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Lights for Streetwalkers” b/w “Lucky’s Café
Track List
- Side A: Lights for Streetwalkers
- Side B: Lucky’s Cafe
Credits
Writing Credits
Lights for Streetwalkers
Steve Klingaman and John Kargacos
Humuncules Music
Lucky’s Cafe
Steve Klingaman
Humuncules Music, BMI
Produced by Streetlife
John Kargacos ~ lead guitar, vocals
Steve Klingaman ~ guitar, vocals, lead vocal on “Lights for Streetwalkers”
David Davenport ~ keyboards, vocals lead vocal on “Lucky’s Café”
Jim Dobbins ~ bass
Jeff Stasny ~ drums
Guest Artist
Philbert Desenex ~ sax on “Lucky’s Café”
Recorded and mixed and mastered by Jeff Mattararo
Natural Sound Studios. Santee, CA
Big Rock Records, Santee, CA / Humuncules Music
Cover art by Steve Heim
Lyrics
LIGHTS FOR STREETWALKERS
Lights for streetwalkers on the boulevard
along the mainline arteries
Nights at the factory then here you are
a walking prisoner, dangerous dreams
Is it all right? ooooh love me right
got to make it all right ooooh love me tonight
everybody all right ooooh
do it ’til it’s done
you’re gonna do it ‘til it’s gone
Lights for streetwalkers on the window ledge
all the good girls are fast asleep
Nights for streetwalkers on the razor’s edge
bye bye baby, play for keeps
Is it all right? ooooh love me right
got to make it all right ooooh love me tonight
everybody all right ooooh
do it ’til it’s done
you’re gonna do it ‘til it’s gone
The lonely ones walk in the night
somebody starts to fight
I ‘ve got a feeling something
must turn out right
stealing it from the night
Rain pouring down there’s thunder in the air
shine the red light in your face
Ain’t no one sane there’s people everywhere
disappearing without a trace
Is it all right? ooooh love me right
got to make it all right ooooh love me tonight
everybody all right ooooh
do it ’til it’s done
you’re gonna do it ‘til it’s gone
LUCKY’S CAFE
Down on the corner
Lucky’s Café
Danny is playing his violin
‘Cuz the band went away
I’m so low and I don’t know
What I’m doing here
If there’s no friend like a stranger
How come they’re all sulking in their beer?
So they sit drinking, thinking
All night long
Look at those zombies
Won’t you just stop me
It’s all so wrong.
Turn the page, shut the door
Dim the lights behind ya
Hit the switch, cut the juice
I’m never gonna find ya
In this seedy little dump of a place
I talk to the waitress
Her name is Joan
She’s got two kids and her latest ex
Fifty miles on down the road
She’s had it to here with loving
But she sometimes fools around
If there’s no friend like a stranger
How come she’s talking so damn loud?
Win ‘em & lose ‘em
She don’t choose ‘em
She just removes her clothes
She’s got a big dog
In the back yard
And she lets you know
Turn the page, shut the door
Dim the lights behind ya
Hit the switch, cut the juice
I’m never gonna find ya
She was a nice girl but she was working at Lucky’s
I’m hanging at Lucky’s
That sweet violin
Nobody knows the shape I’m in
And look, here’s two friends of mine coming in
They’re laughing and they tell me
She’s got a new man again
Well there’s no friend like a stranger
And there’s no stranger like a friend
Well there’s no friend like a stranger
And there’s no stranger like a friend
So they sit thinking, drinking
All night long
Look at those zombies
Won’t you just stop me
It’s all so wrong.
Turn the page, shut the door
Dim the lights behind ya
Hit the switch, cut the juice
I’m never gonna find ya
In this sleazy little dump of a place
About the Single
Streetlife was founded by Steve Klingaman and John Kargacos in San Diego in the late 1970s. “Lights for Streetwalkers” b/w “Lucky’s Café was the debut single for the band. Natural Sound Studios was newly opened in 1978 and we were one its early clients. We live-tracked the rhythm section and did the rest with overdubs.
“Lights for Streetwalkers” is the rocker, and features a scorching lead by John. Steve used the term “streetwalkers” as a metaphor for everyone who found themselves lost on the street, rootless, looking for…something—and trying to stay out of or get into trouble.
“Lucky’s Café,” the b-side, sung by keyboardist David Davenport, turned out to have real legs, remaining on Steve and John’s set lists even in 2025. And the song was rerecorded by Steve on Roots and Branches as one of the songs he’d always wanted to sing—sort of a director’s cut.
The song is an urban bar room ballad that has its own timeless charm. It truly was our failed “hit single,” which is how I fondly refer to it today. Philbert Desenex (yes, that is a pseudonym) added an extraordinary sheen to the outro that both places the song in the era and remains compelling on its own. Precious few copies of the 45 remain available for sale. Snap it up before it’s too late!
