Garland : I am the producer of the original 1980 punk "hit" version of the Circle Jerks' cover of your song. I worked with Circle Jerks right at their very beginnings. "Wild in the Streets" was a rehearsal "jam" song : the group had no intention of recording it but I insisted they did along with 5 original numbers. It came to be released as the Jerks wanted to be on the Rodney on the Roq album that I was compiling and they didn't want to "waste" an original song and ironically your song was the one that I wanted on. All this is borne out by their first album "Group Sex" not produced by me and not containing the song. It was a minimalist production in keeping with the times, the only sweetening being Keith Morris's very effective "running, running" chants. The group members played their own instruments, the tracking done in about an hour, vocals another hour at a later date and immediately mixed. An acetate would have been cut at Gold Star and played the very next Saturday night on KROQ in L.A.. Right from the beginning, my version of the song was accurately credited to you and your publishing company. Ironically, I am only finding out about the song's usage in Thrashin, the presumption being that a later re-recording by the Circle Jerks was used. Robbie Fields
For reference, the '82 Circle Jerks vid version which Posh Boy's Robbie Fields (further comments below) produced n notes. So, '70s v '80s, LA v NYC, Joey Ramone v Tony Hawks, Son of Sam v Hillside Strangler... Culture's a bitch.
I grew up in rural America. The news reported on the goings on in the major cities, but it was Garland Jeffreys who made it real to me. Happy 75th birthday, Garland Jeffreys! You still rock! Thank you for this, and all of your music.
I've loved this song forever, I guess I first heard it around 1975. When I was in High School (1978 Grad.) I always used to listen to this, loud, right before I went out on Friday and Saturday nights to party and cause trouble with my friends. Good times! Thanks Mr. Jeffreys.
First heard this in 1977 when it was released in Australia a week (or so) before Elvis died, best song ever, it has been on every mixed, tape, CD and USB I made, long live Garland
Wow. What an amazing song. For years I thought the Circle Jerks wrote this song and it was one of my favorites. This version is just much more amazing (although the Jerks really did a great homage). I'm glad I found this song, and I'm definitely going to buy the record. Rock on!
Awesome song, great video. I'm 37 years old, and since I was 14, I always thought this was just a Circle Jerks song. Glad I finally found out about this.
When this played on The Get Down, I was so happy! I remember hearing it when I was little; my aunt used to play obscure and old music like this in her car all the time. It playing in TGD brought back so many good memories! That show is a blessing.
For some reason, I was thinking about Garland Jeffreys the other day. I remember the song R O C K that came out in the early 80's. He also did a version of 96 tears. I haven't heard anything about him in years, wondered what happened to him. Never knew much about him, just that I liked those songs he did. I decided to look it up on the web. Come to find out that he and I have the same birthday, just different years. Small world!
I also grew on on the Circle Jerks version, and just discovered that you did the original......I cant get enough of this song!!! The video is so damn cool too!!!!
I've been trying to remember all the great hits from the golden age of progressive FM radio (WBCN in Boston, e.g.) that never made the Billboard Top 40. There's no list of these available that I know of (although I'm pretty sure that airplay charts existed at the time). I just remembered this one today and confirmed my memory that it's an inner-circle of the inner-circle classic. It pulls off the rare trick of having the chorus be essentially the same music as the verse about as well as it's ever been done (cf. "Cinderella" by the Sonics and "When My Baby's Beside Me" by Big Star). And the groove is amazing.
Sun setting on a June Friday evening...driving home from work...windows down..warm air flowing in...ready to get outta the cage and get into the night..."Wild In The Street" playing loud....yeah, there's hope tonight.... I'm 50 now and still get the same feeling....yeah, hope holds strong. Thanks Garland.
This never charted, but some of the classics never did, and this IS a CLASSIC! Happy 79th a few days late, Mr. Jeffreys, and many more! Posting 7-9-22.
I was today years old the first time I realized the Circle Jerks didn't actually write this song... this original is amazing! so glad the algorithm shoved it in my face
This is a blast from the past. Remember listening to WFNX 101.7 FM play Garland back in the 1980s. I remembered him this past weekend was glad to find this on UA-cam. Thanks for the post.
linked from R.O.C.K. which I just listened to. ROCK is a song I heard on the radio ONE TIME almost 35 years ago and have never gotten it out of my head, then finally a year or two ago the internet brought it back to me. I don't mean it was on the radio a lot during that time period, I mean in my entire life I heard it once and it was branded in. Mr Jeffries your song was that indelible to me.
I graduated high school in 1978 and this was my theme song. It would get me so pumed up then and it still does. Such a nasty sound, raw and mean but still smart. Love this tune as much as the first time I heard it, you are the man, GJ.
