BACKSTREETS^©

Outtake version #2

[spoken:] ..., four

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
Well we swore forever friends
On the backstreets until the end
Now, alright

In the basement at St. Johns well I found her where she fell
Just another busted sister of the Heartbreak hotel
Slow dancing in the dark on the beach at Stockton's Wing
In the deep heart of the night when you let loose of everything
We'd go running on the backstreets, whoah, running on the backstreets
We loved so hard and filled with defeat
Running for our lives on the backstreets
Whoah

Endless juke joints and Valentino drag
Watching the heroes in the funhouse ripping off the fags
The teenage ice exploded in crazy sets of fights
Running off down the boardwalk, turning in the night
Blame it on the lies that killed us
On the truth that ran us down, Terry you can blame it all on me
Blame, blame it on that town
But I hated him and his fancy ways
And I hated you when you went away
Whoa no, whoa no
Whoah, oh!
Ha! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Huh! Ha! He-ey! Alright! Alright!

I'm laying here in the dark you're like an angel on my chest
Just another tramp of hearts crying tears of faithlessness
Remember all the movies, that we'd go see
Trying to learn how to walk like the heroes we thought we had to be
When after all this time we find we're just like all the rest
Stranded in the park and forced to confess
To hiding on the backstreets, hey, hiding on the backstreets
Call it blood, cold young skins, huh
Spitting out them backstreet scenes

Huh, uh uh uh
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, to be hiding on them backstreets tonight
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Whoah
Hey
Whoah
Whoah, oh oh hey
Whoah
Whoah, oh oh
Whoah, oh oh
Uh, uh uh

Huh, uh

Page last updated: 00 Xxx 2008

The above lyrics correspond to a take recorded -- as it is the case with all known studio recordings of the song -- in the May-July 1975 period at the Record Plant, New York City, NY. This version features strings and has lyrics that vary from those of the album's version. It can be found on several bootlegs, including Deep Down In The Vaults (E Street Records), The Genuine Tracks (Scorpio), and Running Out Of Innocence (The Godfather Records).

List of available versions of BACKSTREETS on this website:

• Album's version (more details)

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