Standard (EADGBE)

3x

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.

 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

 And we're living here in Allentown.

 But the restlessness was handed down

 And it's getting very hard to staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

2x

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.

 So the graduations hang on the wall

 But they never really helped us at all

 No they never taught us what was real

Iron or coke,

Chromium steel.

 And we're waiting here in Allentown.

 But they've taken all the coal from the ground

 And the union people crawled awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

2x

Every child had a pretty good shot

 To get at least as far as their old man got.

If something happened on the way to that place

 They threw an American flag in our face,

2x

Well I'm living here in Allentown

 And it's hard to keep a good man down.

 But I won't be getting up todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy

Guitar solo

 And it's getting very hard to staaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

 And we're living here in Allentown.