Backstreets
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
One soft infested summer, me and Terry became friends
Trying in vain to breathe the fire we was born in
Catching rides to the outskirts, tying faith between our teeth
Sleeping in that old abandoned beach house, getting wasted in the heat
And hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
With a love so hard and filled with defeat
Running for our lives at night on them backstreets
Slow dancing in the dark on the beach at Stockton's Wing
Huddled in our cars, waiting for the bells that ring
In the deep heart of the night they set us loose of everything
To go running on the backstreets
Running on the backstreets
Terry, you swore we'd live forever
Taking it on them backstreets together
Endless juke joints and Valentino drag
Where famous dancers scraped the tears up off the street, dressed down in rags
Running into the darkness, some hurt bad, some really dying
At night sometimes it seemed you could hear the whole damn city crying
Blame it on the lies that killed us, blame it on the truth that ran us down
You can blame it all on me, Terry, it don't matter to me now
When the breakdown hit at midnight, there was nothing to say
But I hated him, and I hated you when you went away
Laying here in the dark, you're like an angel on my chest
Just another tramp of hearts crying tears of faithlessness
Remember all the movies, Terry, we'd go see
Trying to learn to walk like the heroes we thought we had to be
And after all this time, to find we're just like all the rest
Stranded in the park and forced to confess
To hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Where we swore forever friends
On the backstreets until the end
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Was all right, we're all
Hiding on the backstreets tonight
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Hiding on the backstreets
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
"Backstreets" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from the album Born to Run, which was released in 1975. In the original vinyl release, it concludes side one of the record.
"Backstreets" begins with a minute-long instrumental introduction that features pianist Roy Bittan and organist Danny Federici, with only occasional traces of any other instruments being heard. In his review of Born to Run for Rolling Stone, writer Greil Marcus said:
"Backstreets" . Read Full Bio"Backstreets" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from the album Born to Run, which was released in 1975. In the original vinyl release, it concludes side one of the record.
"Backstreets" begins with a minute-long instrumental introduction that features pianist Roy Bittan and organist Danny Federici, with only occasional traces of any other instruments being heard. In his review of Born to Run for Rolling Stone, writer Greil Marcus said:
"Backstreets" ... begins with music so stately, so heartbreaking, that it might be the prelude to a rock & roll version of The Iliad.
The song deals with the relationship between two friends: the narrator and Terry. They are forced to hide their love for each other from others and "hide on the backstreets". In the end, the relationship falls apart. Terry leaves with another man leaving the narrator alone and full of rage, love and sadness.
The gender of the character of "Terry" has long been debated among Springsteen fans. The name Terry can refer to either a male or a female. Proponents of the theory that Terry is male point out that the characters may be "hiding on the backstreets" in order to conceal their homosexuality. Or the song may merely be describing an intense male friendship with no other overtones. Those who believe that Terry is female cite Springsteen's own sexuality as well as the extended "Sad Eyes" performances of the song in which Terry is referred to as female by Springsteen himself.
During the 1978 Darkness Tour, Springsteen would often add a semi-improvised interlude in between the final chorus and the outro. It usually involved Springsteen singing solo accompanied by the piano. The other instruments would then join in as the interlude built to a climax. It elaborated on the story of the protagonist and Terry. It differed from performance to performance but frequently involved the protagonist reminiscing about a good time he and Terry had shared, followed by an emotional condemnation of her subsequent betrayal.
This interlude has become known to Springsteen fans as the "Sad Eyes" interlude (not to be confused with the Springsteen song of the same name) due to frequently occurring lyrics stating that Terry had sad eyes or should dry her tears. It has also been referred to as the "Baby I remember you" or "Little girl don't cry" interlude. Parts of the interlude later materialized in recast form as the song "Drive All Night" on The River album in 1980. The interlude version of "Backstreets" has not been performed live since, however it can be heard on numerous fan bootlegs from that tour.
In 2007, during Springsteen and the E Street Band's Magic Tour, "Backstreets" frequently found its way into the set list, most likely as a tribute to Springsteen's longtime friend, Terry Magovern, who died earlier that year. It also opened the first show in 2008 following the death of longtime band member Danny Federici.
