Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Philadelphia

"I was unrecognizable to myself."

Album: Philadelphia OST
Recorded: Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California
Genre: Rock
Album Release: January 1994
Single Release: February 11th 1994 [lead single]
Length: 4:12
Producer: Chuck Plotkin & Bruce Springsteen
Vocalist: Bruce Springsteen [age 44]
Label: Columbia

Music Video

Charts, Streams & Sales

Canada (singles): #1
France (singles): #1
Germany(singles): #1
Italy (singles): #1
UK (singles): #2
Spotify: Over 44 million
YouTube Music: Over 46 million
Academy Awards 1994: Best Original Song Winner
Grammy Awards 1994: Song of the Year Winner
Grammy Awards 1994: Best Rock Song Winner

Credits

Drum machine [Springsteen], keyboards [Springsteen]

Details

• 'Streets of Philadelphia' is on the soundtrack for the 1993 film 'Philadelphia', which details the struggles of a gay man with AIDS and was released at a time when many people were so afraid of the virus they called it the "gay plague". Gay rights movements were making giant leaps forward before the AIDS outbreak which led to a new wave of discrimination in the 1980's.
  
  The film takes place in Philadelphia because of the cities reputation for brotherly love. It takes its name from the Greek "philos" which means "lover" and "adelphos" which means "brother". The film subverts the audiences expectations by showing the inhumane treatment of a man with HIV in a place which is famous for "brotherly love". The phrase also hints at a gay subtext.
  
  
• Springsteen plays every instrument on 'Streets of Philadelphia'. He repurposed lyrics wrote after the death of a friend to fit the song and recorded it in under a week. When Jonathan Demme, the films director, heard it for the first time he was moved to tears. 
  
  Springsteen considered the version he sent to Demme an unfinished demo. He would later flesh it out in the studio with other musicians. However, after comparing the two recordings, it was decided the original was best.
  
  
• The music video was also directed by Jonathan Demme.
• Demme would also direct the video for Springsteen's 'Murder Incorporated' in 1995.
• The song was released when Springsteen was in his 'evil goatee' era.
  
• Springsteen is the 27th highest selling recording artist of all-time [as of 2025].
• As of 2025, Springsteen has had 12 #1 albums in the US. He has never had a #1 single.

Artwork