BACKSTREETS^©

Outtake version #3

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
Running for our lives at night on them backstreets
All night

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 when you let loose of everything
To go running on the backstreets, running on the backstreets
Terry we swore we'd live forever
Taking on the backstreets together

Endless juke joints and Valentino drag
Watching the heroes working in the funhouse ripping off the fags
The teenage ice exploded in crazy senseless fights
Running off down the boardwalk away from the carnival lights
Blame it on the lies that killed us
Blame it on the truth that ran us down, blame it all on me Terry
Oh, blame it all on that town
But I hated him and his fancy ways
Well I hated you when you went away
Whoa whoa, whoa oh

Hey, hey!
Hey, hey!
Hey, hey!
Hey, hey!
Hey, hey!

Now 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, Terry, we'd go see
Trying to learn how to walk like 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
To hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets
Well we swore forever friends, hey!
On the backstreets until the end

Uh, 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, we go hiding on the 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
Hiding on the backstreets, whoah!
Yeah!
Whoah!
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Na na na na

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

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 a little from those of the album's version, specially the third verse. It can be found on several bootlegs, including War And Roses (E Street Records) 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.