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Gary U.S. Bonds' cover version
Pack up your bags, don't look back
There's a little place out 'cross the railroad tracks
If you're broken-hearted, and you don't know what to do
But they got a place down there that's just for you
Club Soul, Club Soul City, yeah yeah yeah
Club Soul, Club Soul City, oh yeah
There's a waitress at the back bar, goes with the guy that runs the place (yeah, she does)
She's got hair like a weeping willow and tears running down her face (every day)
She's seen a lot of guys like you coming around (I've seen tears in her eyes)
Looking for something that they've lost, or trying to lose something that they've found
Down at
Club Soul, Club Soul City, yeah yeah yeah
Club Soul, Club Soul City, oh yeah
So if you're down on your spirit and there ain't no one who cares
If you're lost and you're lonely, you won't be lonely down there (oh no)
You can't miss it, it's just up the highway, on the front door there's a sign that says
Restricted to the losing kind
Club Soul, Club Soul City, yeah yeah yeah
Club Soul, Club Soul City, oh yeah
Club Soul, Club Soul City, yeah yeah yeah
Club Soul, Club Soul City, oh yeah
Club Soul... [fades out]
CLUB SOUL CITY is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and donated to Gary U.S. Bonds. See Bruce Springsteen's home demo version for more details.
Gary U.S. Bonds recorded CLUB SOUL CITY for his 1982 album On The Line. It's one of eight songs on the album that were produced by Bruce Springsteen with Steven Van Zandt. It was recorded in January or February 1982 at The Power Station in New York City, NY, during Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band sessions for Gary U.S. Bonds from which the recording sessions Born In The U.S.A. flowed.
The above lyrics are for Gary U.S. Bonds' cover version of CLUB SOUL CITY.
According to Brucebase, a Bruce Springsteen vocal rendition of CLUB SOUL CITY was likely recorded at The Power Station in New York City, NY, during the January-February 1982 recording sessions with Gary U.S. Bonds — it's the same core recording with the E Street Band that's found on the Bonds album, but with the Springsteen lead vocal overdub.
Gary U.S. Bonds released two studio albums and several hit singles in 1961 and 1962, three of which were top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Success was short-lived and Bonds relegated to playing the oldies circuit. In the early eighties, his career resurrected with two collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, and the E Street Band: Dedication in 1981 and On The Line in 1982.
On The Line is Gary U.S. Bonds' fourth studio album, released in June 1982 on EMI America Records. The musicians backing Bonds on the album include many members of the E Street Band. The album includes seven songs written by Bruce Springsteen (HOLD ON (TO WHAT YOU GOT), OUT OF WORK, CLUB SOUL CITY, LOVE'S ON THE LINE, RENDEZVOUS, ANGELYNE, and ALL I NEED), one written by Steve Van Zandt, one written by Wayne Carson, and two written by Bonds and Gary L. Anderson. Although Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt are credited as co-producers of all of the album's 11 tracks, Springsteen was actually involved in only eight of them: the seven that he wrote plus The Box Tops' hit SOUL DEEP. Springsteen is not credited as playing or singing on the album but he did directly participate, along with the E Street Band, on most of these eight tracks.
The 1991 reissue of On The Line on the Razor Edge label includes album liner notes by Gary U.S. Bonds himself. He wrote that they "also recorded three additional cuts for the album which were never mixed including 'Action In The Street', a Springsteen song which I still do in my live shows." The three tracks are ACTION IN THE STREETS, LION'S DEN, and SAVIN' UP.
On The Line produced one single, OUT OF WORK which nearly reached the Top 20, but the album flopped and Bonds was dropped by his label.
On The Line was re-released in 1992 on the Razor Edge label (catalog number RE-1988-2).
In addition to its release on the On The Line album, CLUB SOUL CITY was also included a few more official releases.
Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.
Some of the above info about the studio recordings is taken from Brucebase.
Please contact me if you have scans or info about any official release containing Gary U.S. Bonds' cover version of CLUB SOUL CITY that's not mentioned on this page.
Bruce Springsteen is not credited as playing or singing on On The Line album but this may not be completely true. It has been reported that he contributed backing vocals and guitar on some tracks. Any additions, comments, or corrections to this page are welcome. You can contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of CLUB SOUL CITY on this website:
CLUB SOUL CITY [Home demo version]
