Better Days
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
1991, Impact Records
Songs
Coming Back
(S. Van Zandt)
REALAUDIO CLIP
All I Needed Was You
(S. Van Zandt)
REALAUDIO CLIP
It's Been A Long Time
(S. Van Zandt)
REALAUDIO CLIP
Soul's On Fire
(S. Van Zandt/J. Lyon)
REALAUDIO CLIP
Better Days
(S. Van Zandt)
REALAUDIO CLIP
I've Been Working Too Hard
(S. Van Zandt)
REALAUDIO CLIP
Ride The Night Away
(S. Van Zandt/S. Jordan)
REALAUDIO CLIP
The Right To Walk Away
(J. Lyon/D. Loccoriere/L. Preston)
 
All Night Long  (J. Lyon/B. Bandiera) 
All The Way Home
(B. Springsteen)
 
Shake 'Em Down
(S. Van Zandt)
REALAUDIO CLIP
Liner Notes & Production Credits
Produced and Arranged by Little Steven

Additional Arrangements by Southside Johnny

Associate Producer: Dave McNair

Recorded and Mixed by Dave McNair at Sigma Sound Studios, New York, NY

Assisted by Mike Scalcione

Production Coordinators: Zoe Yanakis and Jill Lyon

Musicians
Vocals and Harmonica: Southside Johnny

Drums: Max Weinberg

Bass: Garry Tallent

Piano and B-3 Organ: Rusty Cloud

Guitars: Little Steven (lead guitar on "Coming Back," "It's Been A Long Time," "All I Needed Was You," "Better Days," "Soul's On Fire"); Bobby Bandiera (lead guitar on "Ride The Night Away," "I've Been Working Too Hard," "All Night Long," "Shake 'Em Down," "The Right To Walk Away," "All The Way Home")

The Miami Horns (on all songs except where noted):

Trumpets: Mark Pender and Rick Gazda

Trombone: La Bamba

Baritone Saxophone: Eddie Manion

Jukes Horns:

Tenor Saxophone: Joey Stann (all songs except where noted)

Trumpet: Barry Danielan ("All Night Long," "Ride The Night Away")

Baritone Saxophone: Frank Elmo ("Right To Walk Away," "Soul's On Fire," "I've Been Working Too Hard")

Horns Arranged by Little Steven

Charts by La Bamba

Equipment: Benjamin Newberry

Second Lead Vocal

Bruce Springsteen ("It's Been A Long Time")

Jon Bon Jovi ("I've Been Working Too Hard")

Little Steven ("It's Been A Long Time")

Background Vocals
Bruce Springsteen ("All The Way Home")

Jon Bon Jovi ("Soul's On Fire")

Flo & Eddie ("Ride The Night Away")

Bobby Bandiera ("All Night Long")

Steve Jordan ("It's Been A Long Time")

Little Steven ("Coming Back," "All I Needed Was You," "Better Days," "Ride The Night Away," "Right To Walk Away," "Shake 'Em Down," "I've Been Working Too Hard"). Additional Background Vocals: La Bamba, Mark Pender, Mick Seeley, Joey Stann

Various and Assorted Keyboards and Guitars: Bruce Springsteen ("All The Way Home")

Tambourine and Maracas: Zoe Yanakis

Bruce Springsteen appears courtesy of Columbia Records Inc.

Jon Bon Jovi appears courtesy of Jambco/Mercury Records

Art Direction: Frenchy Gauthier

Design: Jeff Lancaster for L-Shape

Cover Photography: Frank Ockenfels III

Album Sleeve Photos: Carol Whaley, Zoe Yanakis, Benjamin Newberry

Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk, New York, NY

Thanks to: Little Steven for his hard work and great songs; Zoe and Ben; Dave and Mike; Danny, Dave, Dana, Lisa and Cynthia at Gold Mountain; Allen Kovac, Jeff Sydney, Randy Nicklaus, and John Hey at Impact Records for having faith; Bruce for all the years of support; Jon Bon Jovi (Melvis) for kicking my ass; Steve Popovich for getting us into this mess in the first place; Luke and everyone at Sigma Sound for their patience; The Rental Co.; Mort Cooperman at The Roadhouse Café, New York; Blak and Bloo, Los Angeles; Frank III for coming back; and, of course, Jillie.

This one's for Dad & Doc Pomus.

