Born in Chicago to Swedish/Italian parents, Lofgren moved to the Washington, D.C., area as a teenager. His first instrument was the accordion. He was also a competitive gymnast in high school, a skill that popped up later in his career.
Lofgren joined Neil Young's band in 1968 at age 17, playing piano on the album After the Gold Rush. Lofgren would maintain a close musical relationship with Young, appearing on his Tonight's the Night album and tour among others. He was also briefly a member of Crazy Horse, appearing on their 1971 LP and contributing songs to their catalogue.
From '71 to '74 Lofgren was active in Grin, the band he founded in '69. After landing a record deal in '71 the band released 4 critically-acclaimed albums but met with little commercial success.
In 1975 Lofgren released his a self-titled solo album featuring songs that went on to become staples of his solo performances; 'Keith Don't Go', 'Back it Up' and the cover of Carole Kings 'Goin' Back'.
Solo albums and tours followed every year through the 70s as Lofgren established himself as a top guitarist and live performer earning the respect and acclaim of his peers.
Bruce Springsteen made the call in 1984 and Lofgren joined the E-Street Band for the 'Born in the USA' tour. Lofgren was instant hit with Springsteens fans through his playing and vibrant on stage persona. Lofgren remains a stalwart of the E-Street Band to the present day.
Lofgren continues to juggle his tenure with the Springsteen Band and a solo recording career, whilst writing and performing with many other artists. His 2008 album 'Nils Sings Neil' was a project featuring Lofgren acoustically covering songs written by Neil Young, his former bandleader in Crazy Horse.
Secrets In The Street
Nils Lofgren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dancing In The Streets
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
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, PA
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
Miscellaneous
Dancing In The Streets
Firstly, these lyrics belong to a different song than the one listed in the title: the above lyrics belong to "Dancing In The Street" by Martha and the Vandellas. It's important to note that these lyrics were written during the civil rights movement in the US, and reflect the joy and optimism of a time when people believed in coming together to dance and celebrate. The song features a call to action: "Calling out around the world/Are you ready for a brand new beat?" which invites people of all races and backgrounds to join in the dancing.
The lyrics also express the idea that music can unify people and bring them together, no matter where they are from. There is a sense of momentum and energy throughout the song: "they'll be swinging, swaying, records playing/dancing in the street". The repeated refrain of "dancing in the street" emphasizes the joy and freedom that comes with dancing, and reinforces the idea that this is something that everyone should be able to enjoy.
Overall, "Dancing In The Street" is a celebration of life and the power of music to bring people together. Its upbeat tempo and infectious melody have made it a beloved classic that still inspires people to dance and celebrate today.
Line by Line Meaning
Calling out around the world
Making a call to people everywhere in the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat
Asking if people are ready for a new kind of music
Summer's here and the time is right
It's summer time and the best time for dancing has come
For dancing in the street
To enjoy dancing out in the open in places like streets
They're dancing in Chicago
People are dancing in the streets of Chicago
Down in New Orleans
People are dancing in the streets of New Orleans
Up in New York City
People are dancing in the streets of New York City
All we need is music, sweet music
All people need to dance is music
There'll be music everywhere
Music will be available everywhere
There'll be swinging swaying records playing
They will play records that encourage dancing
Oh it doesn't matter what you wear
It doesn't matter how you are dressed
Just as long as you are there
As long as you are present with a desire to dance
So come on ev'ry guy grab a girl
All the guys should get a girl partner to dance with
Ev'rywhere around the world
No matter where in the world you are
It's just an invitation across the nation
The call is an invitation to join them all over the country
A chance for folks to meet
An opportunity for people to meet and have fun together
There'll be laughing, singing, music swinging
People will be laughing, singing and swinging to the music
Philadelphia, PA
People are dancing in the streets of Philadelphia
Baltimore and D.C. now
People are dancing in the streets of Baltimore and D.C.
Can't forget the Motor City
People are dancing in the streets of Motor City (Detroit)
Way down in L.A.
People are dancing in the streets of Los Angeles
Every day
They dance like this every day
Dancing in the street
They are dancing joyfully in the street
Lyrics Ā© O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johndrake2729
I remember this song from when I was a kid! My mother would pick me up from school, and this would be playing on the car radio.
@rjjcms1
My best friend was a big fan of Nils at the time. The first songs of his I heard were Shine Silently and No Mercy back in 1979,but I remember this one from the mid-80s too.
@TheSwinners
Saw the man live at Glasgow Apollo back in late seventies. Amazing as the back up band was Tom Petty and the heartbreakers!
@allisonpayne2097
The streets can be dark unless you have a song in your heartš
@one2onefan
Thanks for sharing this!!The memories come flooding back with this 80's classic!!Nils is great needless to say!!
@georgewindle2752
The Greatest Unsung Guitar Hero!
@bobwilliams3287
So true, most people just ain't got a clue !
@francissmith2149
Saw Nils on the flip tour at Edinburgh and few months later in London doing accoustic at royal Albert hall. Literally had t shirt video started Al. Great track always loved it. Listening now takes me back to 85.
@estelaa.6737
i can imagine bruce sringsteen singing this too, great song... so many songs from this era I've never heard before, thank goodness for youtube - so many gems out there
@anthonybrown6439
Estella, would n't that be great, Bruce covering this and Nils giving it that feel only he can give, š