Grandpa & The Empire State Building

Lyrics

Oh I live on the street where My Grandfather worked More than 50 years ago The 59th floor of the Empire State Building Did I ever visit him there? No But my cousin Georgie Has a black and white photograph Where he's sitting in Grandpa's chair Grandpa's beside him They are both smiling Both looking proud to be there The Empire State Building Opened its doors On May 1st, 1931 It came in under budget Ahead of schedule In 410 days The building was done Most of the 3,400 workers Were immigrants Who put in long hours With many Canadian Mohawk Skywalkers with dazzling Balancing powers Just two years later, 1933 The movie King Kong was released A blonde beauty named Fay Raye Beguiled that gorilla The Empire State Buildings's Fame then increased But it was The Great Depression And it took 17 more years For the offices all to fill up In 1950 the building broke even (Today on the ground floor There is a Starbucks) In July '45 a B-25 bomber Crashed into the 79th floor Caused a 4-alarm fire Where 14 people died A miracle it wasn't more 'cause a young bride named Betty Lou Oliver was operating An elevator that Saturday It fell 75 floors but the Springy coils of busted cables Saved her life I'm happy to say But life ended for a 23 year old On May 1, 1947 Who leapt from the 86th floor Observation deck An unhappy young woman Named Evelyn Wearing pearls and white gloves She made quite a scene When she landed upon A black limousine Her note said "He's much better off without me I don't think I would make a Good wife for anybody" In 1976 that same observation deck Welcomed it's 50 millionth Guest in style A husband and wife Tourists from Germany Helga and Ingo For the cameras they smiled Four years later The building gets its own zip code One zero one one eight On Feb 14, 1994 The first Valentine's Day Weddings take place On August 10, 2004 The Empire State Building Dimmed its lights To honor the late Fay Raye Who accompanied King Kong The first time he scaled those heights But if you asked my family What story they remember When it comes to this Famous landmark They'll tell you the one About our dear Grandpa The Crawford family patriarch No one is quite sure What year this happened Though we're sure Grandpa Was pretty old At 10 AM on a weekday The elevator operators Went on strike we are told It was a surprise No one was prepared No one knew how long it would last But as lunchtime approached Stomachs were rumbling Dear Grandpa had to think fast See, he had a small office With one secretary Who liked to eat lunch every day In a diner she now Looked down on with longing 59 stories away So he put down his work And took her order Then headed out the door Many years earlier He played football for NYU Knew his strong Crawford legs Were secure, he'd endure Two hours later Grandpa was back His hungry secretary got fed She didn't mind That the coffee was cold Or that he ordered the wrong kind of bread And for the rest of the time She worked in his office She fondly remembered that day When our Grandpa – just for her -- Went so far out of his way And all these years later Here I am Living right down the street From this iconic building Known the world round Where paupers, poets And princes might meet Where movies and weddings Reunions and tragic events Have all taken place Did I mention In early February each year Up the 86 flights there is a foot race And I wonder now who sits In Grandpa's chair And what kind of work do they do? And how many stories Have played out Here at 350 Fifth Avenue? I stand on the street And look up at the building Counting to 59 Is that the window In Georgie's photo? I wish Grandpa could give me a sign Oh I live on the street where My grandfather worked More than 50 years ago The 59th floor of the Empire State Building Did I ever visit him there? No But my cousin Georgie Has a wonderful photograph Where he's sitting in Grandpa's chair Grandpa's beside him They are both smiling Both looking proud to be there 59 stories up in the air