INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET

Live 11 Oct 1975 (late show) version



Spanish Johnny drove in from the underworld last night
With bruised arms and broken rhythm in a beat-up old Buick but dressed just like dynamite
He tried sellin' his heart to the hard girls over on Easy Street
But they sighed, "Ah, Johnny, it falls apart so easy and you know hearts these days are cheap"
And then the pimps swung their axes and said, "Johnny, you're a cheater"
And then the pimps swung their axes and said, "Johnny, you're a liar"
And from out of the shadows came a young girl's voice -- "Johnny!"
Said, "Johnny, don't cry"
And Johnny sighed, "Puerto Rican Jane, oh, won't you tell me what's your name
I want to ride you down to the other side of town
Where paradise ain't so crowded, there'll be some action goin' down on Shanty Lane tonight
All them golden-heeled fairies in a real bitch fight, they pull thirty-eights and kiss the girls goodnight"

And Johnny sighed, "Goodnight, it's all right, Jane
Ah, let the black boys in to light the soul flame
We may find it out on the street tonight, baby
Or we may walk until the morning light, maybe"

Well, like a cool Romeo he made his move, oh, she looked so fine
And then like a late Juliet she knew he'd never be true, but she did not really mind
Upstairs the band was playin' and the singer was singin' something about going home
And she whispered, "Spanish Johnny, you can leave me tonight, but just don't leave me alone"
And Johnny sighed, "Puerto Rican Jane, word is down them cops uptown have found the vein"
Them little barefoot boys, they left their homes for the woods
Them little barefoot street boys, they say homes ain't no good
They left the corners and they threw away all of their switchblade knives
And they kissed each other bye-bye

Now Johnny sat on the fire escape watchin' the kids playin' down in the street
And he called down, "Hey, little heroes, summer's long, but I guess it ain't so sweet around here no more"
Janey sleeps in sheets damp with sweat; Johnny sits up all night and watches her dreamin' on
And her sister, and her sister breaks down in the chapel late at night after everybody's gone
Janey wakes up and moves over to share her pillow, but she sees Johnny up and out of bed and putting his clothes on
And she sighs, "Them romantic young boys, all they ever want to do is fight"
Them romantic young boys, they call in the window:
"Hey, Johnny, why don't you come on out and make a little easy money tonight?"
And Johnny sighed, "Goodnight, it's all tight, Jane
I swear I'll meet you tomorrow night on Lover's Lane
We may find it out on the street tonight, baby
Or we may walk until the morning light, maybe"
Hey, Jane
Oh, yeah, oh
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, ooh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Goodnight, Jane

[Spoken outro:] How you been?


Info

The above lyrics are for the live 11 Oct 1975 (late show) performance of INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET at Monmouth Arts Center in Red Bank, NJ, during the Born To Run Tour. The song was played in a stripped-down arrangement featuring Springsteen on vocals and Roy Bittan on piano.

Promotional poster for the 11 Oct 1975 show at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
Promotional poster for the 11 Oct 1975 show at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
Ticket stub for the 11 Oct 1975 show at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
Ticket stub for the 11 Oct 1975 show at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
(Taken from Brucebase)

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET on this website:

INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Album version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Early draft]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 29 Jan 1974 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 05 Feb 1975 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 11 Oct 1975 (late show) version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 07 Apr 1976 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 25 Mar 1977 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 20 Sep 1978 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 29 Dec 1980 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 25 Sep 1999 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 23 Oct 1999 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 08 Dec 2001 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 16 Oct 2002 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 27 Oct 2002 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 11 Aug 2003 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 08 Nov 2005 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 06 Oct 2007 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 31 Jul 2008 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 07 Nov 2009 version]
INCIDENT ON 57TH STREET [Live 26 Feb 2014 version]

Page last updated: 10 Jan 2012