1994 music video version
I was bruised and battered, I couldn't tell what I felt
I was unrecognizable to myself
Saw my reflection in a window and didn't know my own face
So brother are you gonna leave me wasting away
On the streets of Philadelphia
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
I walked the avenue 'til my legs felt like stone
I heard voices of friends vanished and gone
At night I could hear the blood in my veins
Just as black and whispering as the rain
On the streets of Philadelphia
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
Ain't no angel gonna greet me
It's just you and I my friend
And my clothes don't fit me no more
I walked a thousand miles just to slip this skin
Night has fallen and I'm lying awake
I can feel myself fading away
So receive me brother with your faithless kiss
Or will we leave each other alone like this
On the streets of Philadelphia
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) The streets of Philadelphia
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) The streets of Philadelphia (hooo hooo)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) (hooo hooo)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) The streets of Philadelphia (hooo hooo)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) (hooo)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) (hooo)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) (hooo)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) (hooo hooo hooo)
(Li-li-li li-li-li, li-li-li li-li-li) (hooo hooo hooo)
The above lyrics are for the 1994 music video version of STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA. Not to be confused with the more known 1993 music video version.
The video was shot live in 1994 at CBS Broadcast Center in New York City, NY. It features Springsteen on a stage outfitted with city street props, backed by Roy Bittan on keyboards, Zack Alford on drums, Bobby King on harmony vocals, and Tommy Sims on bass and harmony vocals. The video is black and white except for a 10-second color portion (during the first three lines of the "Ain't no angel gonna greet me..." verse).
This music video premiered on British music chart TV program Top Of The Pops in spring 1994 and was announced as being "Live by satellite from New York", although the "live" claim is unlikely. The video was also broadcast on a large screen on 01 May 1994 during the Concerto Del Primo Maggio music festival in Rome, Italy, which in turn was broadcast on the Rai 1 television channel in Italy.
Please contact me if you have any additional information about the 1994 music video version of STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA. It'd like to know more about when and where it was shot and aired. Any additions, comments, or corrections to this page are welcome. You can send an email at or use the below form.
List of available versions of STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA on this website:
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA [Official studio version]