Great video! Great song! Even better album!! Ghost Writer is one of my all time most rockiness lyrically stripped down & kept super real Albums EVER!! Pound 4 Pound, still stands up. Music isn't made like this anymore.
Thank you, Mr. Jeffreys, for following your own muse and giving us a song that shows us mere mortals what "going hard" really means. You don't use one profanity ("transvestites" is NOT profanity) and gave us a song meaner and nastier than any rap song in the 2000's. I won't rest until everyone that listens fondly to Rock music knows your name.
I forgot how good this sounded and how much it fueled that generation just coming from the 60's and into the new world....another child of Velvet Underground and the Stones
Wow! Just heard this as a lead - up on a news show. Haven't heard it in years!! Yes Garland Jeffreys you should be proud of this song, it's fantastic. The acoustics, drums, guitars are fabulous. Thanks for adding this to youtube.
Thanks Lee - what news show was playing the song? If you can, please email garlandjeffreysmanagement@gmail.com with the info, thanks! I am proud of the song - Garland
+Garland Jeffreys to what extent was this song political or alluding to peoples struggles in the streets at the time? Love this song. Thanks for making it
Garland, thank you for being here and sharing. Saw you most recently @ Maxwell's in Hoboken NJ guess about 2012 and you were still killing, commanding, spilling your heart all over that sweaty stage. Good to see Dee Dee (w Richard Hell?) in that shot - he was always walkin'round like so many others back then. Joey, that sweetheart, too (is that Alan Vega n Martin Rev? whew). This '77 rerelease vid of your groundbreaking '73 45 captures NYC at that abandoned moment when only the bravest and boldest were left to reclaim, remake/remodel it. (Warriors, come out and playayy...) Props to yourself and that proud girl of yours. Kid, your Dad changed things when it was tough to do so. Like, really tough.
![[HOONIGAN] KEN BLOCK'S GYMKHANA SEVEN: WILD IN THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES](/img/n.gif)
sickest song ever
dad you rock
Garland : I am the producer of the original 1980 punk "hit" version of the Circle Jerks' cover of your song.
I worked with Circle Jerks right at their very beginnings. "Wild in the Streets" was a rehearsal "jam" song : the group had no intention of recording it but I insisted they did along with 5 original numbers. It came to be released as the Jerks wanted to be on the Rodney on the Roq album that I was compiling and they didn't want to "waste" an original song and ironically your song was the one that I wanted on. All this is borne out by their first album "Group Sex" not produced by me and not containing the song.
It was a minimalist production in keeping with the times, the only sweetening being Keith Morris's very effective "running, running" chants. The group members played their own instruments, the tracking done in about an hour, vocals another hour at a later date and immediately mixed. An acetate would have been cut at Gold Star and played the very next Saturday night on KROQ in L.A..
Right from the beginning, my version of the song was accurately credited to you and your publishing company.
Ironically, I am only finding out about the song's usage in Thrashin, the presumption being that a later re-recording by the Circle Jerks was used.
Robbie Fields
For reference, the '82 Circle Jerks vid version which Posh Boy's Robbie Fields (further comments below) produced n notes.
So, '70s v '80s, LA v NYC, Joey Ramone v Tony Hawks, Son of Sam v Hillside Strangler...
Culture's a bitch.
Thanks so much for your comments... My best to you all for the Thanksgiving holidays.
"I've been sitting at the bar for three hours... or about, five years, depending how you looked at things."
Still blowing minds 51 years later
Those credits sound pretty amazing even now.
Can you imagine if Garland and Jim Carroll had done an album together? That would have been amazing! Pure New York.
I would love THAT record!
Yes, David Peel and his crew did indeed sing on the chorus with other singers and we mixed them all together to create a special sound!
Saw him open on Lou Reed's Transformer tour in '72 and he blew everyone away. That first LP is outstanding too.
Oh...my....God. Not only a great song....that was one of the most brilliant, beautiful music videos I think I've ever seen.
Oh YESSSSS!!!
I grew up in rural America. The news reported on the goings on in the major cities, but it was Garland Jeffreys who made it real to me. Happy 75th birthday, Garland Jeffreys! You still rock! Thank you for this, and all of your music.
"The Get Down" brought me here. Such a terrific song.
Me too! Great to find excellent new, old music!
I've loved this song forever, I guess I first heard it around 1975. When I was in High School (1978 Grad.) I always used to listen to this, loud, right before I went out on Friday and Saturday nights to party and cause trouble with my friends. Good times! Thanks Mr. Jeffreys.
An amazing talent and a sweetheart of a man.
I thought it was a song written by the band Circle Jerks. I loved the original version!
First heard this in 1977 when it was released in Australia a week (or so) before Elvis died, best song ever, it has been on every mixed, tape, CD and USB I made, long live Garland
“I’d been sitting at the bar for three hours, or five years depending on the way you looked at things.” - Max Payne
I grew up on the Circle Jerks version of this song, but never knew it was a cover of a much better original version.
