Verse 1
i went out walking through the city centre
it happened just the other day
sometimes the harbour in the winter
blows a little luck my way
i stood around like john lee hooker
waiting for my ship to come in
but when you're down on your last twenty dollar
the view is such a beautiful thing
Verse 2
i've seen a girl of twelve sit and shoot herself
higher than a national dream
and sleep it off just a spit away
from the tires of a limousine
i may recall another world
where money never had no sting
but right here she's a big girl now
the city's such a beautiful thing

her eyes are as cold as a centrefold
and her mouth has come undone
and like a child conceived on new years eve
she don't belong to anyone
Verse 3
you don't need to hold a lot of money
to figure how the world goes round
you don't need to climb on anybody
to get a feel for what goes down
she could be on the colour tv
teachin' all the world to sing
but out here on a black and white pier
it ain't such a beautiful thing
Verse 4
now i'm a northern territory man
the territory lives in me
and i fail to understand
the silly bloody things i see
i went out walking through the city centre
thinking back to alice springs
this place is harder every winter
and home is such a beautiful thing
Verse 5
i went out walking through the city centre
it happened just the other day
sometimes the harbour in the winter
blows a little luck my way
i went out walking through the city centre
thinking back to alice springs
this place is harder every winter
and home is such a beautiful thing
this place is harder every winter
and home is such a beautiful thing