Gimme just one thing of beauty
To last me for all of my years
Gimme just one thing of beauty
And wash away all of my tears

I won't need to get no religion
When I throw all my burdens away
So gimme just one thing of beauty
And I'll stand at this alter and pray

Gimme one thing of beauty
I need one thing of beauty
Baby one thing of beauty

It's hard times down on the corner
Yeah, there's loneliness out on the street
I mean, everywhere you go there's someone you know
Who suffered some kind of defeat

But there's dreams being dreamed down in the doorway
Of all these places nobody goes
Yeah the ones that just so many [are] praising
They're the ones now that nobody knows

They just need one thing of beauty
Maybe one thing of beauty
They need one thing of beauty

(That's right...that's all they need)

You can keep every diamond and ruby
You can forget all those pharaohs and kings
Gimme just one thing of beauty
Take away all these material things

Gimme one thing of beauty
Since it all turns to ashes and dust
Gimme one thing of beauty
Yeah, the rest of you can do what you must

But I need.... (Chorus)

There's hard times...
There's loneliness down on the street
But all we need is just one thing....

When you go way down
You're looking for one thing....