The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Put on your best dress baby
And darlin', fix your hair up right
'Cause there's a party, honey
Way down beneath the neon lights
All day you've been working that hard line
Now tonight you're gonna have a good time
I work five days a week girl
Loading crates down on the dock
I take my hard earned money
And meet my girl down on the block
And Monday when the foreman calls time
I've already got Friday on my mind
When that whistle blows
Girl, I'm down the street
I'm home, I'm out of my work clothes
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I walk the way I want to walk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I talk the way I want to talk
When I'm out in the street
When I'm out in the street
When I'm out in the street, girl
Well, I never feel alone
When I'm out in the street, girl
In the crowd I feel at home
The black and whites they cruise by
And they watch us from the corner of their eye
But there ain't no doubt girl, down here
We ain't gonna take what they're handing out
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I walk the way I want to walk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I talk the way I want to talk
Baby, out in the street I don't feel sad or blue
Baby, out in the street I'll be waiting for you
When the whistle blows
Girl, I'm down the street
I'm home, I'm out of my work clothes
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I walk the way I want to walk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I talk the way I want to talk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
Pretty girls, they're all passing by
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
From the corner, we give them the eye
Baby, out in the street I just feel all right
Meet me out in the street, little girl, tonight
Yeah, meet me out in the street
Meet me out in the street, woah oh
Ah, meet me out in the street
Oh meet me out in the street
Oh meet me out in the street
Meet me out in the street
Oh darlin' out in the street
Meet me out in the street
Oh, meet me out in the street
Meet me out in the street
Oh darlin' out in the street
And darlin', fix your hair up right
'Cause there's a party, honey
Way down beneath the neon lights
All day you've been working that hard line
Now tonight you're gonna have a good time
I work five days a week girl
Loading crates down on the dock
I take my hard earned money
And meet my girl down on the block
And Monday when the foreman calls time
I've already got Friday on my mind
When that whistle blows
Girl, I'm down the street
I'm home, I'm out of my work clothes
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I walk the way I want to walk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I talk the way I want to talk
When I'm out in the street
When I'm out in the street
When I'm out in the street, girl
Well, I never feel alone
When I'm out in the street, girl
In the crowd I feel at home
The black and whites they cruise by
And they watch us from the corner of their eye
But there ain't no doubt girl, down here
We ain't gonna take what they're handing out
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I walk the way I want to walk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I talk the way I want to talk
Baby, out in the street I don't feel sad or blue
Baby, out in the street I'll be waiting for you
When the whistle blows
Girl, I'm down the street
I'm home, I'm out of my work clothes
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I walk the way I want to walk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
I talk the way I want to talk
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
Pretty girls, they're all passing by
When I'm out in the street, oh oh oh oh oh
From the corner, we give them the eye
Baby, out in the street I just feel all right
Meet me out in the street, little girl, tonight
Yeah, meet me out in the street
Meet me out in the street, woah oh
Ah, meet me out in the street
Oh meet me out in the street
Oh meet me out in the street
Meet me out in the street
Oh darlin' out in the street
Meet me out in the street
Oh, meet me out in the street
Meet me out in the street
Oh darlin' out in the street
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Great celebratory song. It was so appropriate that he played this on the E Street reunion tour in the late 90s.
It's the kind of song that makes every feel like a winner, and that summed up the mood of seeing the band together.
Back when he wrote it, the song was about the working class guys who had little to celebrate except when the whistle blows and they could be out on the street. It just emotes a great feeling.