DANCING IN THE STREET

Live 1970 version

Callin' out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancin' in the streets
They're dancin' in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
Up in New York City

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the streets

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the street

This is an invitation
Across the nation
A chance for the folks to meet
There'll be laughin' and singin' and music swingin'
And dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the street, yeah

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grasp a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)
All the way down in L.A. California
Not to mention Halifax Nova Scotia
???
Manchester
Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia
???

Originally by Martha And The Vandellas from their 1965 LP Dance Party. Check out Martha and the Vandellas' original version for more information about the song.

Played with Steel Mill in the early years, and five performances are know from that period:

• 17 or 18 Jul 1970 at Sunshine In, Asbury Park, NJ (read below)
• 14 Aug 1970 at 7Th And Marshall Street Parking, Richmond, VA
• 17 Oct 1970 at Monmouth College, Long Branch, NJ
• 27 Nov 1970 at Sunshine In, Asbury Park, NJ (check out the live 27 Nov 1970 version)
• 18 Jan 1971 at D' Scene, South Amboy, NJ

Later appeared twice during the Reunion tour on 09 Sep 1999 at The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI, and on 15 Sep 1999 at First Union Center, Philadelphia, P.A. It was an intro/opener for the two mentioned shows. Also appeared during The Rising tour, when a snippet of the song was played as part of MARY'S PLACE, as on 15 Aug 2002 at The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI, and on 22 Jun 2003 at Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden. Check out the live 22 Jun 2003 version.

The above lyrics refer to one of the 1970 known performances, but sure not the 17 Oct 1970 one since no audio recording is available from that gig. Check also the live 27 Nov 1970 version, live 22 Jun 2003 version, and Martha and the Vandellas' original version (more info about the song).

From Brucebase, about the 17 Jul 1970 gig at Sunshine In, Asbury Park, NJ:

01- DANCING IN THE STREET
02- COME ON
03- SHERLOCK GOES HOLMES
04- GARDEN STATE PARKWAY BLUES
05- RUN SHAKER LIFE
One show, double bill, with Steel Mill headlining and Lotus opening. The above-mentioned partial setlist is taken from a circulating 58-minute soundboard recording of good-very good quality. This audio has has only partially circulated on a bootleg Don't Sweat It vinyl in limited quantities and in poor quality. It is circulating in complete form via private CDR sources (usually identified only as "summer 1970" or "mid-1970" or "unknown location"). The audio seems to include the first 3 songs of the night and the final two songs, with RUN SHAKER LIFE cut very prematurely. This would represent only about half of a normal show's length. Following a nice show-opening DANCING IN THE STREETS, Springsteen jokingly comments "it's all happen' out there in the street, so what are we doing in here?" During the epic GARDEN STATE PARKWAY BLUES, Bruce mentions driving through Ocean Grove on a Sunday, as well as the fireworks at the Freehold Raceway – both comments draw a noticeable crowd reaction. These comments indicate this audio is from an indoor summertime performance in the Asbury Park area. When combining the sound of the audience size, the track listing and the very limited gig bookings the band had during the summer of 1970 – these combined offer a strong likelihood this audio is from either this night or the following night's Sunshine In show.