Oh the boy was on the bench
And the judge was in the dock
And the people on the jury
Were the people from the block
Well, Costello was the lawyer
And DeSapio was there
And they made a lot of motions
And their clamor filled the air
And they said it was outrageous
That His Honor had to be
Hauled up before the common folk
And forced to make a plea
But the boy was on the bench
And the judge was in the dock
And the people on the jury
Were the people from the block
And the father of the boy
He was prosecutor here
And he made the accusation
And he spoke up loud and clear
And he pointed to the pris'ner
A member of the bar
And he said, "A crew of gangsters
Have put you where you are"
And the boy was on the bench
And the judge was in the dock
And the people on the jury
Were the people from the block
And he said, "I am a voter
But my vote is less than straw
For the gunmen, they elect you
And they're out beyond the law
And the gangsters rule the city
And they're gangsters, one and all
From the financiers in Wall Street
To the clowns in city hall
And the boy was on the bench
And the judge was in the dock
And the people on the jury
Were the people from the block
"So the boys in this big city
Learn the lesson, every one
If they want to rule the Mayor
They will have to shoot a gun"
So they form their little street gangs
On the model that you give
And the lesson that you teach them
Is, they have to kill to live
And the boy was on the bench
And the judge was in the dock
And the people on the jury
Were the people from the block
So their primer is the shakedown
From the time they shine a shoe
And it's shake down or be shaken
That's the rule they learn from you
The machine that rules the city
Has no use for them at all
Till they have a gang to offer
That's as tough as city hall
And the boy was on the bench
And the judge was in the dock
And the people on the jury
Were the people from the block
"Do you dare to sit in judgment
On this thing that you have made?
It is time you wore the handcuffs
And sat shivering afraid
It is time to pass the sentence
Where the sentence ought to be
It is time for you to answer
And I rest my case," said he
And the boy was on the bench
And the judge was in the dock
And the people on the jury
Were the people from the block