Thanks! Glad word is getting out...after 43 years!!
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !! > Right ON !!!
+Garland Jeffreys Better late than never!
+Garland Jeffreys Is this a fan page or are you actually Garland Jeffreys?
Really me. Finally trying to reply to comments.
Great song. Always though Kieth Morris wrote it, glad that after twenty years I finally found Garland Jefferies.
I can’t believe I’ve never heard this song before today, this is fantastic
I had only been familiar with the Circle Jerks version until I recently heard this on the Netflix series The Get Down. Such a great song!
Garland Jeffreys is one of the greatest of our rock 'n' roll poets, and this song is just as powerful and relevant as the day it was recorded.
Wow. What an amazing song. For years I thought the Circle Jerks wrote this song and it was one of my favorites. This version is just much more amazing (although the Jerks really did a great homage).
I'm glad I found this song, and I'm definitely going to buy the record. Rock on!
That record is ridiculous. Just perfect. Get's my entire family moving too and three of them under the age of 10. Love it Garland!! Love it.
Still sounds great 40 years later :)
Awesome song, great video. I'm 37 years old, and since I was 14, I always thought this was just a Circle Jerks song. Glad I finally found out about this.
When this played on The Get Down, I was so happy! I remember hearing it when I was little; my aunt used to play obscure and old music like this in her car all the time. It playing in TGD brought back so many good memories! That show is a blessing.
For some reason, I was thinking about Garland Jeffreys the other day. I remember the song R O C K that came out in the early 80's. He also did a version of 96 tears. I haven't heard anything about him in years, wondered what happened to him. Never knew much about him, just that I liked those songs he did. I decided to look it up on the web. Come to find out that he and I have the same birthday, just different years. Small world!
Love this song. An anthem. I don't know why it never became a hit. I also never knew that David Peel was on this.
It has taken me so long to find this. Thank god for the internet
This song never gets old
one of the best ever songs about new york, even if it doesn't say so in the lyric...never get tired that beat!
I was a teen when it came out
and have loved it since
I haven't heard this in years. One of my favorites in '77. My girlfriend was a college radio DJ and I'd get her to play it for me.
Thanks Garland for your talent . u got that natural mystic blow into the air
I also grew on on the Circle Jerks version, and just discovered that you did the original......I cant get enough of this song!!! The video is so damn cool too!!!!
Kicked ass when I was 13,Brings back some memories at 53...I guess we were!
I've been trying to remember all the great hits from the golden age of progressive FM radio (WBCN in Boston, e.g.) that never made the Billboard Top 40. There's no list of these available that I know of (although I'm pretty sure that airplay charts existed at the time). I just remembered this one today and confirmed my memory that it's an inner-circle of the inner-circle classic. It pulls off the rare trick of having the chorus be essentially the same music as the verse about as well as it's ever been done (cf. "Cinderella" by the Sonics and "When My Baby's Beside Me" by Big Star). And the groove is amazing.
This is indeed a great song!!!
I thought this was the Rolling Stones when I first heard it.
Great song & video !
Very cool images of NYC.
Reminds me of my first visit as a kid in the early 70's.
Love it.
Sun setting on a June Friday evening...driving home from work...windows down..warm air flowing in...ready to get outta the cage and get into the night..."Wild In The Street" playing loud....yeah, there's hope tonight....
I'm 50 now and still get the same feeling....yeah, hope holds strong. Thanks Garland.
I love this song and have since it was released. It's an American Anthem complete with a Yenko Chevy. Great tune Garland.
Thanks Lowell!
Glad to met you in the hood ❤
God I am so happy I found this video---this is one if my all-time favorites. I listened to the shit out of this album in high school!
I loved this song. A great anthem. So contemporary.
This never charted, but some of the classics never did, and this IS a CLASSIC! Happy 79th a few days late, Mr. Jeffreys, and many more! Posting 7-9-22.
0:35 - Dee Dee Ramone on the right
I wish i could say, its a good video ~
but its Excellent !! love the 70's flashback
Garland always and forevermore
Max Payne 3 very good song
I was today years old the first time I realized the Circle Jerks didn't actually write this song... this original is amazing! so glad the algorithm shoved it in my face
This is a blast from the past. Remember listening to WFNX 101.7 FM play Garland back in the 1980s. I remembered him this past weekend was glad to find this on UA-cam. Thanks for the post.
The music and imagery from my first experience in New York City. We knew this tune in Cleveland, OH, too! Thanks Garland Jeffreys!
