Street Fighter
Triumph Lyrics


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Street fighting man
He's a hard one yes indeed
Just got in from Houston
Who knows when he'll leave
Made his reputation
In small town southern bars
Everyone respects him
Treats him like a star

Street fighter
Street fighting man
(You got to)
Watch yourself today
While you're on the run
Cover the tracks
That you lay down
Your time is gonna come
(Yes it is)

He's got a lady waiting
Back home in New Orleans
A Louisana sweetheart
They call the Southern Queen
He promised her
They'd settle down
And make a home someday
But he said, "Babe,
You've got to wait awhile.
I've got one last debt to pay."

He met his man at Steeler's Inn
Where they play
Cards for pay
In a flash
Two shots were fired
And one man rode away

The crowd began
To circle him
As he lay there dying
And in the night




He thought he heard
His sweetheart lady crying

Overall Meaning

The song "Street Fighter" by Triumph tells the story of a tough, respected man who is a street fighter. He has made his reputation in southern bars and is treated like a star by everyone. The song describes him as a hard one, and his whereabouts are never certain as he just got in from Houston but no one knows when he'll leave. The lyrics also suggest that he has enemies, so he needs to be careful while he's on the run, and he needs to cover the tracks he lays down because his time is going to come.


The street fighter has a lady waiting for him back home in New Orleans, and they call her the Southern Queen. He promises her that they'll settle down and make a home someday, but he said he has to pay one last debt first. He meets his man at Steeler's Inn, where they play cards for pay, and in a flash, two shots were fired, and one man rode away. The song concludes with the street fighter lying on the ground and thinking he hears his sweetheart lady crying.


The song's narrative is that of a typical Western-style ballad that romanticizes tough guys who fight to the death to protect their honor. It glorifies the image of a man who fights against all odds and tells the story of his tragic end. The song's lyrics are vivid, descriptive, and exude a strong sense of narrative storytelling that makes it seem like a scene from a movie.


Line by Line Meaning

Street fighting man
Introducing the singer of the song as a street fighter


He's a hard one yes indeed
Describing the tough nature of the street fighter


Just got in from Houston
Reporting the recent arrival of the street fighter from Houston


Who knows when he'll leave
Emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the street fighter's movements


Made his reputation
Acknowledging the reputation of the street fighter


In small town southern bars
Explaining where the street fighter made his reputation


Everyone respects him
Describing the level of respect accorded the street fighter by all and sundry


Treats him like a star
Comparing the treatment of the street fighter to that of a celebrity


Street fighter
A rehash of the song's title to reinforce the central subject


(You got to)
Intro to the chorus


Watch yourself today
Advisory message to listeners to be on guard always


While you're on the run
Contextualizing the message to apply to situations of escape or pursuit


Cover the tracks
Metaphor used to advise the listener to erase their trail


That you lay down
Elaborating on the tracks that the listener may have laid down


Your time is gonna come
Possible consequence of not heeding the advice given from previous stanza


(Yes it is)
Reemphasizing the importance of the advice given in the chorus


He's got a lady waiting
Describing the street fighter's romantic situation


Back home in New Orleans
Where the street fighter's sweetheart resides


A Louisana sweetheart
Descriptive phrase used to specify the type of sweetheart


They call the Southern Queen
Elaborating on the sweetheart with the implication that she is highly admired


He promised her
Describing the street fighter's promise to his sweetheart


They'd settle down
The plan of action that the street fighter has for himself and his sweetheart


And make a home someday
The ultimate goal for the street fighter with his sweetheart


But he said, "Babe,
Report of a conversation between the street fighter and his sweetheart


You've got to wait awhile.
The street fighter asks for more time to complete his affairs


I've got one last debt to pay."
The street fighter confesses to owing a debt to someone


He met his man at Steeler's Inn
Narrating the events that led to the street fighter's death


Where they play
Describing the location where the two men meet


Cards for pay
Specifically what the men were engaged in at the location of the encounter


In a flash
Emphasizing the speed of the events that followed


Two shots were fired
The climactic act that leads to the death of the street fighter


And one man rode away
The perpetrator sought to escape and fled the scene


The crowd began
Describing the reaction of spectators at the scene


To circle him
The onlookers closed in on the dying street fighter


As he lay there dying
The end result of the street fighter's story


And in the night
Suggests a setting of night time, possibly portraying a dark mood


He thought he heard
Suggests the street fighter was delirious at his moment of passing


His sweetheart lady crying
The imagined sounds that the dying street fighter probably heard




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Emma Anzai, Shimon Moore

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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George Dill


on Hold On

Wow I forgot all the hits they had

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