Well, we bursted out of class
Had to get away from those fools
We learned more from a 3-minute record, baby
Than we ever learned in school
Tonight I hear the neighborhood drummer sound
I can feel my heart begin to pound
You say you're tired and you just want to close your eyes
And follow your dreams down

Well, we made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Like soldiers on the winter's night
With a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender

Well, now young faces grow sad and old
And hearts of fire grow cold
We swore blood brothers against the wind
And I'm ready to grow young again
And I hear your sister's voice calling us home
Across the open yards
Well even we can cut someplace of our own
With these drums and these guitars

'Cause we made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Blood brothers on a summer's night
With a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender

Now out on the streets tonight the lights are growing dim
And the walls of my room are closing in
But it's good to see your smiling face
And to hear your voice again
Now we can sleep in the twilight
By the river bed
With a wide open country in our hearts
And these romantic dreams in our hands

'Cause we made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, baby, no surrender
Blood brothers on a summer's night
With a vow to defend
No retreat, baby, no surrender