A NIGHT LIKE THIS

Well the broken down dock
Where Little Angel she dances topless, at night down in Coral Inn
Along the satin couch high above the bar
She watches the surfers drift in just to waste away, this night away
Oh, two ID's at the door
And you're tripped into wonderland, filed with South Shore cruisers
And blondies with false curvy features and sandals and soft hands

Ah you meet a new girl and for a while, boy, you listen to the band
Oh you got no money to get up, but you still got to dance
And baby it feels more honest making love, making love on the sand
She takes off her shoes, runs off into the night
You catch up with her, you take her hand
You lay your jacket down on the sand
And she tries to make it allright

And dance on, dance on Little Angel, dance
Oh now baby don't laugh, oh little girl don't cry
Night after night we searched, we searched for romance
But somehow on nights like tonight we all die

Well across the street in the Shady Bell
Oh the fags come in to drink and dance
Oh and the disco roller DJ blasts out a solid beat
Strike a pose, everybody knows that you're the man
All the floors just a sex machine
Oh as wet hands force themselves into tight pants
Well that ain't gonna get her loose
But tonight you feel like taking a chance
And so you strut across the floor, and with your last breath you say
Baby, do you want to dance

Oh the boardwalk is so quiet at 3 in the morning
Oh and the wind blows life into a sleepy ferris wheel
And somehow tonight even the streets ain't so boring
Raped and ravaged, stripped and savage
With no secrets left to reveal, specially on the front

Well now the bars they close down
And along the beach the lonesome army awaits you
Oh the lost boys, they're waitin', watchin' her transformation, waiting to date you
And them lost boys, oh they dress rough, skin and savage legs
They hide beneath the pier, gettin' hard, drinkin' beer, waitin' to kiss you
And once you're locked in their arms you wanna die
But baby they wont let you

Oh turn up the house lights, Little Angel gets paid
And she goes in the back room to get changed
She's out the door, down the street
She turns the corner, towards her apartment
On the beach she hears the lost boys call her name
Oh Little Angel, bar Angel, bar Angel, Little Angel

And so you gotta dance on, dance on through the night, Little Angel dance
Well baby don't look so frightened, and please honey don't cry

Because night after endless night, up and down this boardwalk we search for romance
But on nights like this, with one last kiss, we all die

Page last updated: 11 May 2007

According to a studio log, this song was recorded during the Born To Run sessions under the title A NIGHT LIKE THIS, on 16 Oct 1974 at 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, NY. However, the song is also known under the titles ANGEL BABY (this one being Bruce's original working title) and DANCE ON LITTLE ANGEL.

The song is known to be performed live only once, opener of the 02 Jun 1974 gig at The Toledo Agora, Toledo, OH. Bruce plays it acoustic, and is backed up buy Danny Frederici and Clarence Clemons. He would introduce it as a "new song" (without mentioning the title), which might indicate that it was written around May 1974.

Lyrics from this song were later used in LONELY NIGHT IN THE PARK, a studio outtake from the Born To Run sessions.

Thanks Oskari (zeke from SPL) for the help. Much of the above info is taken from Brucebase.

Notes from Brucebase, about the 02 Jun 1974 show at The Toledo Agora, Toledo, OH:

01- Bruce tuning and chat (1:07)
02- A NIGHT LIKE THIS (7:45)
03- DOES THIS BUS STOP AT 82ND ST (4:05)
04- SAINT IN THE CITY (4:29)
05- SPIRIT IN THE NIGHT (cut, 0:07)
06- FOR YOU (8:16)
07- LET THE FOUR WINDS BLOW - I'M READY (start cut, 9:56)

ONE show, with Springsteen & The E Street Band headlining. [...] The above-mentioned partial setlist is taken from an audience recording of very weak quality that had been in limited circulation for many years. The material has yet to appear on any mainstream bootleg. The audio likely represents less than 30% of the evening's total performance. [...] Although this tape often circulates as undated, there are in fact several vital clues that almost certainly pinpoint the tape to this date and venue. Firstly, Bruce specifically mentions the name "The E Street Band" (which places the show no earlier than April 1974). Secondly, Bruce asks the audience how many of them have traveled from Detroit for this show (most respond yes - Toledo is only 70km from Detroit). Thirdly, this arrangement of "Let The Four Winds Blow - I'm Ready" was unique to the mid-1974 period and very similar to the following night's rendition in Cleveland.

From an historical standpoint the important performance is the wonderful love song "A Night Like This" [...] Fortunately the audio of this song is complete and the sound quality is somewhat better on this track than the rest of the audio.

From Brucetapes, about the 02 Jun 1974 audience tape:

Total disc time: (43:36)
01- Angel Baby (8:51)
02- Does This Bus Stop At 82nd St (4:04)
03- Saint In The City (4:29)
04- Spirit In The Night** (Cut) (0:07)
05- For You (8:16)
06- Let The Four Winds Blow - I'm Ready (start cut) (9:57)
Bonus track:
07- ANGEL BABY (Re-mastered) (7:52)

[...] Additional notes on "Angel Baby":

[...] The song has been in circulation amongst some fans since at least the mid 1980's. It usually circulated as a single song, without the rest of the set, as such people always assumed it was from late 72 / early 73; many even assumed that it was an early version of "Sandy". The song generally went under the title of "Dance On Little Angel", and you will find reference to this song on many web sites and some publications - it is the same song as "Angel Baby" and the same performance.

This show contains an additional remastered version of "Angel Baby" which brings the song to life after many years of low fidelity listening - Thanks go out to Keith for this one.

And finally, the lyric has been in circulation for many years thanks to the work of 80's pioneers who produced the "Songs to Orphans Lyrics file", here they are... [lyrics above]