CLUB SOUL CITY^©

Killer Joe's version

Pack up your bags
And 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 the guy that runs the place
Hair like a weeping willow
Tears running down her face
She's seen a lot of guys like you coming around
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 (oh, no no)
If you're lost and you're lonely
You won't be lonely down there (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 (Soul), Club Soul City, yeah yeah yeah
Club Soul, Club Soul City, oh yeah
Club Soul (Club Soul), Club Soul City, yeah yeah yeah
Club Soul, Club Soul City, oh yeah
Club Soul (Club Soul), Club Soul City, yeah yeah yeah
Club Soul

Page last updated: 20 Feb 2008

The above lyrics are for Killer Joe's version of the Springsteen composition CLUB SOUL CITY. They released it on their 1991 album The Scene Of The Crime.

When Bruce Springsteen temporary disbanded The E Street Band in 1989, drummer Max Weinberg decided to enter law school, following in his father's career footsteps. "All I had was an advanced degree in Bruce Springsteen music, and the market for used drummers was slim," he said at the time; still, he made it into law school but didn't stay long.

In 1990, Weinberg started his own record label, the New Jersey based Hard Ticket Entertainment. The following year he produced and drummed on the label's first title, Scene Of The Crime, an album by Killer Joe, a New York group Weinberg put together. This was the only album the group ever released, and it featured two rare tracks written by Bruce Springsteen: the instrumental SUMMER ON SIGNAL HILL (only otherwise released by Clarence Clemons in 1983) and CLUB SOUL CITY (only otherwise released by Gary U.S. Bonds in 1982).

The Killer Joe band consisted of "Killer" Joe Delia, Max Weinberg, Jimmy Vivino, Haywood Gregory, David Keyes, Mark "Love Man" Pender, Jerry Vivino, Bob Smith, and Erik Lawrence. Their version of CLUB SOUL CITY featured a guest appearance by Phoebe Snow on vocals.

Max Weinberg's liner notes from the Scene Of The Crime album:

Club Soul City, written by my colleague, Bruce Springsteen, is a Stax-styled ballad that introduces Haywood Gregory on lead vocal. Haywood does justice to the tune as he sings with strength and conviction. Joining Haywood's intensity is Miss Phoebe Snow whose voice soars with emotion. Phoebe was recording next door and heard what was going down in our studio. She stopped by, was moved by the sounds, and belted out the perfect counterpart to the lead. In one take, thank you very much.

In addition to Killer Joe's album Scene Of The Crime, both SUMMER ON SIGNAL HILL and CLUB SOUL CITY were included on Haywood Gregory's (Killer Joe band member) album The Haywood Gregory Collection that was released in June 2005.

• Killer Joe -- Scene Of The Crime
  CD album - USA, 1991 - Hard Ticket Entertainment, catalogue # 01612-65069-2
   
• Haywood Gregory -- The Haywood Gregory Collection
  CD album - USA, 2005 - Gregota Music, catalogue # 49004

List of available versions of CLUB SOUL CITY on this website:

• Springsteen's home demo (more details)
• Gary U.S. Bonds' version
• Killer Joe's version

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake from BTX and Greasy Lake) for the help on this page.