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Song title: Janey needs a shooter


Janey needs a shooter - 1978 out-take

Well Janey’s got a doctor who tears apart her insides
He investigates her and he silently bates her sighs
He probes with his fingers but he knows her heart
Only through his stethoscope
Hands are cold and his fingers so
Janey turns him down like dope

Chorus:
Janey needs a shooter Jack, a shooter like me on her side
Janey needs a shooter Jack, a shooter man who knows her style
The way that I know her style

Well Janey’s got a priest from his marble pulpit he smiles
He provides conciliation and confessions anytime
Through the pages of his bible he hold from what Janey hides
With her doors open wide she begs come inside
But he’s frozen in the clear on the outside
Well Janey’s got a cop who lives round the block
And check on her every night
From at through the jail outside her is sirens roars
When he knows that I’m inside
Well Janey’s small and sometimes he scares her
So I held her real close, she flowed like a ghost
And I told her bye, so long, I can’t play that dope

Janey needs a shooter Jack, a shooter like me on her side
Janey needs a shooter Jack, a shooter man who knows her style
The way that I know her style
The way that I know your style
You need a man who knows your style

Notes: Considered and recorded for many albums, from 1972 to 1982. This is the 1978 out-take. A solo piano version exists.


Janey needs a shooter - 1972 solo piano

Well Janey’s got a doctor who tears apart her insides.
He investigates her and silently bates her every little sigh.
Oh, he probes with his fingers but he knows her heart only through a stethescope.
Oh, his hands are so old and his instruments so cold
Janey turns him down like dope.

And Janey’s got a proctor. From his marble pulpit he smiles.
He provides consolation and an open invitation to confession at any time.
Between the pages of his bible he holds from what Janey he hides.
With her doors open wide she begs “Come inside.”
He’s too long been content to mess around with the handles on the outside.

And Janey needs a shooter
A shooter like this boy on her side
Janey needs a shooter
Someone who knows her style
And I know her style

Well Janey loved a mechanic who owned a gas station down on Route 9.
Well she took him to bed and I beat my head on his gas tanks and bled all over his tires.
And then he smashed my car with big tow bar. I got out and asked him why.
He said, “ ‘Cuz with her it’s either you or me, and it’s gonna be me.”
And I watched Janey silently stand by.

Then she flopped with a cop who lived ‘round the block.
He’d come peak in my window every night.
Janey’s skin would turn pale as the siren he’d wail outside my house all night long
When he knew she was inside.
She said his big gun was fun but Janey’s small, and sometimes he scared her.
So I held her real close. She was more a saint than a ghost.
And told her I so long had been prepared for her.

And Janey needs a shooter
A shooter just like me on her side
Janey needs a shooter
Somebody who won’t let her slide
And I can’t let her slide

Woah, stay in here tonight, baby, and I won’t let you slide.
I’m stayin’ here tonight, woah, Janey, and I won’t let you slide.
I’m stayin’ here tonight. Baby I’m a-can’(t) let you slide.

Notes: This is the 1972 piano demo lyrics. Also recorded for Darkness.


Janey needs a shooter - Warren Zevon original

I was born down by the river
Where the dirty river flows
And the cool wind cut through me
It cut right through my clothes
And the anger and the yearning
Like fever in my veins
Set the fire burning

She came down from Knightstown
With her hands hard from the line
From the first time I laid eyes on her
I knew that she’s be mine
Her father was a lawman
He swore he’d shoot me dead
‘Cause he knew I wanted Jeannie
And I’d have her like I’d said

Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter like me
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter on her side
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter

We met down by the river
On the final day in May
And when I leaned down to kiss her
She did not turn away
I drew out all my money
And together we did vow
To meet that very evening
And to get away somehow

Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter like me
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter on her side
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter

The night was cold and rainy
Down by the borderline
I was riding hard to meet her
When a shot rang out behind
As I lay there in the darkness
With a pistol by my side
Jeannie and her father
Rode off into the night

Jeannie needs a shooter

Notes: Bruce version has just the chorus in common


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


This song has never been published on any official release.

Never played in regular set.
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database
Recorded for the Laurel Canyon / London Publishing demos, then recorded again during the Greetings / Wild sessions in 1972-73
Recorded during the DARKNESS studio sessions, but then not used for the album.
Studio recordings have surfaced from the THE RIVER sessions, but the song was not used for that album.
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database