Streets of Fire

i bought this album completely on a whim when i was an exchange student. i was wandering around in Vienna and feeling pissed off and lonely, so to pass the time i opened the case, read the lyrics of this song and thought "huh, look at that- it's that last 6 months of my life recorded in detail on an album that came out 5 years before i was born. funky." i've adored it ever since, for the melody as well as the words.

When the night's quiet and you don't care anymore And your eyes are tired and there's someone at your door And you realize you wanna let go And the weak lies and cold walls you embrace eat at your insides And baby I ain't no liar

I walk streets of fire Streets of fire

Now I'm wandering, a loser down the track And I'm (?)lyin(?), but baby I can't go back Cos in the darkness I hear somebody call my name Yeah and you realize how they tricked you this time And it's all lies, but I'm stung out on the wire

In these streets of fire Streets of fire

I live now only with strangers I talk to only strangers I walk with angels that have no place And don't look me in my face, don't I'm coming home (?)first(?) Cos I'm strung out on the wire

Across streets of fire Streets of fire

A few words are pretty impossible to make out for sure, but I think I've got them right. I'm sure about all the ones that don't have the question marks near them, plus there's the entire extra verse that's left out of the one that was posted.

Very cool song.

Intense singing over music that's slow but still rocks hard.

The Michael Pare movie "Streets of Fire" was originally made with the idea of casting Springsteen in the lead role. Bruce had (has) no interest in movie acting and immediately declined. My guess is this song would have been used if he accepted.

I know Bruce was very angry during the Darkness on the Edge of Town record, which came out in 1978, and this song sounds exactly as it's meant to sound. The guitar solo sounds angry as well, as we feel the pain he's going through and this may be my favorite song of his.

holy intensity Bruce!! what a powerful song

I hear somebody call ma naaaaaaaame...

fuckin sweet!

We all walk streets of fire. That's life. We walk along, trying to hold our nerve and get through the flames that are life's uncertainty and unpredictability, and find our way.

A statement from a vengeful talent. Shafted by his recording contract Similarities with Tom Petty "I wont back down"

"In the darkness I hear somebody call my name"...the adrenalin runs and he stands up to fight. I may be talking bollox but I bought this album back in the 70`s (after I bought born to run 76) I got it bought for me again this Christmas (heavier LP no oil crisis). Still love it as much as my Frampton Comes Alive double. Quality never goes out of fashion.

When the night's quiet, And you don't care anymore, You're eyes are tired, And someone's at your door

As the song opens, the character is depressed, at the end of his rope. Springsteen's characters are often depressed and hopeless. Springsteen himself has suffered from life long depression.

And you realize you want to let go, And the weak lies and cold walls you embrace, Eat at your insides And babe I ain't no liar, I walk streets of fire!

Perhaps he finally lets go and has some type of spiritual awakening. He's tired of "the weak lies and cold walls", now he lets go and finds himself in a new place, an elevated place spiritually, he's walking "streets of fire"

Now I'm wondering', A loser down the tracks And I'm lyin', But babe I can't go back! "Cause in the darkness, I hear somebody call my name!

Again, the character is depressed and aimless. "A loser down the tracks"--perhaps a hobo. But he hears "somebody call my name!" Now he has hope, he's ready to fight back.

"When you realize how they tricked you this time, 'Cause it's all lies, But I'm strung out on the wire, In these "Streets of Fire, Streets of Fire...etc"

He's back to the "Streets of Fire". Perhaps similar to Johnny Cash's concept of "I Walk the Line". He walks life's narrow, tough road.

"I live now, only with strangers, I talk to only strangers! I walk with angels that have no place!"

From his new spiritual perspective, the people around him are now "Strangers". He's walking a divine path with "angels that have no place".

And don't look at my face, Don't come to my place, Cause I'm strung out on my wire! Cross Streets of Fire, Streets of Fire!

I'm not sure about the meaning of this part. Perhaps he's in a new spiritual place and he doesn't want any of the "strangers"--regular people-- to look in his face or to come to his place. He returns to the analogy of "streets of fire!"