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I got a sixty-nine Chevy with a three-ninety-six
Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor
She's waiting tonight down in the parking lot
Outside the 7-Eleven store
Me and my partner Sonny built her straight out of scratch
And he rides with me from town to town
We only run for the money, got no strings attached
We shut 'em up and then we shut 'em down
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I want to blow 'em off in my first heat
Summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
We take all the action we can meet
And we cover all the northeast state
When the strip shuts down we run 'em in the street
From the fire roads to the interstate
Now some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece
Some guys come home from work and wash up
Then go racing in the street
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I want to blow 'em all out of their seats
We're calling out around the world, we're going racing in the street
I met her on the strip three years ago
In a Camaro with this dude from L.A.
I blew that Camaro off my back
And drove that little girl away
But now there's wrinkles 'round my baby's eyes
And she cries herself to sleep at night
When I come home, the house is dark
She sighs, "Baby, did you make it all right"
She sits on the porch of her daddy's house
But all her pretty dreams are torn
She stares off alone into the night
With the eyes of one who hates for just being born
For all the shut down strangers and hot rod angels
Rumbling through this promised land
Tonight my baby and me, we're gonna ride to the sea
And wash these sins off our hands
Tonight, tonight the highway's bright
Out of our way, mister, you best keep
'Cause summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor
She's waiting tonight down in the parking lot
Outside the 7-Eleven store
Me and my partner Sonny built her straight out of scratch
And he rides with me from town to town
We only run for the money, got no strings attached
We shut 'em up and then we shut 'em down
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I want to blow 'em off in my first heat
Summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
We take all the action we can meet
And we cover all the northeast state
When the strip shuts down we run 'em in the street
From the fire roads to the interstate
Now some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece
Some guys come home from work and wash up
Then go racing in the street
Tonight, tonight the strip's just right
I want to blow 'em all out of their seats
We're calling out around the world, we're going racing in the street
I met her on the strip three years ago
In a Camaro with this dude from L.A.
I blew that Camaro off my back
And drove that little girl away
But now there's wrinkles 'round my baby's eyes
And she cries herself to sleep at night
When I come home, the house is dark
She sighs, "Baby, did you make it all right"
She sits on the porch of her daddy's house
But all her pretty dreams are torn
She stares off alone into the night
With the eyes of one who hates for just being born
For all the shut down strangers and hot rod angels
Rumbling through this promised land
Tonight my baby and me, we're gonna ride to the sea
And wash these sins off our hands
Tonight, tonight the highway's bright
Out of our way, mister, you best keep
'Cause summer's here and the time is right
For racing in the street
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Racing In The Street Lyrics as written by Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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the perfect song
I agree - a perfect song. It sneaks up on you... just seems to be about a guy who is passionate about his hobby then it builds and develops to an achingly melancholy and redemptive ending for him and his partner.
Is it possible that the guy driving the Camaro that he "blew off his back" died that night and he's now with that guys girlfriend? Maybe he was in love with her all along and just couldn't stand the guy but their race turned into a tragic accident that they never intended. It would explain her feelings and his and needing to wash the sins away (their guilt and the fact that someone died over their lies/secret love) They know they can't change the way things are now so they just live with it and ride........
Many Springsteen songs are about escaping the grimy reality many of his peers experienced. "Dying little by little by little piece by piece". I listened to the original and the version on the Live 1986 album the day I found out Danny Feredici died and I cried.