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

Song title: Dancing in the street

(Gaye, Stevenson, Hunter) by Martha and the Vandellas (Gordy 7033), 1964

Dancing in the street - 1970 version

Callin' out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancin' in the streets
They're dancin' in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
Up in New York City

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the streets

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the street

This is an invitation
Across the nation
A chance for the folks to meet
There'll be laughin' and singin' and music swingin'
And dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the street, yeah

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grasp a girl
Everywhere around the world
There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, P.A. (Philadelphia, P.A.)
Baltimore and DC now (Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah don't forget the Motor City (can't forget the Motor City)
All the way down in L.A. California
Not to mention Halifax Nova Scotia
??? ... ???
Manchester
Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia
??? ... ???

Notes: Played live in 1969/71, with the Steel Mill, and used sometimes in the Reunion tour as intro/opener


Dancing in the street - 18-Jan-1971 version

Callin' out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
I seen the summer's here and the time's just right
For dancin' in the street
They'll be dancin' in Chicago
Oh better get me down in New Orleans
In Philadelphia, P.A.

Whoa, now all we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
Swingin' and swayin', the records playin'
So dancin' such it just can't be

Oh, brothers and sisters are out whoa
I ??? I want you to understand
The time is gone, lord, the time is gone
Whoa, I wanna see you dance
Do I hear Chicago?
Oh, it's San Francisco
Yeah down on Mississippi

Whoa, now all we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
Swingin' and swayin', the records playin'
So dancin' such it just can't be
Alright

It doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
Come on, every guy (every guy) grab a girl (grab a girl)
Everywhere around the world
Yeah, yeah

Well I met a gin-soaked, bar-room queen in Memphis
Oh, she tried to take me upstairs for a ride
And she had to heave me right across her shoulder
'Cause I just can't seem to drink the woman off my mind

Well she's a Honky Tonk Woman[1]
Whoa, gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk girl

Well, ??? like a midnight ???
It ain't one of those
No, no

Come on out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
Hey, hey!
Summer's here and the time is just right
For dancin' in the street
They'll be dancin' in Chicago
Or down in New Orleans
Philadelphia, P.A.

Whoa, now all we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
Swingin' and swayin', the records playin'
So dancin' such it just can't
Whoa

It doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as, as long as you are there
So come on
Every guy (come on) grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
Yeah, yeah
Hey, hey
Dancin' in the street, whoa whoa whoa
Dancin' in the street, don't forget the Motor City
Dancin' in the street, down in New Orleans
Dancin' in the street, Philadelphia, P.A.
Yeah!

You know well, again
Whoooaaa ???

Now you uh, uh shakin' yeah
Yeah whoa whoa, when we are, we're uh, swingin'

Notes: Played live in 1969/71, with the Steel Mill, and used sometimes in the Reunion tour as intro/opener.
[1] This particular version includes a part of Honky tonk woman


Dancing in the street - Original version

Calling out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancing in the street
They're dancing in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
Up in New York City
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swinging swaying records playing
Dancing in the street

Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on ev'ry guy grab a girl
Ev'rywhere around the world
They'll be dancing
They're dancing in the street

It's just an invitation across the nation
A chance for folks to meet
There'll be laughing, singing, music swinging
Dancing in the street
Philadelphia, P.A.
Baltimore and D.C. now
Can't forget the Motor City
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swinging, swaying, records playing
Dancing in the street

Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on ev'ry guy grab a girl
Ev'rywhere around the world

Dancing
They're dancing in the street
Way down in L.A.
Every day
Dancing in the street

Notes: This is the original version.


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


This song has never been published on any official release.

Very few performances of this songs are known (to me, at least!):
 - 17/07/1970 Sunshine In, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA during the Child / Steel Mill Period
 - 14/08/1970 7Th And Marshall Street Parking, Richmond,VA ,USA during the Child / Steel Mill Period
 - 17/10/1970 Monmouth College, Long Branch,NJ ,USA during the Child / Steel Mill Period
 - 27/11/1970 Sunshine In, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA during the Child / Steel Mill Period
 - 18/01/1971 D' Scene, Sayreville,NJ ,USA during the Child / Steel Mill Period
 - 15/09/1999 First Union Center, Philadelphia,PA ,USA during the Reunion Tour

Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database
First known live performance: 17/07/1970 Sunshine In, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA
Last known live performance: 15/09/1999 First Union Center, Philadelphia,PA ,USA

Song 'history':

During the early years (1965-1972), played live (at least) 5 time(s) during the Child/Steel Mill period. .
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.

One only performance during the Reunion tour (15/09/1999 First Union Center, Philadelphia,PA ,USA)
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database