Lyrics for the album "The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

The E Street Shuffle

Sparks fly on E Street when the boy prophets walk it handsome and hot,
All the little girls' souls grow weak when the manchild gives them a double
shot,
The schoolboy pops pull out all the stops on a Friday night,
The teenage tramps in skin-tight pants do the E Street dance and everything's
alright,
Little kids down there either dancin' or hooked up in a scuffle,
Dressed in snake-skin suits packed with Detroit muscle
They're doin' the E Street Shuffle.

Now those E Street brats in twilight duel flashlight phantoms in full star
stream,
Down fire trails on silver nights with blonde girls pledged sweet sixteen,
The newsboys say the heat's been bad since Power Thirteen gave a trooper all
he had in a summer scuffle,
And Power's girl, Little Angel, been on the corner keepin' those crazy boys
out of trouble,
Little Angel steps the shuffle like she ain't got no brains,
She's deaf in combat down on Lover's Lane
She drives all them local boys insane.

Little Angel says, "Oh, everybody form a line.
Oh, everybody form a line."

Sparks fly on E Street when the boy-prophets walk it handsome and hot,
All them little girls' souls grow weak when the manchild gives them a double
shot,
Little Angel hangs out at Easy Joe's. it's a club where all the riot squad
goes when they're cashin' in for a cheap hustle,
But them boys are still on the corner loose and doin' that lazy E Street
Shuffle,
As them sweet summer nights turn into summer dreams Little Angel picks up
Power and he slips on his jeans as they move on out down to the scene
All the kids are dancin'.

Kitty's Back

Catlong sighs holdin' Kitty's black tooth,
She left to marry some top cat, ain't it the cold truth,
And there hasn't been a tally since Sally left the alley,
Since Kitty left with Big Pretty things have got pretty thin,
It's tight on this fence since them young dudes are musclin' in.

Jack Knife cries cause Baby's in a bundle,
She goes runnin' nightly, lightly through the jungle,
And them tin cans are explodin' out of the ninety degree heat,
Cat somehow lost his baby down on Bleeker Street,
It's sad but it sure is true
Cat shrugs his shoulders, sits back and sighs.

Catlong lies back bent on a trash can,
Flashin' lights cut the night, dude in the white says he's the man,
Well you better move fast when you're young or you're not long around,
Cat somehow lost his Kitty in the city pound,
So get right, get tight, get down.
Who's that down at the end of the alley, she's been gone so long,
Here she comes, here she comes, here she comes, here she comes,
Kitty's back in town, here she comes now, Kitty's back in town,
Cat knows Kitty's been untrue and that she left him for a city dude,
Well she's so soft, she's so blue,
When he looks into her eyes he just sits back and sighs,
OOh what can I do, ooh what can I do?
OOh what can I do, ohh what can I do? Alright.
OOh alright, ooh alright, ooh alright, ooh alright.

New York City Serenade

Billy, he's down by the railroad tracks, sittin' low in the back seat of his Cadillac,
Diamond Jackie, she's so intact, she falls so softly beneath him,
Jackie's heels are stacked, Billy's got cleats on his boots,
Together they're gonna boogaloo down Broadway and come back home with the loot,
It's midnight in Manhattan, this is no time to get cute, it's a mad dog's promenade,
So walk tall, or baby don't walk at all.

Fish lady, fish lady, fish lady she baits them tenement walls,
She won't take cornerboys, ain't got no money, and they're so easy,
I said, "Hey baby won't you take my hand, walk me down Broadway,
I'm a young man and I talk real loud, yeah, baby walk real proud for you.
So shake it away, so shake away your street life, shake away your city life,
And hook up to the train, hook up to the night train, hook it up hook up to the, hook up to the train,
But I know that she won't take the train, no she won't take the train,
No she won't take the train, no she won't take the train
She's afraid them tracks are gonna slow her down,
And when she turns this boy'll be gone
So long, sometimes you just gotta walk on.

