The Foote Files: John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band

(CBS11) - This East Coast rock group had several songs on the Billboard Hot 100 during the mid-1980's and they are still performing today.

Based in Narragansett R.I., the members included John Cafferty (vocals and guitar), Gary Gramolini (guitar), Robert Cotoia (keyboards), Michael Antunes (sax), Pat Lupo (bass) and Kenny Jo Silva (drums). The song most people remember from the band is "On The Dark Side" that hit #7 on the Hot 100 but #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart. But their last song on the Hot 100 is the one featured today.

"C-I-T-Y" was released in July 1985 through the Scotti Brothers record label. It was the second single released from their second studio album, "Tough All Over." It hit #18 on the Hot 100 but #9 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Written by Cafferty and produced by Kenny Vance, running 3:33, the lyrics go like this:

On the South side of Detroit city
I'm working all night on the line
Under black smoke stacks
Building Cadillacs, Jack
Not one of them will ever be mine

I'm gonna make it out of the city
Got an American dream that's true
Want a big red car and
A big white house and
A blue-eyed girl like you

You can spend all my money, honey
Na na na na, your man has come
It's alright

[Chorus:]
I'm living in the C-I-T-Y
Talking hard times in the city
Living in the C-I-T-Y
Life here ain't no dream
Living in the C-I-T-Y
Walking hard times in the city
Living in the C-I-T-Y
You know what I mean

This is one you want to really crank up the volume!! Enjoy this rock and roll gem from 1985 with the band on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. You can also hear this song on Sirius XM 80's On 8 with Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter, and Mark Goodman.