Relations, I’ve got relations
But somehow they don’t mean a thing to me
And cousins, I got ‘em by the dozens
But when I’m broke who do I go to see?
I got an uncle in Harlem
What an uncle is he
I got an uncle in Harlem
He ain’t related to me
I got a suit in my closet
That he holds like a friend
As a sort of deposit
When I need money to spend
When numbers take me
When the houses break me
When the dice forsake me
I can get ten from uncle Ben
When I’m fresh out of money
I don’t need sympathy
I got an uncle in Harlem
He’s like a father to me
Got my saxophone there (he’s got a phone there)
Got my slide trombone there (all that he owns there)
He’s got all that I own there (all that he owns there)
got everything but my wife
Never worry ‘bout nothing (wiyabado-ah)
When I’m broke as can be (wiyabado-ah)
I got an uncle in Harlem
He’s like a father to me (who’s like a father?)
He’s like a father to me (who’s like a father?)
He’s like a father to me