10. Born to Run
In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway 9
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected, and steppin' out over the line
Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
'Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
Yes girl we were
Wendy let me in, I wanna be your friend, I want to guard your dreams and
visions
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims and strap your hands across
my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
Will you walk with me out on the wire
'Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta know how it feels
I want to know if love is wild, girl I want to know if love is real
Oh can you show me
11. Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard
The girls comb their hair in rear-view mirrors and the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark, kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonight in an everlasting kiss
The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight but there's no place left to hide
Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Someday girl I don't know when we're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us baby we were born to run
12. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Tear drops on the city
Bad Scooter searching for his groove
Seem like the whole world walking pretty
And you can't find the room to move
Well everybody better move over, that's all
I'm running on the bad side
And I got my back to the wall
Tenth Avenue freeze-out, Tenth Avenue freeze-out
I'm stranded in the jungle
Taking all the heat they was giving
The night is dark but the sidewalk's bright
And lined with the light of the living
From a tenement window a transistor blasts
Turn around the corner things got real quiet real fast
She hit me with a
Tenth Avenue freeze-out, tenth Avenue freeze-out
13. And I'm all alone, I'm all alone
And kid you better get the picture
And I'm on my own, I'm on my own
And I can't go home
When the change was made uptown
And the Big Man joined the band
From the coastline to the city
All the little pretties raise their hands
I'm gonna sit back right easy and laugh
When Scooter and the Big Man bust this city in half
15. Thunder Road
The screen door slams, Mary's dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside, darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
You ain't a beauty, but hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me
16. You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain for a saviour to rise from these streets
Well now I'm no hero, that's understood
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now
Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair
Well the night's bustin' open, these two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back, heaven's waiting down on the tracks
17. Oh oh come take my hand
Riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh oh oh oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey I know it's late, we can make it if we run
Oh oh oh oh Thunder Road, sit tight, take hold, Thunder Road
Well I got this guitar and I learned how to make it talk
And my car's out back if you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The door's open but the ride it ain't free
And I know you're lonely for words that I ain't spoken
Tonight we'll be free, all the promises will be broken
There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away
They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets
They scream your name at night in the street
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
And in the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines roaring on
But when you get to the porch they're gone on the wind, so Mary climb in
It's a town full of losers, I'm pulling out of here to win
20. BORN IN THE USA
Born down in a dead man's town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up
Born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
I was born in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
Got in a little hometown jam so they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land to go and kill the yellow man
21. Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "Son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said "Son don't you understand now"
I had a brother at Khe Sahn fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there he's all gone
He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now
Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go
22.
23. THE RISING
Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile of line
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
24. Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
There's spirits above and behind me
Faces gone black, eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood bind me
Lord, as I stand before your fiery light
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of my line
28. DANCING IN THE DARK (1984)
I get up in the evening and I ain't got nothing to say
I come home in the morning, I go to bed feelin' the same way
I ain't nothing but tired, man I'm just tired and bored with myself
Hey there baby, I could use just a little help
You can't start a fire, you can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark
Message just keep getting clearer, radio's on and I'm moving 'round my place*
I check my look in the mirror, I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
Man, I ain't getting nowhere, I'm just living in a dump like this
There's something happening somewhere, baby I just know that there is
You can't start a fire, you can't start a fire without a spark
This gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark
29. You sit around getting older, there's a joke here somewhere and it's on me
I'll shake this world off my shoulders, come on baby this laugh's on me
Stay on the streets of this town and they'll be carving you up alright
They say you gotta stay hungry, hey baby, I'm just about starving tonight
I'm dying for some action, I'm sick of sitting 'round here tryin' to write this
book
I need a love reaction, come on now baby gimme just one look
You can't start a fire sitting 'round cryin' over a broken heart
This gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark
You can't start a fire worryin' about your little world fallin' apart
This gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark
30. Faith on Tap
faith | life | music
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31. Faith on Tap
faith | life | music
April 24
Frank Sinatra
Editor's Notes
IntroductionBiographical InformationBornBruce Frederick Joseph SpringsteenSeptember 23, 1949Long Branch, New JerseyFamilyFather: Douglas Frederick SpringsteenDutch and Irish ancestryWorked as a bus driver and othersMother: Adele Ann ZirilliLegal SecretaryItalianMaternal Grandfather from VicoEquense, near Naples, ItalyYounger siblingsVirginiaPamela, took photos for his albums Human Touch and Lucky Town
