Song title: New York song
New York song - 24-Apr-1973 version
Blacky's down by the railroad tracks, he's sittin' low in the back seat of his Cadillac
And Diamond Jackie, she's so intact, she freezes beneath Black's attack
Jackie's shoes are shellacked, she's got cleats on her boots
Together they're gonna boogaloo down Broadway and come back with the loot
Because it's midnight in Manhattan, this is no time to get cute, it's a mad cat's promenade
It's New York City, the city that never sleeps
Well Angel Jackie prays, ain't she sweet
Her faith lies at midnight, between her teeth
She got a dirty big daddy, who through all the tears
Has supplied her with hope and kept her in fear
He's a lone profiteer, working down on the docks
He was born in 1943 and almost died of the shock
And now he drags her to some D-side joint
Where the atomic punks they rock
Until she breaks down and falls
Soft like a child, crying New York City, you're so wild
And in the night air you hear crying
And now the girls say anything, girls say anything
He was born on the border of the Kansas line
When he broke into town, it was hot, 90 degrees
He swore he'd bust that monster to it's knees
Folks say he was master of the universe
Some kid said he was the holder of the common keys
His throat was choked with lightning from some childhood disease
And with a burnt gun blast he's got people running from the streets
And he lies empty in Time Square just like street scum
Crying New York City, keep it young
Crying New York City, keep it young
From a tenement window you hear Notes:
Early version of New York City serenade
New York song - Generic version
Shotgun Black, he’s down by the railroad tracks
he’s sittin’ low in the back seat of his Cadillac
And Diamond Jackie, she’s so intact
She freezes like ice beneath Shotgun’s attack
Oh Diamond’s shoes are shellac
She got cleats on her boots
Together they’re gonna boogaloo down Broadway
And come back home with the loot
Because it’s midnight in Manhattan
This is no time to get cute
It’s a mad cat's promenade
Singing a New York City serenade
Oh well ain’t Jackie pretty, ain’t she sweet
Her fate lies at midnight between her teeth
She got a dirty old daddy who through all the tears
whose fist pump like gears
Has supplied her with hope and kept her in fear
Well now he’s a lone privateer working down on the docks
He was born in 1943 and almost died of the shock
Now he comes home and drags her to some deep side joint
Where all night long the eternal punks they rock
Until she breaks down and falls, so helpless like a child
Cryin’ “New York City, you’re so wild”
And in the night air you hear cryin’
Oh now the girls say anything, those girls cry anything
He was born on the border of that Kansas line
When he broke into town the weather vane it was the summer in ‘63
He swore he’d break that monster to his knees
Now some folks said he was the master of the universe
Some people say he was the holder of the cosmic keys
Oh and his throat was choked with lightning
From some childhood disease
And with a tommygun blast he got the people screamin’
Till he falls helpless and he lies empty in Times Square
Just like streets scum
Cryin’ “New York City kills young”
Cryin’ “New York City kills young”
And from a tenement window you hear a baby cries Notes:
Early version of New York City serenade
This song has never been published on any official release.
Very few performances of this songs are known (to me, at least!):
- 24/04/1973 The Main Point, Bryn Mawr,PA ,USA during the Greetings Tour
- 02/06/1973 Whfs Studios, Bethesda,MD ,USA
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database
First known live performance: 24/04/1973 The Main Point, Bryn Mawr,PA ,USA
Last known live performance: 02/06/1973 Whfs Studios, Bethesda,MD ,USA
Song 'history':
Played live 1 time(s) during the so-called 'Greetings Tour'
.
Keep in mind that only a small amount of the setlists of these years has surfaced, so it may have been played a lot more.
Apart from the above live performances, the song was recorded during the Greetings / Wild sessions in 1972-73
The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database