I was cruisin` in my Stingray late one night,
When an XKE pulled up on the right
He rolled down the window of his shiny new Jag,
And challenged me then and there to a drag
I said You`re on buddy -- my mill`s running fine,
Let`s come off the line now at Sunset and Vine
But I`ll go you one better, if you`ve got the nerve,
Let`s race all the way -- to Dead Man`s Curve
(Dead Man`s Curve) is no place to play
(Dead Man`s Curve) you`d best keep away
(Dead Man`s Curve) I can hear `em say:
Won`t come back from Dead Man`s Curve
The street was deserted late Friday night;
We were buggin` each other while we sat out the light
We both popped the clutch when the light turned green,
You shoulda heard the whine from my screamin` machine!
I flew past La Brea, Schwab`s and Crescent Heights,
And all the Jag could see were my six taillights
He passed me at Doheny then I started to swerve,
But I pulled her out and there we were - at Dead Man`s Curve
(Dead Man`s Curve) is no place to play
(Dead Man`s Curve... [sounds of skids and crashes] )
(Spoken): Well, the last thing I remember, Doc,
I started to swerve
And then I saw the Jag slide into the curve
I know I`ll never forget that horrible sight,
I guess I found out for myself that everyone was right
Won`t come back from Dead Man`s Curve...
(Dead Man`s Curve) is no place to play
(Dead Man`s Curve) you`d best keep away
(Dead Man`s Curve) I can hear `em say:
Won`t come back from Dead Man`s Curve
(Dead Man`s Curve) is no place to play
(Dead Man`s Curve) you`d best keep away
(Dead Man`s Curve) I can hear `em say:
Won`t come back from Dead Man`s Curve (fade)
-----
Notes from this Californian (JayDeeBee1@aol.com): This song`s ill-fated drag
race takes place along L.A.`s famed Sunset Boulevard. Vine, La Brea,
Crescent Heights and Doheny are cross streets; Schwab`s is the
legendary drug-store-with-soda-fountain where movie stars hung out (since
torn down; but nicely depicted in the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard). Jan
Berry`s (of Jan & Dean) near-fatal car crash (April 1966) ironically happened
on Sunset Boulevard, but further west than the locations mentioned in this
song; near Whittier Drive in Beverly Hills.
