YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH)

Album's version

Yesterday I went shopping buddy down to the mall
Looking for something pretty I could hang on my wall
I knocked over a lamp before it hit the floor I caught it
A salesman turned around said, "boy, you break that thing you bought it"

You can look but you better not touch boy
You can look but you better not touch
Mess around and you'll end up in dutch boy
You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not touch

Well I came home from work and I switched on Channel 5
There was a pretty little girly lookin' straight into my eyes
Well I watched as she wiggled back and forth across the screen
She didn't get me excited she just made me feel mean

You can look but you better not touch boy
You can look but you better not touch
Mess around and you'll end up in dutch boy
You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not touch
Come on...

Well I called up Dirty Annie on the telephone
I took her out to the drive-in just to get her alone
I found a lover's rendezvous, the music low, set to park
I heard a tappin' on the window and a voice in the dark

You can look but you better not touch boy
You can look better not touch
Mess around and you'll end up in dutch boy
You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not touch

You can look but you better not touch boy
You can look better not touch
Mess around and you'll end up in dutch boy
You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not,
No you better not, no you better not, I swear you better not, no you better not,
Come on...

Released on The River, played heavily during that tour, the Tunnel Of Love (every night), The Ghost Of Tom Joad (twice), Reunion, The Rising, and Devils & Dust tours. The song was also played off-tour.

This track was to be released on the aborted album The Ties That Bind in a version different from the one that was released on The River. A live version was released on the Live 1975-85 box set.

Reported to be rehearsed by Bruce with his Seeger Sessions Band on 05 and 07 Apr 2006 at the Paramount Theater, Asbury Park, NJ, and 12 Apr 2006 at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ.

Played during all 4 public rehearsal shows for The Seeger Sessions tour -- 20, 24, 25, and 26 Apr 2006 at the Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ.

The song was also played on 30 Apr 2006 at New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA, when Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band closed the first weekend of the New Orelans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

The above lyrics refer to the album's version. Check also alternative version 1, alternative version 2, alternative version 3, and alternative version 4.

The song was played frequently during The Seeger Sessions tour. Check out the live 25 Jun 2006 version.