BACKSTREETS^©

Live 02 Nov 1976 version

One soft infested summer me and Terry became friends
Trying in vain to breathe the fire we was born in
Catching rides to the outskirts, tying faith between our teeth
Sleeping in that old abandoned beach house, getting wasted in the heat
And hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
With a love so hard and filled with defeat, hey!
Running for our lives at night on them backstreets

Slow dancing in the dark on the beach at Stockton's Wing
Where desperate lovers park we sat with the last of the Duke Street Kings
Huddled in our cars waiting for the bells that ring
In the deep heart of the night, set you of everything
To go running on the backstreets, running on
We swore we'd live forever
On the backstreets we take it together
Yeah-hey

Endless juke joints and Valentino drag
Where dancers scraped the tears up off the street dressed down in rags
Running into the darkness, some hurt bad some really dying
At night sometimes it seemed you could hear that whole damn city crying
Blame it on the lies that killed us, blame it on the truth that ran us down
Blame it all on me, it don't matter to me now
When the breakdown hit at midnight there was nothing left to say
I hated him and I hated you when you went away
Whoa-whoa
Whoaaa-whoa

Now laying here in the dark like an angel on my chest
Just another tramp of hearts crying tears of faithlessness
Remember all the movies, Terry, that we'd go see
Trying to learn how to walk like the heroes we thought we had to be
And after all this time to find we're just like all the rest
Stranded in the park and forced to confess
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
We swore forever friends, say!
On the backstreets until the end

I promised
I promised
I promised
I promised
I promised
To steal away
I promised
To steal away
To steal
I promised
To steal
I promised
To steal away
Promised I could take all my money out of the bank
And no one's gonna know
You were gonna quit your job
I was gonna quit my job too
I promised
I couldn't wait
When we hear the bells
When the kings
When the kings of midnight ring
When the kings
When the kings of midnight ring
Ring the bells
You promised
When the kings of midnight ring the bells
You promised
You promised
You promised
When the kings of midnight ring the bells
We can go
We can go
We can go away
We were gonna go!
You were gonna go!
You were gonna go!
You were gonna go
But when it just got bad
We promised
We promised
Whoa-whoa
Whoa, whoaaaaaa
You were gonna go
You promised
You promised
You promised
You promised

Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
It's alright
We go hiding on the backstreets tonight
On the backstreets
Whoaaa alright
Whoaaa alright
On the backstreets

Whoaaa-whoa
Whoaaa-whoa
Whoaaaaaa-whoaaa-whoaaa
Whoa-whoa-whoa

Page last updated: 00 Xxx 2008

The above lyrics are for the 02 Nov 1976 performance at the Palladium, New York City, NY. This was the 4th of 6 consecutive shows at the venue.

List of available versions of BACKSTREETS on this website:

• Album's version (more details)