Dead End Street Lyrics

I was born in a city that they call the Windy City
They call it the Windy City because of the hawk
The hawk, the almighty hawk
Mr. Wind takes care of plenty business ′round wintertime

The place that I lived in was on a street that, uh
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 'em from knocking my bed down, Jim
I mean really socking it to me
When the boiler would bust and the heat was gone, Jim
I had to get fully dressed before I could go to bed
′Course I couldn't put on my galoshes
'Cause they had buckles on ′em and my folks didn′t play that
They said, "Don't you tear up my bedclothes with them galoshes on"

But I was fortunate
Soon as I was big enough to get a job and save enough money
Get a ticket, catch anything, I split
I said, "One day I′m gonna return
And I'm gonna straighten it all out"

And I′m 'bout ready to go back now
So I thought I′d tell you 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
When you're raised on a dead-end street
You gotta be tough and strong
Now all the guys I know getting in trouble
That′s how it′s always been
When the odds are all against you
How can you win?
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Oh lordy now, yeah

I'm gonna push my way out of here
Even though I can′t say when
But I'm gonna get off of this dead-end street
And I ain′t never gonna come back again
Never
No, no, no
Oh
Hey now, yeah

I'm gonna push my way out of here
Even though I can′t say when
But I'm gonna get off of this dead-end street
And I ain't gonna never come back again
No, no, no

I ain′t gonna come back to this dead-end street no more
No
′Cause I'm gonna get me a job
I′m gonna save my dough

Get away from here
I ain't gonna come back no more
I′m tired of a dead-end street
I wanna get out in the world and learn something
Tired of breaking my back
I wanna start you in my mind
There's trouble down here