well, I was raised on a back street
time's were tough, but kind of bittersweet
left school when I was still a child
hit the streets and started running wild
hanging out in the neighborhood
people said, "they're up to no good"
never thought I'd ever make it through
hey boy, what you gonna do

crosstown traffic, sirens wailing, screaming in my ear
it's got me on the run, gotta move on out of here

I'm on a dead end street, on a dead end street
well it's got me beat, on a dead end street
I can't go no further, won't somebody rescue me
from this dead end street, oh yeah

they still talk about the big fight
on the backstreet at midnight
everybody heard the gunfire
saw him dragged into the black maria
now my best friend is doing time
he's committed to a life of crime
got a feeling I'll be next in line
I wonder how can I get out in time

I stepped into a movie, this can't be reality
if I wasn't so lucky, I wonder where I'd be

I'm on a dead end street, on a dead end street
well it's got me beat, on a dead end street
I can't go no further, won't somebody rescue me
from this dead end street, oh yeah

crosstown traffic, sirens wailing, screaming in my ear
it's got me on the run, gotta move on outta here

I'm on a dead end street, on a dead end street
well it's got me beat, on a dead end street
it's got me walking, it's got me talking
I'm on a dead end street, I'm on a dead end street
yeah, yeah-ee-yeah, yeah, whoo