Dead End Street - Lou Rawls

I was born in a city the called the Windy City

And they called it the Windy City because of the Hawk

The hawk.

The all mighty Hawk

Mr. Wind

Takes care of plenty business around winter time

The place that I lived in

Was on a street that a

Happened to be one of the dead-end streets

Where there was nothing to block

The wind, the elements

Nothing to buffer them for me to

Keep them from knocking my pad down, you know

I mean really socking it to me

When the boiler would bust and the heat was gone

I would have to get fully dressed before I could go the bed

Cause I couldn’t put on my goulashes cause they had buckles on them

And my folks didn’t play that

They said «don't you tear up my bed clothes with some goulashes on»

But I was fortunate

As soon as I was big enough to get a job save enough money

To get a ticket to catch anything

I split

I said one day I’m going to return

And I’m going to straighten it all out

And I’m about ready to go back now

So I thought I’d tell ya about it

They say this is a big rich town

But I live in the poorest part

I know I’m on a dead-end street

In a city without a heart

I learned to fight before I was six

The only way I could get along

But when you’re raised on a dead-end street

You’ve got to be tough and strong

Now all the guys I know are getting in trouble

That’s how its always been

When the odds are all against you

How can you win, yeah, yeah, yeah

I’m going to push my way out of here

Even though I can’t say when

But I’m going to get off of this dead-end street

And I ain’t never going to come back again

Never

No, no, no

I’m going to push my way out of here

Even though I can’t say when

But I’m going to get off of this dead-end street

And I ain’t going to never come back again

No, no, no

I ain’t going to come back to this city street no more

No — Cause I’m going to get me a job

I’m going to save my dough

Get away from here

I ain’t going to come back no more

I’m tired of a dead-end street

I want to get out in the world and learn something

I’m tired of breaking my back

I want to start using my mind