"Backstreets" begins with a minute-long instrumental introduction that features pianist Roy Bittan and organist Danny Federici, with only occasional traces of any other instruments being heard. In his review of Born to Run for Rolling Stone, writer Greil Marcus said:
"Backstreets" . Read Full Bio"Backstreets" is a song by Bruce Springsteen from the album Born to Run, which was released in 1975. In the original vinyl release, it concludes side one of the record.
"Backstreets" begins with a minute-long instrumental introduction that features pianist Roy Bittan and organist Danny Federici, with only occasional traces of any other instruments being heard. In his review of Born to Run for Rolling Stone, writer Greil Marcus said:
"Backstreets" ... begins with music so stately, so heartbreaking, that it might be the prelude to a rock & roll version of The Iliad.
The song deals with the relationship between two friends: the narrator and Terry. They are forced to hide their love for each other from others and "hide on the backstreets". In the end, the relationship falls apart. Terry leaves with another man leaving the narrator alone and full of rage, love and sadness.
The gender of the character of "Terry" has long been debated among Springsteen fans. The name Terry can refer to either a male or a female. Proponents of the theory that Terry is male point out that the characters may be "hiding on the backstreets" in order to conceal their homosexuality. Or the song may merely be describing an intense male friendship with no other overtones. Those who believe that Terry is female cite Springsteen's own sexuality as well as the extended "Sad Eyes" performances of the song in which Terry is referred to as female by Springsteen himself.
During the 1978 Darkness Tour, Springsteen would often add a semi-improvised interlude in between the final chorus and the outro. It usually involved Springsteen singing solo accompanied by the piano. The other instruments would then join in as the interlude built to a climax. It elaborated on the story of the protagonist and Terry. It differed from performance to performance but frequently involved the protagonist reminiscing about a good time he and Terry had shared, followed by an emotional condemnation of her subsequent betrayal.
This interlude has become known to Springsteen fans as the "Sad Eyes" interlude (not to be confused with the Springsteen song of the same name) due to frequently occurring lyrics stating that Terry had sad eyes or should dry her tears. It has also been referred to as the "Baby I remember you" or "Little girl don't cry" interlude. Parts of the interlude later materialized in recast form as the song "Drive All Night" on The River album in 1980. The interlude version of "Backstreets" has not been performed live since, however it can be heard on numerous fan bootlegs from that tour.
In 2007, during Springsteen and the E Street Band's Magic Tour, "Backstreets" frequently found its way into the set list, most likely as a tribute to Springsteen's longtime friend, Terry Magovern, who died earlier that year. It also opened the first show in 2008 following the death of longtime band member Danny Federici.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
steven Massey
People Springsteen must be viewed thru the context of time the work was performed, was created, built if you will. It must be seen as a body of work not this song or that song although naturally each has their favorite.
Taken as a whole and with the understanding that for me very little music touches me in the place that Bruce's work especially with the E street and the solo work of Nebraska touches me.
There's lots of music out there I've enjoyed that touches me in different ways than let's say "Racing in the streets" or "Born to Run" ....
Take Cyndi Laupers solo remake of 'Time after Time" it takes me to a place nothing else can and no one else can go with me. John Cougars body of work will always return me to late 70s early to mid 80s. The eagles of course. I grew up on the eagle's from "Peaceful Easy Feeling" to "Hotel California" and more.
But when Bruce does his unique style it always touches me in a real way... "I was eight years old and running with a dime in my hand"
"Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back"
"Early in the morning factory whistle blows, man rises from bed and puts on his clothes"
I'm now sitting here with so many songs running thru my head I don't even care to write or think about it anymore, and that's what music is supposed to do.
Nobodys right if everybody's wrong, young people speaking their minds getting so much resistance from behind.......
Karl Krogmann
I've been listening to this for 35 years and I still get chills when I hear those opening piano chords.
Henry Minjoot
Likewise likewise
Weeble Lehmann
The opening of this song is one of the few truly great things in life.
Tim Dz
The backing organ by Danny is criminally underrated
wake up
45yrs and still going
CBRadiosPRONTO
Goose bump city man
Longhammer37214
I would never admit it in person but sometimes this song drives me to tears, especially the part where he sings " but I hated him and I hated you when you went away ". My love went away many years ago. She broke my young heart. Now I'm hiding on the backstreets all these years later.
Mike Spencer
Fuckin' poetry.
steven Massey
Absolutely.....💔
James Adair
Definitely