G If a man staggers by And he gives you the eye D and he calls you his very best chum If he hands you a lime And begs for a dime D7 G You've just met ol' benny the bum [Chorus] D G Oh Benny the Bum you can't afford rum D you ain't got no place to go So you spend your time with a bottle of wine G in a flophouse way down on skid row [Verse 2] G From where do you hail Maybe just out of jail D What new strange lands have you seen Your clothes are all tar from a railway boxcar D7 G And your blue molded tie is all green [Chorus] G Oh Benny the bum why should you be glum D When youre brand new pair of shoes are a gold Well one show is brown and the other one's black D7 G you're in style way down here on skid row [Verse 3] G Now the cop on this beat He's about seven feet D And he just won't leave Benny alone D7 G He thinks its fun to see Benny run and his wine bottles smash on the stone G But who'd ever dream Benny was seeing The girl of his dreams long ago D And god bid her come D7 G And leave benny the bum to live in memories down on skid row [Chorus] D G Oh Benny the Bum you can't afford rum D you ain't got no place to go So you spend your time with a bottle of wine G in a flophouse way down on skid row [Outro] N.C. He spends his time in a flophouse way down on skid row