“I wonder if I had a family, things would be different. Maybe, instead of sleepin’ on a hard bunk, with thin blankets, I’d have me own room. Yeah, dat’d be nice....”

In the arms of an angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear

“God, is it always gonna be like dis? I don’t wanna be a newsie forevah...”

“Am I always gonna live on da streets? ‘Cause I don’t think I could go on if dat were true. Me dreams are all dat are keepin’ me from just jumpin’ off da Brooklyn Bridge or somethin’ like dat. I need ta know dat ev’rythin’ is gonna be ok...”

You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here

“So, Ma, is Heaven a nice place? I miss ya, but I undahstand dat you had ta go....”

“I wonder if da boys’ll want ta go to da tracks with me tomorra. Well, dat’s if we’s can all afford it. Ya never know what da headline is gonna be like...”

“I wondah if anyone is still awake. Am I da only one dat thinks about stuff? Do any of them pray? I gave that up aftah me family was killed. Why should I believe in some greatah bein’, when he don’t pay any attention ta me. If he did, I wouldn’t be lying - or ‘Improvin’ da truth a little’ - to make money so dat I won’t end up on da streets. God? Who needs ‘im...”

So tired of the straight line
And everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back

“Dose big guys took me money...again. I cain’t tell da guys. Dey’d just laugh and call me a wimp. So, now I ain’t got any money at all. What’s the mattah with me? Why can’t I fight back....”

“Saw dat pickpocketah again taday. Poor kid. All skin and bones, looks like she ain’t had a good night’s sleep in a while. She saw me givin’ her sympathetic looks. I’m know she resented me for it...”

The storm keeps on twisting
You keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack

“I was hawkin’ da headlines taday, when some lady came up to me, demandin’ her money back. She found out dat I’d stretched da truth about a headline. I just took off runnin’ and didn’t even look back...”

I think me goil’s ashamed of me. She won’t intr’duce me to none of her friends, and I ain’t even allowed to go near her house. No, wait. I don’t think she’s ashamed of me. I KNOW she is...”

It don't make no difference
Escaping one last time
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
This glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

“I wondah dat if I ran away, would anyone notice? Would anyone care, or miss me....”

“When I’m out sellin’, I feel so alone. Da city is so big, and filled with so many people, dat I feel like no one notices me. I’m all by myself and no one cares at all. Sometimes I just feel like cryin’....”

“Dere’s anuddah hole in my shoirt. I found it taday when I felt da wind. Soon, I’se gonna hafta get a new one, but ain’t got da money for it at da moment....”

“I think I saw me muddah taday. She bought a pape from me, and I swear it was her. But she just glanced ovah me. To her, I was just a doirty kid with papes in his hand. Nothin’ more....”

In the arms of an angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear

“Well, I guess I should be gettin’ ta sleep. Jesus, it’s awfully quiet in’ere. I swear, sometimes I feel like I’m da only one in a big room filled with bunks. I wondah if anyone else feels like dat sometimes...”

“Awww jeez, look at da time. Only a few more hours and we gotta get up to sell. Dere nevah seems to be enough hours in da day...”

“Someone’s callin’ out in dere sleep again. Sounds like a bad dream. I know just how he feels...”

You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here

“Goodnight, Ma, Pop, Jimmy. Take care of each uddah up dere, and I’ll see yous soon...”

“Jesus, I’se tired. I hope da headline’s a good one...”

“Alright den. Guess it’s time ta sleep. G’night woirld. See ya tomorra...”

You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here

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