| "Out in the Street" | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Bruce Springsteen from the album The River | ||||||||||
| Released | October 1980 | |||||||||
| Recorded | Between March and May 1980 at The Power Station in New York | |||||||||
| Genre | Rock | |||||||||
| Length | 4:17 | |||||||||
| Label | Columbia Records | |||||||||
| Writer | Bruce Springsteen | |||||||||
| Producer | Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt | |||||||||
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"Out in the Street" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band from the 1980 album The River. It was recorded at The Power Station in New York between March and May 1980, as one of the last songs recorded for the album.[1] Originally Springsteen was going to keep the song off the album because it was so idealistic.[2]
While the album is noted for the juxtoposition of dark emotional songs ("The River", "Independence Day") and upbeat pop songs ("The Ties That Bind", "Hungry Heart"), "Out in the Street" is a mixture of both worlds. Along with "The Ties That Bind" and "Two Hearts", "Out in the Street" is one of the key songs on The River about the need for community.[3] The lyrics are reminiscent of the girl/party theme, and also evoke empathy for the blue collar working class. However, there is a sense of freedom in the chorus when the protagonist of the song leaves work and walks "Out in the Street."
The song features an echoing piano line played by Roy Bittan and also features a saxophone solo from Clarence Clemons. The final coda features weaving vocals from Springsteen, Roy Bittan, and Steven Van Zandt. For one line, Springsteen stops singing, leaving just Steven Van Zandt singing the "meet me out in the street" refrain and sounding like a plea to be met, altering the tone of the song for that moment from its otherwise assertiveness.[4]
"Out in the Street" has become a live favorite for E Street Band concerts and was performed at length during the 1999–2000 Reunion Tour, as captured on the Live in New York City album and video. During The River Tour, the vocal weaving was performed similar to the record. However, with Steve Van Zandt's absence on the Born in the U.S.A. Tour, the vocal weaving was occupied by Patti Scialfa and Nils Lofgren with Roy Bittan no longer singing. By the Reunion Tour, the vocal weaving was split between Springsteen, Van Zandt, Scialfa, Lofgren, and Clarence Clemons. Springsteen also has the audience join in.
"Out in the Street" was covered by Pure Prairie League on their album If the Shoe Fits.[5]