FRANKIE

Tracks version

Dark weekends in the sun out on Chelsea Road
Descending the stairs, ah Frankie, my one
Check your makeup in the mirror, c'mon babe let's go
We'll dance 'round this dirty town till the night is all done
Let all the finer things sleep alone tonight
Let all the minor kings lose their thrones tonight
Don't worry about us, baby, we'll be alright

Well everybody's dying, this town's closing down
They're all sittin' down at the courthouse waiting for 'em to take the flag down
I see strange flashes in the sky up above
Gonna spend the night at the drive-in with the one that I love
At dusk the stars all appear on the screen
Yeah, just like they do each night in my dreams
But tonight's no dream, Frankie, I can feel myself too
Well now and forever, baby, my love is for you

Here we go! Here!
Walk softly tonight, little stranger
Yeah into these shadows we're passing through
Talk softly tonight, little angel
You make all my dream worlds come true
Whoa!

Well lately I've been standing out in the freezing rain
Readin' them "want" ads out on Chelsea Road
I'm winging down the street in search of new games
Hustling through these nightlights' diamond glow
Well Frankie I don't know what I'm gonna find
Maybe nothing at all, maybe a world I can call mine
Shining like these streetlights down here on the strand
Bright as the rain in the palm of your hand

Walk softly tonight, little stranger
Into these shadows where lovers go
Talk softly to me, little angel
Whisper your secrets so soft and low
Walk softly tonight, little stranger
Into these shadows where lovers go
Talk softly to me, little angel
Whisper your secrets so soft and low
Walk softly tonight, little angel
Into these shadows where lovers go
Talk softly to me, little stranger
Whisper your secrets so soft and low
Talk softly to me
Talk softly to me
Talk softly to me
Talk softly to me

Na na
Na na na na
Na na na na na
Na na na na na
Da da da da da da

The song was written during the lawsuit with Mike Appel and recorded for Darkness On The Edge Of Town and Born In The USA. It could have even been recorded as a demo as early as Jan 1976.

Chris Sandford wrote in his 1999 book Springsteen: Point Blank that "Springsteen began tinkering at his fourth album in January 1976. One track, 'Darkness On the Edge of Town', was already done; demos of 'Dawn Patrol', 'Frankie', 'Drifter's Barrio' and 'You're Gonna Cry' – some good, some not so polished – were being cut as fast as he could hum them."

Springsteen donated two of his compositions to Southside Johnny for use on his 1976 debut album I Don't Want To Go Home, and he also wrote the liner notes on the album's back sleeve. What somehow supports Sandford's claim is that on the back of the handwritten cover essay that he supplied to Southside Johnny, Bruce had written eight (or nine) song titles, under the header "Album IV":

DAWN PATROL
HOUSE ON EDEN STREET / THE EDGE OF DAWN
FRANKIE
WALKING WITH THE MAN
TEXAS DRIVE IN
DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN
DRIFTER'S BARRIO
YOU'RE GONNA CRY

It is unclear if "House On Eden Street / The Edge Of Dawn" are two songs, or one song with two alternative titles, "House On Eden Street" and "House On The Edge Of Dawn".

FRANKIE was considered to appear on Greatest Hits, but was finally dropped out because of it's long time duration, and was included later on Tracks.

As far as it's known, this song was only performed 10 times during the 2nd leg of the Born To Run tour in Apr 1976, starting the 4th at the Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, till the 24th at Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.

23 years later, the song reappeared once during the Reunion tour on 09 Aug 1999 at the Continental Arena, The Meadowlands, NJ, when it was sound-checked twice, and performed during the show.

During The Rising tour, the song was sound-checked, but not played during the show, on 31 Aug 2003 at the Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ. Again, sound-checked twice, but this time played during the show, on 07 Sept 2003 at the Fenway Park, Boston, MA.

Appeared four times during the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour, on 07 Aug 2005 at Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI, 10 Aug 2005 at Rosegarden Theatre of the Clouds, Portland, OR, 11 Aug 2005 at Key Arena, Seattle, WA, and on 17 Nov 2005 at Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ.

These lyrics refer to the version that appears on Tracks, recorded on 14 May 1982 at the Power Station, New York City, NY. This same version also appears on The Lost Masters Vol. 19, The Lost Masters Essential collection II, This Hard Land, and Murder Incorporated bootlegs.

According to some sources, all the May 1982 recordings were held at the Hit Factory, New York City, NY, which means that the notes on the Tracks booklet are not very accurate: FRANKIE and A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND (PITTSBURGH) were recorded at the Hit Factory, and not at the Power Station.

Check also the studio Jun 1977 version and the live 07 Apr 1976 version.