Down in the Night (1982)

Words and Music ©1982, 2013 by Dallas Denny
Performance ©1982, 2013 by Off the Wall
Source: Down in the night. (1982). Words and music by Dallas Denny. Performance 1982 by Off the Wall (Live in Concert).
Photo from the virtual world Second Life (the set was modeled after Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, 1942).
This is my only rock song. I wrote the words and music and sang backup vocals in this performance by the band Off the Wall.
Off the Wall was a garage band formed in East Tennessee in 1981. I was a founding member even though my guitar playing was rudimentary and I had no electric pickup on my classical Yamaha. I was playing unamplified rhythm during this song, but I can’t be heard. This version of Down in the Night was performed live in concert at one of our few gigs. The arrangement was done by collaborative effort of the band.
Listen to Off the Wall Play Down in the Night (128 kbps mp3)
Down in the Night Lyrics
Words and Music ©1982, 2013 by Dallas Denny
Down in the Night
By Dallas Denny
Well the cops have all got nasty
Swept the whores off of the streets
And they’re raiding all the places
Where the shady people meet
They’re cleaning up this dirty town
They want us all to know
But where will all
The night time people go
You can see them in the cafes
You can see them in the bars
Those who love the nighttime
Know just who they are
Drinks in smoky basements
Watch the jazzman blow
Where will all
The night time people go
Chorus:
Down in the night
Where do they go
Down in the night
Where do they go
They go down in the night
They go down slow
They go down in the night
That’s where they go
All the people of the evening
All the shady night-time folks
March to a different drummer
Beating different strokes
Unlike the daytime people
Robots in a row
Where will all
The night time people go
Chorus
The pinballs been replaced
By video machines
And all the jukebox princesses
By transvestitic queens
The pawn shops all stand empty
The liquor stores are closed
Where will all
The night time people go
Chorus
Have you ever had to spread ‘em
On the side of a van
Have you ever had to duck and run
When the business hit the fan
Is your life a comedy
You live it for the show
Where will all
The night time people go
Chorus