Song Lyrics

Coming Back
Steven Van Zandt (Blue Midnight Music, 1991)

I still remember, baby
Those wild, desperate times
Making love in crazy places
While the town around us died

I played on broken stages
I watched the lonely cry
You danced in iron cages
For the boys with hungry eyes
All those wasted lives

Little by little baby, we were going down
I swore I'd come back for you
Come back and buy this town

I'm coming back
Back for what's mine
I ain't gonna let nobody stop me this time
No more running baby, I paid for my crime
I'm coming back, baby
Back for what's mine

You were standing at the station
The rainy night I left
You looked so fine, baby
I couldn't catch my breath

Once I started running
I never asked the cost
Too many years and miles
To find out what I'd lost
Some things can't be bought

Everybody's colder now
It's everywhere I go
I'm getting tired of living
In a world that's got no soul

I'm coming back
Back for what's mine
I ain't gonna let nobody stop me this time
No more running baby, I paid for my crime
I'm coming back, baby
Back for what's mine

I don't want to confuse you
If you found something else
But I don't want to lose you
Just when I found myself

Everybody's colder now
It's everywhere I go
I just don't want to live
In a world that's got no soul

 

All I Needed Was You
Steven Van Zandt (Blue Midnight Music, 1991)

Outside the church bells toll
For this wasteland we call home
There's nowhere left to hide or run to

Daddy drank hard real late at night
He'd say without love life's a long fight
I promise I'd win one fight for him babe

The storm outside is raging
I close my eyes I think about you babe
There's got to be something left worth saving
We've wasted too much time

I played the fool I played the soldier
But my struggling days are over
I wanted everything
When all I needed was you babe

I didn't understand I was just a young boy
All I wanted was the rich man's play toys
I didn't really care how I got there baby

Now I've seen a thousand dreams die
In the oil fields, in the coal mines
No need to wonder why
Nobody's satisfied lately

The storm outside is raging
I close my eyes I think about you babe
There's got to be something left worth saving
We've wasted too much time

I played the fool I played the soldier
But my struggling days are over
I wanted everything
When all I needed was you babe

 

It's Been A Long Time
Steven Van Zandt (Blue Midnight Music, 1991)
We lived in a time and a world of our own
Making up the rules as we went along
Just one coat between us and we never felt cold
We were never gonna get old

Playin' cards 'till the sun came up and rollin' dice
Down to the club and listen to the blues all night
Girls on the corner get lonely now and then
We'd never be that free again

It's been a long time since we laughed together
It's been a long time since we cried
Raise your glass for the comrades we've lost
My friend it's been a long long time

Workin' just enough to pay the rent
Money got made - money got spent
Sleeping when we had nothin' left to do
Under the boardwalk and up on the roof

We never quite fit baby, we never played the game
Came out explodin' like a runaway train
Up all night talkin' 'bout dreams of better days
Ain't it funny how some things don't change

It's been a long time since we laughed together
It's been a long time since we cried
Raise your glass for the comrades we've lost
My friend it's been a long, long time

We lived in a time, and a world of our own
Making up the rules as we went along
Just one coat between us and we never felt cold
We were never gonna get old

It's been a long time since we laughed together
It's been a long time since we cried
Raise your glass for the comrades we've lost
My friend it's been a long, long time

 

Soul's On Fire
Steven Van Zandt/John Lyon (Blue Midnight Music/Doppler Shift Music [Admin. By Bug], 1991)

The moment I saw you - I wanted you
You made it so easy
You made love feel like it's supposed to

I never took it for granted
I was just away too long
Now I need you so badly
And you're gone

My soul's on fire
Tonight

The moment I left you
I missed you baby
The things I used to shake right off
Been stickin' to me lately

Don't you worry about me girl
I know this pain can't last
But tonight baby
It hurts so bad

My soul's on fire
Tonight

The moment I spoke to you
You tried to make me see
You needed someone to depend on
You knew that could never be me

I hope he treats you better than I did
I hope he can give you all the love he has
But tonight baby
It hurts so bad

My soul's on fire
Tonight

 

Better Days
Steven Van Zandt (Blue Midnight Music, 1991)

I had the craziest dream last night
There was thunder and lightning everywhere
Hellhounds reached up and ripped a hole in the sky
Pissed in the water and spit black smoke up in the air

Demons were chasing me all tatooed
In dollar signs, suits, and ties
They wanted me to party
I woke up just in time
I heard somebody say