Education and ChurchRoman Catholic Said in an interview that his Catholic upbringing had the most influence on his music St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, Freehold Borough (elementary and junior high)“often at odds with the nuns and strict school rules”Freehold Regional High SchoolTeachers said he was a loner who wanted nothing more than to play his guitarSkipped graduation ceremonyOcean County College, attended briefly then dropped outCalled for induction into military service at age 18Failed physical, concussion after a motorcycle crash previous year
BackgroundHeartland rock, poetic lyrics, American sentiments“finding grandeur in the struggles of daily American lifeStylesRock anthems and ballads, folkBorn to RunBorn in the USAFolkNebraskaSeeger SessionsPlays guitar, harmonica, bass guitar, piano, percussion, banjo, keyboardsCareer overviewOver 120 million albums worldwide, 65 million in the US alone21 Grammys2 Golden GlobesAcademy AwardRolling Stone Magazine, 23rd greatest artist of all time
CareerEarly Years (1962-1972)Inspired by seeing Elvis on The Ed Sullivan Show (slide to have EP on tv)Age 13, mother bought him an $18 guitarAge 16, she borrowed money to buy him a Kent guitar for $60Wrote a song about it, The Wish1965 (age 16) met a local family, Tex and Marion Vinyard, who sponsored young bandsHelped BS learn to play lead guitarMarion said she believed him when he promised he would make it bigHelped him become lead singer of The CastileRecorded 2 original songs at a studio in Brick TownshipPlayed a variety of venues in NJ and NY (Greenwich Village)
Late 60sPlayed in a trio called EarthClubs in NJCalled “The Boss” because he collected pay from the gig and distributed money to band membersNot fond of nickname, prefers to identify with working class1969-1971, performed with a band called Steel MillWith Danny Federici, Vini Lopez, Vinnie Roslin, Steve Van Zandt, Robbin ThompsonPlayed mid-Atlantic college circuit and briefly in CASan Francisco Examiner critic, “I have never been so overwhelmed by a completely unknown talent”Played regularly at small clubs in Canton, MA, Richmond, VA and Asbury Park – on the Jersey shoreDeveloped a cult followingOther bands, Dr Zoom and the Sonic Boom, Sundance Blues BandThe Bruce Springsteen Band (mid 1971 – mid 1972)Pianist, David Sancious and Southside Johnny Lyon on harmonicaFormed the core of what would become the E Street BandFeatured horn sectionPlayed blues, R&B, jazz, church music, early rock & roll, soulRecognized for song writing talent“more words in some individual songs than other artists had on whole records”Auditioned for Capital Records, 1972NJ roots featured largely in his musicRoutinely sold out shows in NJ, PHL, NYMay surprise appearances at The Stone Pony
1972-1974, Initial struggle for successColumbia Records 1972Brought NJ band mates (not called the E Street band yet)Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ (Jan. 1973)Debut albumLyrical poetry, folk-rock roots“Blinded by the Light”A #1 hit later by Manfred Mann, BS only #1 hit single as a songwriter only“For You”Critics compared him to B DylanCrawdaddy mag., “He sings with a freshness and urgency I haven’t heard since I was rocked by “Like a Rollin Stone.”“Lost in the Flood,” portrait of Vietnam Veteran“Growin Up,” first take on a recurring theme of adolescenceThe Wild, The Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle (1973)Critical acclaim, but no commercial successmore R&B, lyrics romanticized teenage street life“4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”, “Incident on 57th Street,” “Rosalita (Come out Tonight)” – beloved concert numbersBoston music critic, Jon Landau, after hearing BS at Harvard Square Theater "I saw rock and roll's future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen. And on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the very first time”Landau became BS manager and producer
Born to RunEarly frustrationsBS was under some pressure from the record company to come out with a commercially-viable recordHad a big vision for a wall of sound, epic new albumTook more than 14 month’s to record, spent 6 months on the title cutBS battled with anger and frustration truing to interpret the sounds he heard in his head this bandSteve Van Zandt was just in time to organize the horn section got “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out”But Bruce was still not satisfied, threw the finished record out in the alleyTold Landau he would rather just cut the album live at The Bottom Line clubBS and the E Street Band played a 5-night 10-show stand at NYC’s Bottom Line ClubLots of media attention to the showbroadcast live on WNEWDecades later, Rolling Stone mag called the stand as one of th4 50 Moments that Changed Rock and RollBorn to Run, released 8/25/1975Peaked at #3 on Billboard 20, no hit singles thoughBorn to Run #23, Thunder Road, Tenth Ave. Freeeze-Out, Jungleland all got massive AOR air playRemain perennial favorites on classic rock stationsHas been called the greatest rock album of all time and BS finest workEstablished him as a sincere and dynamic rock personalityBS on cover of time and Newsweek in October 1975BS backed away from publicity, tore down promo posters before a concert in LondonLegal battle with former manager kept BS out on studio for a yearToured extensively with E Street BandSongs became a little more somber
1980, The River (20-song record)Working-class life, and a paradoxical range from party rockers to intense balladsHungry Heart, 1st hit top 10 singleShift to more pop soundLong tour followed, 1980-81, first extended playing in EuropeNebraska (1982)Stark, solo, acousticOriginal demo tape was released as the albumOther songs from the sessions were released later, “Glory Days,” “Born in the USASome say BS was in a depressed state when he wrote these“brutal” description of American lifeConcept of lo-fi that became popular among indie rockers
1984-1991 Commercial and popular phenomenonBorn in the USA (1984)One of the bestselling albums of all time, 15 million in US7 singles went to Top 10Title track, bitter commentary on the treatment of Vietnam veteransMany friends and band mates wereAnt hemic music, title of song made it popular among politicians and othersWidely misinterpreted as jingoistic and connected to 984 presidential campaignTurned down several million from Chrysler for a car commercialReleased a later acoustic version to make the meaning more clear apart from the anthemic musicDancing in the DarkBiggest of 7 hit singles from Born (#2 on Billboard charts)Music video featured Courtney Cox form BHM dancing on stageBoon to her acting careerBS met Julianne Phillips on Born our, they married in 1984“Born” periodHeight of BS visibility in popular cultureBroadest audience demographic he would ever reach
2002-2007 Return to SuccessThe RisingMostly a reflection on 9/11Many songs were influenced by phone conversations BS had with families of victimsBestselling album of new material in 15 years10 nights at Giants stadium, 2003. Tour ended with 3 nights at Shea Stadium (guest appearance by Bob Dylan)
