Bruce Springsteen lyrics -- Bruce Springsteen shows -- Bruce Springsteen records

Song title: Streets of Philadelphia


Streets of Philadelphia

I was bruised and battered
I couldn’t tell what I felt
I was unrecognizable to myself
Saw my reflection in a window
Didn’t know my own face
So brother don’t leave me
On the streets of Philadelphia

I walk the avenue ‘til my legs feel like stone
I heard voices of friend vanished and gone
At night I hear the blood in my veins
Just as black and wispy as the rain

On the streets of Philadelphia

Ain’t no angel gonna greet me
It’s just you and I my friend
And my clothes don’t fit me no more
Thousand miles just to slip this skin

Night has fallen, I’m flying away
I can feel myself fading away
So receive me brother with your fateless kiss
or will we leave each other alone like this?
On the streets of Philadelphia

Notes: Written for the 'Streets of Philadelphia' film.

Statistics from the KILLING FLOOR (www.brucespringsteen.it) database

Published on the following official releases:

First known live performance: 27/01/1994 Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles,CA ,USA
Last known live performance: 09/09/2016 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia,PA ,USA

Song 'history':


The song made its first official apparition being included, as inedit track, GREATEST HITS compilation, released in 1995.
Recorded during the TGOTJ sessions, but then not used for the album.
A frequent number (60 apparitions) of renderings during the Ghost of Tom Joad tour
Bruce inserted it 12 times in the setlists of the Reunion tour
Played only a couple of times in the whole Rising tour (06/10/2002 First Union Center, Philadelphia,PA ,USA and 11/08/2003 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia,PA ,USA)
The song was then included in the ESSENTIAL compilation, released in 2003.
One only rendering for this song in the Working on a Dream tour (29/04/2009 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia,PA ,USA)
Two only renderings for this song in the Wrecking Ball tour (29/03/2012 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia,PA ,USA and 03/11/2012 KFC Yum Center, Louisville,KY ,USA)
Two only performances during the 2016 The River tour (07/09/2016 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia,PA ,USA and 09/09/2016 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia,PA ,USA)

The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database