Better days are comin'
We're gonna wake up and break this curse
Better days are on the way
'cause you know and I know
It can't get no worse
Sometimes the dream seems so real
Comes to me over and over again
Last night I swear I saw America sleeping in the streets
When does this nightmare end

I got to find my baby
Maybe I'll find salvation in her kiss
Tell me I'm dreaming
It's got to get better than this
I want somebody to say

Better days are comin'
We're gonna wake up and break this curse
Better days are on the way
'cause you know and I know
It can't get no worse

I believe I see a train coming
I know it's time to take a ride
Shattered dreams and broken promises
We gotta leave it all behind
'cause you know
we're gonna catch that train baby

Better days are comin'
We're gonna wake up and break this curse
Better days are on the way
'cause you know and I know
It can't get no worse

 

I've Been Working Too Hard
Steven Van Zandt (Blue Midnight Music, 1991)

Brothers and sisters gathered here today
I got something I want to share with you
Now let me warn you it's a sad sad story
But I swear every word is true

Now money and me don't talk too much
We never got along too well
But when I got some in my pocket
I seem to have a lot more friends
I pay the landlord and the taxman
And it's time to go to work again

Can I get a witness - can I get a witness
I need somebody - let me hear you say yeah

I've been workin' too hard
I've been workin' too hard
I've been workin' too hard
I got to get just a little out of control

I've been workin' too hard
I've been workin' too hard
I've been workin' too hard
Gotta find somebody just to soothe my soul

I had a young girl back in Cleveland
My baby would not be true
It took a while to realize
The evil that some girls do
I told her mother and father what I did
They said what kind of work is that
They said I just didn't have the fear of God
They could tell by the way I laughed
She ran off with a preacher's son
In a ragtop cadillac

Can I get a witness - you know I need a witness
I need somebody - let me hear you say yeah

(Repeat chorus)

Well people I've learned my lesson
And I've learned my lesson well
Some girls want your money
But your money is the Devil himself
But life can get confusing
Whether you're high, low, rich or poor
I swear when you get right down to it
There's only one thing I know for sure
Before this night is over
I'll be trouble and lookin' for more

Can I get a witness - I got to find a witness
I need somebody - let me hear you say yeah

(Repeat chorus)

 

Ride The Night Away
Steven Van Zandt/Steve Jordan (Blue Midnight Music/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Risque Situe, 1985)

I got something baby on my mind
It's tearing me up inside
I've got to let it loose tonight

I know you can feel what I'm going through
Everybody telling me what to do
Well I need somebody to talk to

I'm different I can feel the changes
But I can't turn back the pages
Our hearts are all we have to save us
Somebody save me tonight

We're gonna ride the night away
We're gonna ride the night away
Well there ain't no time left to borrow
I guess we'll have to think about it tomorrow
'cause tonight we're gonna ride the night away

I got a gun pointing at my head
I put it there by myself
Can't ask you but I need some help

I got a fire burning in my soul
I'm dangerous I'm out of control
And tonight I've got to let it go

I can't look back baby I've tried
It's too late for me to compromise
Well I need somebody by my side
Come on with me tonight

 

Shake 'Em Down
Steven Van Zandt (Blue Midnight Music, 1991)

I ride the top of the line I can't settle for less
I came here tonight to do what I do best
Hold tight baby I'm breakin' down the doors
I got mine I'm hopin' you got yours

We're gonna rock until the morning
We're gonna ride 'till we die
I gotta keep movin' 'till I'm satisfied
Come on come on it's gonna be alright
We're gonna shake 'em down baby tonight

Can't back down when the goin' gets rough
This is all we got baby it's got to be enough
I'd like to try to quit it but I don't know how
I needed it then and baby I need it right now

We're gonna rock until the morning
We're gonna ride 'till we die
I gotta keep movin' 'till I'm satisfied
Come on come on it's gonna be alright
We're gonna shake 'em down baby tonight

I've sacrificed everything I've known and loved
I've lost too much time I spilled too much blood
I ain't felt nothin' since '65
There's only one thing left keeping me alive

We're gonna rock until the morning
We're gonna ride 'till we die
I gotta keep moving 'till I'm satisfied
Come on come on it's gonna be alright
We're gonna shake 'em down baby tonight

 

Song lyrics are reproduced by kind permission of Steven Van Zandt.
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