In the streets of New York City
When the hour was getting late,
There were young men armed with knives and guns,
Young men armed with hate.
And Lou Marsh stepped between them
And died there in his tracks,
For one man is no army, when a city turns its back
Chorus:
And now the streets are empty
And now the streets are dark,
So keep an eye on shadows,
And never pass the park.
For the city is a jungle
When the law is out of sight,
And death lurks in El-Bareo
With the orphans of the night.
There were two gangs approaching
In Spanish Harlem town,
The smell of blood was in the air
The challenge was laid down.
He felt their blinding hatred
As he tried to save their lives,
But they broke his peaceful body
With their fists and staves and knives.
(Chorus)
Shall Lou Marsh lie forgotten
In a cold and silent grave?
Or will his memory linger on
In those he tried to save.
And those of us who knew him
Will now and then recall,
And shed a tear on poverty
The tombstone of us all.
(Chorus)
Phil Ochs
Guitar chords for the Ballad of Lou Marsh
Am In the streets of New York City Em When the hour was getting late Am Lurked young men armed with knives and guns Em Young men armed with hate Am And Lou Marsh stepped between them Dm Am And died there in his tracks Dm Em Am For one man is no army when a city turns its back C Dm Am And now the streets are empty And now the streets are dark Dm G Am So keep an eye on shadows And never pass the park C Dm Am For the city is a jungle When the law is out of sight Dm G Am And death lurks in El-Bareo With the orphans of the night