Song title: Frankie
Frankie - Tracks version
Dark weekends in the sun out on Chelsea Road
Descending the stairs, Frankie, my one
Check your makeup in the mirror, c’mon babe let’s go
We’ll dance ’round this dirty town till the night is all done
Let all the finer things sleep alone tonight
Let all the minor kings lose their thrones tonight
Don’t worry about us, baby, we’ll be alright
Well everybody’s dying, this town’s closing down
Their all sittin’ down at the courthouse waiting for ’em to take the flag down
I see strange flashes in the sky up above
Gonna spend the night at the drive-in with the one that I love
At dusk the stars all appear on the screen
Yeah, just like they do each night in my dreams
But tonight’s no dream, Frankie, I can feel myself too
Well now and forever my love is for you
Walk softly tonight, little stranger
Yeah into these shadows we’re passing through
Talk softly tonight, little angel
You make all my dream worlds come true
Well lately I’ve been standing out in the freezing rain
Readin’ them want ads out on Chelsea Road
I’m winging down the street in search of new games
Hustling through these nightlights’ diamond glow
Well Frankie I don’t know what I’m gonna find
Maybe nothing at all, maybe a world I can call mine
Shining like these streetlights down here on the strand
Bright as the rain in the palm of your hand
Walk softly tonight, little stranger
Into these shadows where lovers go
Talk softly to me, little angel
Whisper your secrets so soft and low Notes:
This is the "Tracks" version, recorded at the Hit Factory, 14/5/1982. Slightly different from the 1976 version.
Frankie - Live 1976
Dark weekends in the sun, out on Chelsea Row
Descending the stairs, Frankie my love
Check your make-up in the mirror
Come on, babe, let`s go
We’ll dance round this dirty town
Till the night is all done
Let all the finer things sleep alone tonight
Let all the minor kings lose their thrones tonight
Don’t worry about me baby, I'll be alright
There’s machines and there’s fire
On the outside of town
Young boys for hire
Waiting to blow us all down
There are strange flashes in the sky up above
I'll spend the night at the movies
With my secret love
At dusk the stars all appear on the screen
Just like they do each night in my dreams
But tonight’s no dream, Frankie
I can feel myself move
Living and dying
Like I was born to do
Walk softly tonight little angel (stranger)
I wanna be alone with you
Talk softly to me tonight angel
Make all my dream world(s) (dreams) come true
I remember standing in the freezing rain
Reading them “Want Ads” out on Chelsea Row
Winging down the street in search of new games
Hustling through the night packs where the actors go
Frankie they are crazy, let`s run and hide
(Frankie tonight we’ll leave it all behind)
In the darkness there’ll be hidden worlds that shine [1]
When all of the glory (fury ?) in this desperate land
Will rise like raindrops in the palm of our hands
Walk softly tonight little angel
Into the shadows where lovers go
Talk softly to me tonight angel
Whisper your secrets so soft and low… Notes:
[1] This and other verses of the song will be recalled in Candy's room
Frankie - 1976 "Dead on the run" version
Come dead on the run, out on Chelsea Row
Descending the stairs, Frankie my one
Check your self out in the mirror
Babe, come on, let's go
We'll move round this dirty town
'Till the night is all done
Tricks are all over, with plenty of time
The kicks are all coming, straight down the line
??? Frankie, she's not that kind
La da da da, la da da da
La da da da, la da da da
La da da da, la da da da
La da da da, la da da da
Frankie you say ???
In the darkness the'll be hidden worlds that shine
La da da da, la da da da
La da da da, la da da da
Hmmmmm
Walk with me tonight little angel
???
Talk to me tonight little angel
You make all my dream worlds come true
Walk with me tonight little angel
To the shadows where lovers go
Talk to me tonight little angel
Whisper your secrets soft and low
Walk with me tonight little angel
To the shadows where lovers go
Talk to me tonight little angel
Whisper your secrets
Hmmmm
Walk with me tonight little angel
Into the shadows where lovers go
Talk to me tonight little angel
Whisper your secrets so soft and low
Walk with me tonight little angel
Walk with me tonight
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Notes:
This is the 1976 version, with still incomplete lyrics.
Frankie - Studio 1976
Dark weekends in the sun, out on Chelsea Row
Descending the stairs, Frankie my love
Check your make-up in the mirror
Come on, baby, let’s go
We’ll dance round this dirty town
‘Till the night is all done
Then all the finer things sleep alone tonight
Then all the minor kings lose their thrones tonight
Don’t worry about me baby, I’ll be alright
There’s machines and there’s fire
On the outside of town
Young boys for hire
Waiting to blow us all down
There are strange flashes in the sky up above
I’ll spend the night at the movies
With my secret love
At dusk the stars all appear on the screen
Just like they do each night in my dreams
But tonight’s no dream, Frankie
I can feel myself move
Living and dying
Like I was born to do
Walk softly tonight little angel
I wanna be alone with you
Talk softly to me tonight angel
Make all my dream-world come true
I remember standing in the freezing rain
Reading them “Want” ads out on Chelsea Row
Winging down the street in search of new games
Hustling through the night packs where the actors go
Frankie they are crazy, let’s run and hide
In the darkness there’ll be hidden worlds that shine[1]
When all of the glory in this disperate land
Will rise like raindrops in the palm of our hands
Rise like the rain
Let your sadness rise
Walk softly tonight little angel
Into the shadows where the lovers go
Talk softly tonight angel
Whisper your secrets so soft and low Notes:
[1] This verse also appear in "Candy's Room".
Frankie - 1976 Early outtake
(caught dead???) on the run, out on chelsea road,
Descending the stairs Frankie my one,
check yourself out in the mirror babe, cmon lets go,
we're gonna move 'round this dirty town, till the night is all gone,
tricks are all over, baby the time, the dicks are all covered, straight down the line,
there goes Frankie, shes not that kind.
Doo da da doo doo, da da da da da, da da da da, hey now na da da, da da da mmm, da da da da
Frankie just said (?????? ????? ?????) in the darkness will be, hidden worlds that shine,
Doo da da doo doo, da da da da da, da da da da, hey now na da da, da da da mmm, da da da da
walk with me tonight, little angel,
(through whatever may come???)
(???)
(??? doo da)
walk with me tonight, little angel
to the shadows, where the lovers go
talk with me tonight little angel
(spill???) ur secrets (??? something low???)
walk with me tonight, little angel
into the shadows, where the lovers go
talk with me tonight little angel
we'll spill ur secrets.... Notes:
This is the 1976 version, with still incomplete lyrics.
Published on the following official releases:
First known live performance: 04/04/1976 Michigan State University, East Lansing,MI ,USA
Last known live performance: 20/07/2016 Casa Arena, Horsens ,Denmark
Song 'history':
Not much used during the Born to Run tour, deserving only less than a dozen renderings
Recorded during the DARKNESS studio sessions, but then not used for the album.
Recorded during the BITUSA sessions (late 1982-mid 1984), but then not included on the album.
The TRACKS studio out-take collection included for the first (official) time this song.
Played once in the whole Reunion tour (09/08/1999 Continental Arena, E.Rutherford,NJ ,USA)
One only performance during the Rising tour (07/09/2003 Fenway Park, Boston,MA ,USA)
Just 4 shots during the Devils and Dust tour
Not much used during the Wrecking Ball tour, deserving only less than a dozen renderings
Played once in the whole High Hopes tour (18/05/2014 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville,CT ,USA)
Bruce gave this song one only shot through the 2016 The River tour (20/07/2016 Casa Arena, Horsens ,Denmark)
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database