Feels like going outside running wild in the streets
The college FM station here, used to play this a lot in '73. I always did like this song.
whoa, i had no idea all those folks played on this record. our mutual pal Chuck Prophet got me thinking of this tune this week.
linked from R.O.C.K. which I just listened to. ROCK is a song I heard on the radio ONE TIME almost 35 years ago and have never gotten it out of my head, then finally a year or two ago the internet brought it back to me. I don't mean it was on the radio a lot during that time period, I mean in my entire life I heard it once and it was branded in. Mr Jeffries your song was that indelible to me.
This is king tone. I haven't heard it in a long time. The best song for a summer's day in NYC back in the early '70s. Thanks for posting it.
I graduated high school in 1978 and this was my theme song. It would get me so pumed up then and it still does. Such a nasty sound, raw and mean but still smart. Love this tune as much as the first time I heard it, you are the man, GJ.
men i grow up with this song back in the days in Bronx
Saw GJ last night in Toronto.
At 70 he hasn't lost a step.
Great new material also.
Keep on keepin' on, Garland.
the personal list alone is incredbily impressive... not to speak of the song ;)
:)
Garland, Have loved you for at least 40 years. You are simply brilliant. xo's catd
This is spine soul control. Real shit without a payroll.
Nothing like hearing one of the most beautiful son of Uncle Sam ... like a shot of sun in the heart ...
Great video! Great song! Even better album!! Ghost Writer is one of my all time most rockiness lyrically stripped down & kept super real Albums EVER!! Pound 4 Pound, still stands up. Music isn't made like this anymore.
i worked at a progressive fm radio station and this song is a prime example of the Best of that
I have always loved this song but only today found out what an amazing group of musicians you had on this. Thank you.
wow what a blast from the past
Was thinking about this song today. I had to watch the video.
*...what a great song*
One of the best videos and tunes about NYC
Absolutely great song!
A classic 70s NYC tune !
A Lincoln alumni......He's so darn good and a nice person too....
great song & video !!! *****
Just found this on Little Steven's Underground Garage archived show. Fantastic song.
The Get Down brought me here!!
Saw the Leslie West Band do this amazing song live back in the 70's; it's one of those unforgettable tracks. Wonderful vid, too.
This is an excellent video. I really love the halftone pop art styles, the footage of New York. It's fascinating. Thank you for writing this song!
Thank you, Mr. Jeffreys, for following your own muse and giving us a song that shows us mere mortals what "going hard" really means. You don't use one profanity ("transvestites" is NOT profanity) and gave us a song meaner and nastier than any rap song in the 2000's. I won't rest until everyone that listens fondly to Rock music knows your name.
mr. Jefferies has certainly brought me back to my favorite era in new york...had a nice lil ford maverick like the one at :18
I forgot how good this sounded and how much it fueled that generation just coming from the 60's and into the new world....another child of Velvet Underground and the Stones
Max Payne saved me. Garland gave me boogie. The streets? Can't trust em. Won't leave em either
This song struts--
I love this original version. I never knew the Circle Jerks song I was into back in the 80's was a cover.
Great Garland !!!!!!!!!!!
oh yeah !!!
Wow! Just heard this as a lead - up on a news show. Haven't heard it in years!! Yes Garland Jeffreys you should be proud of this song, it's fantastic. The acoustics, drums, guitars are fabulous. Thanks for adding this to youtube.
Thanks Lee - what news show was playing the song? If you can, please email garlandjeffreysmanagement@gmail.com with the info, thanks! I am proud of the song - Garland
+Garland Jeffreys to what extent was this song political or alluding to peoples struggles in the streets at the time? Love this song. Thanks for making it
actually i heard this song on fashion tv as a background to some fashion video and shazam it. great song!
Garland, thank you for being here and sharing. Saw you most recently @ Maxwell's in Hoboken NJ guess about 2012 and you were still killing, commanding, spilling your heart all over that sweaty stage. Good to see Dee Dee (w Richard Hell?) in that shot - he was always walkin'round like so many others back then. Joey, that sweetheart, too (is that Alan Vega n Martin Rev? whew).
This '77 rerelease vid of your groundbreaking '73 45 captures NYC at that abandoned moment when only the bravest and boldest were left to reclaim, remake/remodel it. (Warriors, come out and playayy...)
Props to yourself and that proud girl of yours.
Kid, your Dad changed things when it was tough to do so. Like, really tough.
Oh , David Peel! Used to catch him at Washington Square wailing 'round the fountain. Henry James, Edith Wharton - if only you'd lived long enough...
Be-autiful, Garland!!! Thank you for this one!
See, this is why I love UA-cam...it gives me access to songs and things I probably wouldn't of come in contact with on own. I like this.
Love! (dancing)
great Song
I had the album when it first came out! Great to hear again!
Imagine the kinda mood max payne was in when sitting in a bar listening to this masterpiece..
WHO MADE THIS VIDEO?
it is absolutely amazing, and so is the song; and the combination of the two, just perfect
Cool,I Like this Clip!
I love this song
very good worldwide quality