Hey vibes man, hey jazz man play me your serenade
Any deeper blue and you're playin' in your grave
Save your notes, don't spend 'em on the blues boy,
Save your notes, don't spend 'em on the darlin' yearlin' sharp boy,
Straight for the church note ringin', vibes man sting a trash can
Listen to your junk man, listen to your junk man,
Listen to your junk man, listen to your junk man,
He's singin', singin', singin', singin'.
All dressed up in satin, walkin' past the alley.
Watch out for you junk man, watch out for your junk man,
Watch out for your junk man.

Wild Billy's Circus Story

The Machinist climbs his ferris wheel like a brave
and the fire-eater's lyin' in a pool of sweat victim of the heatwave,
Behind the tent the hired hand tightens his legs on the sword swallowers blade,
Circus town's on the shortwave

Well the runway lies ahead like a great false dawn,
Fat lady, big mama, Missy Bimbo sits in her chair and yawns,
And the man-beast lies in his cage sniffin' popcorn
and the midget licks his fingers and suffers Missy Bimbo's scorn
Circus town's been born.

And a press roll drummer go, ballerina to-and-fro cartwheelin' up on that tightrope,
With a cannon blast, lightin' flash, movin' fast through the tent,
Mars bent,
He's gonna miss his fall, oh God save the human cannonball.

And the flying Zambini's watch Marguarita do her neck twist,
And the ringmaster gets the crowd to count along: 95, 96, 97.

A ragged suitcase in his hand, he steals silently away from the circus grounds,
And the highway's haunted by the carnival sounds
They dance like a great greasepaint ghost on the wind,
A man in baggy pants, a lonely face, a crazy grin, runnin' home to some small Ohio town
Jesus, send some sweet women to save all your clowns

And circus boy dances like a monkey on barbed wire,
and the barker romances with a junkie, she's got a flat tire,
And now the elephants dance real funky and the band plays like a jungle fire,
Circus town's on the live wire.

And the strong man Sampson lifts the midget, little Tiny Tim,
up on his shoulders, way up, and carries him on down the midway
past the kids, past the sailors, to his dimly lit trailer,
And the ferris wheel turns and turns like it ain't ever gonna stop,
And the circus boss leans over and whispers into the little boy's ear,
hey son you want to try the big top?
All aboard, Nebraska's our next stop.

Incident On 57th Street

Spanish Johnny drove in from the underworld last night
with bruised arms and broken rhythm and a beat-up old Buick
but dressed just like dynamite
He tried sellin' his heart to the hard girls over on Easy Street
But they said, "Johnny, it falls apart so easy
and you know hearts these days are cheap."
And the pimps swung their axes and said, "Johnny, you're a cheater."
Well, the pimps swung their axes and said, "Johnny, you're a liar."
And from out of the shadows came a young girl's voice, said: "Johnny don't cry."
Puerto Rican Jane, oh won't you tell me what's your name
I want to drive you down to the other side of town
Where paradise ain't so crowded
There'll be action goin' down on Shanty Lane tonight
All the golden heeled fairies in a real bitch-fight
Pull thirty-eights and kiss their girls goodnight

Goodnight, it's alright, Jane
Now let them black boys in to light the soul flame
We may find it out on the street tonight, baby
Or we may walk until the daylight, maybe

Well, like a cool Romeo he made his moves, oh she looked so fine
Like a late Juliet she knew he'd never be true but then she didn't really mind
Upstairs a band was playin' and the singer was singin' something about going home
She whispered, "Spanish Johnny, you can leave me tonight, but just don't leave me alone."
And Johnny cried, "Puerto Rican Jane, word is down: the cops have found the vein."
Them bare foot boys left their homes for the woods
Them little barefoot street boys, they said their homes ain't no good
They left the corners, threw away all their switchblade knives and kissed each other goodbye

Johnny was sittin' on the fire escape watchin' the kids playin' down the street
He called down, "Hey little heroes, summer's long but I guess it ain't very sweet around here anymore"
Janey sleeps in sheets damp with sweat, Johnny sits up alone and watches her dream on, dream on
And the sister prays for lost souls then breaks down in the chapel after everyone's gone

Jane moves over to share her pillow but opens her eyes to see Johnny up and putting his clothes on
She says, "Those romantic young boys, all they ever want to do is fight
Those romantic young boys, they're callin' through the window:
Hey, Spanish Johnny, you want to make a little easy money tonight?"

