It's a hard wind blows through the buildings and empty lots As the corner of michigan and 31st waits in ruin And the echoes of happy shoppers faded long, long, long ago Back when chrysler, gm and ford went mad with greed Oh, how we hoped it would turn out right Going back to detroit Kid could ride his bike through any neighborhood in town No fear of getting jacked for his sneakers Drive-bys only happened to the purple gang Back before the rebellion of '67 Still we dreamed it could turn out right Movin back to detroit Drove down from st. claire, took all night Going back to detroit From east grand boulevard to michigan and 31st Over to livernois and warren And then the upper duplex of elmer and mcgraw street And then the big move to our own whole house in lincoln park Which shattered into a rental in taylor And the endless search for the great good place Was redeemed by the power of loud electric guitars Up the river it's all forests and secret trails And forts and swamps and dogs and boats And the day held a million adventures for a boy of seven But that was before the time of later ghosts Lost paradise left behind Huck finn hits the steets and the neon light Hope against hope it'll turn out right Going back to detroit. Drove down from algonac, took all night Going back to detroit