The Knack's Cover version
One, two, three, four!
Cold rain pouring and I'm feeling hurt
With my back wheel spinning in the dirt
Angel makes up her face down on lonely street
Won't you straddle the shifter in my front seat
There's nothing to lose, it's a heartbreak, the deck's stacked
Just put your foot to the floor and darling don't look back
Won't you cool me down in this blazing rain
Cause I'm blowing pistons, working the fast lane
With the poor boy's dream, my pocket's full of cash
Baby writes her name in lipstick there on my dash
There's nothing to lose, it's a bad break to face facts
Just keep your eyes on the road and darling don't look back
We held it in our hearts in the pouring rain
We made it through the heart of the hurricane
We tore it apart and we put it together again
Whoa-whoa-whoa
Baby won't you believe in love for me
And I will meet you tonight on that lonely street
When you look sight's blindfold on shooting stars
You gotta walk it talk it in your heart
There's nothing to lose, it's a heartbreak, the deck's stacked
So put your foot to the floor and darling
Just keep your eyes on the road now baby
Tonight we'll even the score and no we won't look back
Yeah!
Don't look, don't look
Don't look, don't look
Don't look, don't look
Don't look, don't look
Don't look, don't look
Don't look, don't look
Back
The above lyrics are for The Knack's cover version of Bruce Springsteen's DON'T LOOK BACK. Their version was first released on their 1992 compilation album Retrospective. The Knack's version of DON'T LOOK BACK has quite a few lyrics differences from Springsteen's version (compare with the official studio version).
Bruce Springsteen made a guest appearance with The Knack during their 17 Oct 1978 gig at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA. The Knack's drummer Bruce Gary later asked Springsteen for songs they can use in their live shows. Springsteen offered them two unreleased songs, RENDEZVOUS and DON'T LOOK BACK. An audio recording exists of Springsteen teaching Gary how to play RENDEZVOUS later that night at his hotel room at The Sunset Marquis. The Knack selected RENDEZVOUS and recorded it in April 1979 at MCA Whitney Studios in Los Angeles, CA.
Track credits:
Bruce Gary - Drums
Doug Fieger - Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
Berton Averre - Lead Guitar
Prescott Niles - Bass
Recorded in Apr 1979 at MCA Whitney Studios, Los Angeles, CA
The Knack's cover version of DON'T LOOK BACK was originally scheduled to appear on their 1979 album Get The Knack, but it was pulled, according to Bruce Gary, at the request of Springsteen's management in order to allow him to release the song first. The Knack eventually released their version on their 1992 compilation album Retrospective, six years before Springsteen released his. The Knack's version was also included on the 1997 Bruce Springsteen tribute album One Step Up / Two Steps Back: The Songs Of Bruce Springsteen and as a bonus track on the 2002 reissue of their 1979 album Get The Knack.
Bruce Gary wrote in the liner notes of the One Step Up / Two Steps Back: The Songs Of Bruce Springsteen tribute album:
I met Bruce Springsteen backstage at a concert in San Diego after the release of his Darkness album. A couple of weeks later, Bruce came to one of our performances at the Troubadour and joined us on stage for a fantastic rendition of "Mona" and "Not Fade Away."
Later I asked Bruce if he had any songs that The Knack might use in our stage show, and he offered two unreleased numbers, "Rendezvous" and "Don't Look Back." The band selected "Don't Look Back," which was "Knackified" and recorded in one take at MCA Whitney studios in Apr, 1979. The tune was originally scheduled to appear on the Get The Knack album, but was pulled at the request of Springsteen's management in order to allow him to release the song first. The song was never been officially released by Bruce and our version is the only one currently available. I am indebted to Bruce for giving The Knack opportunities that we might not had otherwise.
In addition to its release on the Retrospective compilation album, The Knack's cover version of DON'T LOOK BACK was also included on a number of other releases.
List of available versions of DON'T LOOK BACK on this website:
DON'T LOOK BACK [Official studio version]
