Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night now they blew up his house too
Down on the boardwalk they're gettin' ready for a fight gonna see what them racket boys can do
Now there's trouble bustin' in from outta state and the D.A. can't get no relief
Gonna be a rumble out on the promenade and the gamblin' commissions hangin' on by the skin of its teeth
CHORUS
Everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your makeup on fix your hair up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Well I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus
CHORUS
Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold but with you forever I'll stay
We're goin' out where the sand's turnin' to gold so put on your stockin's cause the night's getting cold and maybe everything dies
That's a fact but maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Now I been lookin' for a job but it's hard to find
Down here it's just winners and losers and don't get caught on the wrong side of that line
Well I'm tired of comin' out on the losin' end
So honey last night I met this guy and I'm gonna do a little favor for him
Well I guess everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your hair up nice and set up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Meet me tonight in Atlantic City
Meet me tonight in Atlantic City...
Published on Nebraska, debuted on 29 June 1984, Civic Centre, St. Paul, MN. Played widely during the Born In The USA, Human Touch, The Ghost Of Tom Joad, and the Reunion tours. It was also released on singles in 1982 and 1994 with MANSION ON THE HILL and STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA. A very early version of this song is FIST FULL OF DOLLARS from the Nebraska early demos, and an intermediate version also exists. The version recorded by Bruce in Jan 1982 was quite identical to the released one.
Available on:
Liner notes by Bruce Springsteen in the Greatest Hits booklet:
Liner notes from the One Step Up / Two Steps Back: The Songs Of Bruce Springsteen tribute booklet: