The Wild, The Innocent and 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'

Sandy, the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight
Forcin' a light into all those stoney faces left stranded on this warm July
Down in town the circuit's full of switchblade lovers so fast, so shiney, so sharp
As 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 on the shore
Chasin' all them silly New York virgins by the score

Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
Those pier lights, our carnival life forever
Oh love me tonight for I may never see you again
Hey, Sandy girl, my baby

Now the greasers, they tramp the streets or get busted for sleepin' on the beach all night
Them boys in their 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 all promised 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 it kept me spinnin', they didn't think I'd ever get off

Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
Those pier lights, our carnival life on the water
Runnin' laughin' underneath the boardwalk with the boss's daughter
I remember, Sandy girl, my baby

Sandy, the waitress I was seein' lost her desire for me
I spoke with her last night, she said she won't set herself on fire for me anymore
She worked that joint under the boardwalk, she was always the girl you saw boppin' down the beach with the radio
Kids say last night she was dressed like a star in one of the cheap little seaside bars and I saw her parked with her loverboy out on the Kokomo
Did you hear, the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do
For me, this boardwalk life is through, you ought to quit this scene too

Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
Those pier lights, our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever
Oh, I mean it Sandy girl

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

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 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

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 and 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 she'd never be true but then she really didn't 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 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, "Goodnight, it's all tight Jane,
I'll meet you tomorrow night on Lover's Lane
We may find it out on the street tonight now baby
Or we may walk until the daylight, baby."
Goodnight, 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 it's daylight, maybe.

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'll 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,
And Rosie, you're the one.

Dynamite's in the belfry, baby, 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, baby, I'm only here for fun
And Rosie, you're the one.

Rosalita, jump a little higher
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 Knee Willie, don't you know they're gonna be there,
Sloppy Sue and Big Bone Billy, they'll be coming 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, little baby come out tonight
Windows are for cheaters, chim'neys for the poor,
Closets are for hangers, winners use the door,
So use it Rosie, that's what it's there for.

Repeat 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, he 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
Some day we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny

But now you're sad, your momma's mad, and your papa says he knows that I don't have any money and your papa says he knows that I don't have any money and your papa 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,
Cause Rosie the record company 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'
Everybody sing.

Repeat Chorus

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.