And Johnny whispered, "Good night, it's all tight Jane
I'll meet you tomorrow night on Lover's Lane
We may find it out on the street tonight baby
Or we may walk until the daylight, baby."

Ah, good night, it's alright Jane
I'm gonna meet you tomorrow night on Lover's Lane
We can find it out on the street tonight, baby
Or we may walk until the daylight, maybe

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Spread out now Rosie
doctor, come cut loose her mama's reins
You know playin' blind man's bluff is a little baby's game
You pick up Little Dynamite I'm gonna pick up Little Gun
And together we're gonna go out tonight and make that highway run
You don't have to call me lieutenant Rosie and I don't want to be your son
The only lover I'm ever gonna need's your soft sweet little girl's tongue
Rosie you're the one

Dynamite's in the belfry playin' with the bats
Little Gun's downtown in front of Woolworth's tryin' out his attitude on all the cats
Papa's on the corner waitin' for the bus
Mama she's home in the window waitin' up for us
She'll be there in that chair when they wrestle her upstairs 'cause you know
we ain't gonna come
I ain't here on business, I'm only here for fun
And Rosie, you're the one

Rosalita jump a little lighter
Senorita come sit by my fire
I just want to be your lover ain't no liar
Rosalita you're my stone desire

Jack the Rabbit and Weak Knees Willie don't you know they're gonna be there
Ah sloppy Sue and Big Bones Billie they'll be comin' up for air
We're gonna play some pool
skip some school
act real cool
Stay out all night
it's gonna feel alright
So Rosie come out tonight, oh baby come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chimneys for the poor
Closets are for hangers, winners use the door
So use it Rosie, that's what it's there for

[chorus]

Now I know your mama she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
And I know your daddy don't dig me but he never did understand
Your papa lowered the boom
he locked you in your room
I'm comin' to lend a hand
I'm comin' to liberate you
confiscate you
I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny
But now you're sad
your mama's mad
And your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
your daddy says he knows that I don't have any money
Well tell him this is his last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance
Because a record company Rosie just gave me a big advance

And my tires were slashed and I almost crashed but the Lord had mercy
And my machine she's a dud out stuck in the mud somewhere in the swamps of Jersey
Well, hold on tight stay up all night 'cause Rosie I'm comin' on strong
By the time we meet the morning light I will hold you in my arms
I know a pretty little place in Southern California down San Diego way
There's a little cafe where they play guitars all night and day
You can hear them in the back room strummin'
So hold tight baby 'cause don't you know daddy's comin'

[chorus]

Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh!

4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

Sandy the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight
Forcin' a light into all those stoned-out faces left stranded on this Fourth of July
Down in town the circuit's full with switchblade lovers so fast so shiny so sharp
And the wizards play down on Pinball Way on the boardwalk way past dark
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open like Latin lovers along the shore
Chasin' all them silly New York girls

Sandy the aurora is risin' behind us, the pier lights our carnival life forever
Love me tonight for I may never see you again, hey Sandy girl

Now the greasers they tramp the streets or get busted for trying to sleep on the beach all night
Them boys in their spiked high heels ah Sandy their skins are so white
And me I just got tired of hangin' in them dusty arcades bangin' them pleasure machines
Chasin' the factory girls underneath the boardwalk where they promise to unsnap their jeans
And you know that tilt-a-whirl down on the south beach drag
I got on it last night and my shirt got caught
And that Joey kept me spinnin' I didn't think I'd ever get off

Oh Sandy the aurora is risin' behind us
The pier lights our carnival life on the water
Runnin' down the beach at night with my boss's daughter
Well he ain't my boss no more Sandy

Sandy the angels have lost their desire for us
I spoke to 'em just last night and they said they won't set themselves on fire for us anymore
Every summer when the weather gets hot they ride that road down from heaven
on their Harleys they come and they go
And you can see 'em dressed like stars in all the cheap little seashore bars
parked making love with their babies out on the Kokomo
Well the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do
This boardwalk life for me is through
You know you ought to quit this scene too

Sandy the aurora's rising behind us, the pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever