Bruce Springsteen Quotes (102 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

"Thunder Road"
Song lyrics, Born to Run (1975)
Context: 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 all right.
Oh and that's all right with me.

Faith , Beauty , Night

“We gotta get out while we're young,
'Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.”

Bruce Springsteen book Born to Run

"Born to Run"
Song lyrics, Born to Run (1975)
Context: In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream.
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines.
Sprung from cages 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.

Baby

“The first day I can remember looking into a mirror and being able to stand what I saw was the day I had a guitar in my hand.”

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen Talking

Bruce Springsteen Quotes

“Now a life of leisure and a pirate's treasure
Don't make much for tragedy.
But it's a sad man my friend who's livin' in his own skin
And can't stand the company.
Every fool's got a reason to feelin' sorry for himself
And turn his heart to stone.
Tonight this fool's halfway to heaven and just a mile outta hell,
And I feel like I'm comin' home.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Better Days"
Song lyrics, Lucky Town (1992)

Life , Sadness , Fools , Feeling

“Hell's brewin', dark sun's on the rise.
This storm'll blow through by and by.
House is on fire, wiper's in the grass;
A little revenge and this too shall pass.
This too shall pass, I'm gonna pray.
Right now all I got's this lonesome day.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Lonesome Day"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

Hell , Revenge , Grass , Sun

“I got my finger on the trigger
But I don't know who to trust.
When I look into your eyes
There's just devils and dust.
We're a long, long way from home, Bobbie.
Home's a long, long way from us.
I feel a dirty wind blowing
Devils and dust.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Devils & Dust"
Song lyrics, Devils & Dust (2005)

Way , Feeling , Home

“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.”

Bruce Springsteen

"The Rising"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

“Spare parts
And broken hearts
Keep the world turnin' around.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Spare Parts"
Song lyrics, Tunnel Of Love (1987)

World , Heart , Parting

“Now I don't know what it always was with us.
We chose the words, and yeah, we drew the lines.
There was just no way this house could hold the two of us.
I guess that we were just too much of the same kind.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Independence Day"
Song lyrics, The River (1980)

Way , Housing

“Badlands, you gotta live it everyday.
Let the broken hearts stand
As the price you've gotta pay.
We'll keep pushin' till it's understood
And these badlands start treating us good.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Badlands"
Song lyrics, Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

Heart

“Well, no cannon ball did fly, no rifles cut us down.
No bombs fell from the sky, no blood soaked the ground.
No powder flash blinded the eye.
No deathly thunder sounded.
But just as sure as the hand of God,
They brought death to my hometown.
They brought death to my hometown.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Death to My Hometown"
Song lyrics, Wrecking Ball (2012)

Death , God , Flying

“Everybody's got a secret Sonny,
Something that they just can't face.
Some folks spend their whole lives trying to keep it;
They carry it with them every step that they take.
Till some day they just cut it loose.
Cut it loose or let it drag 'em down
Where no one asks any questions,
Or looks too long in your face
In the darkness on the edge of town.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Darkness on the Edge of Town"
Song lyrics, Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

Secret , Question

“Is it a gun, is it a knife?
Is it a wallet, this is your life?
It ain't no secret,
It ain't no secret,
No secret my friend.
You can get killed just for living
In your American skin.”

Bruce Springsteen

"American Skin"
Song lyrics, High Hopes (2014)

Life , Secret

“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,
And I'm pulling out of here to win.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Thunder Road"
Song lyrics, Born to Run (1975)

“You can't start a fire, sitting 'round crying over a broken heart.
This gun's for hire,
Even if we're just dancing in the dark.
You can't start a fire, worrying about your little world falling apart.
This gun's for hire,
Even if we're just dancing in the dark.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Dancing in the Dark"
Song lyrics, Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

World , Heart , Dance , Cry

“Got a wife and kids in Baltimore Jack;
I went out for a ride and I never went back.
Like a river that don't know where it's flowing,
I took a wrong turn and I just kept going”

Bruce Springsteen

"Hungry Heart"
Song lyrics, The River (1980)

“I was bruised and battered and I couldn't tell
What I felt.
I was unrecognizable to myself.
I saw my reflection in a window I didn't know
My own face.
Oh brother are you gonna leave me?
Wastin' away
On the streets of Philadelphia.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Streets of Philadelphia", from the soundtrack to the film Philadelphia (1994)
Song lyrics, Singles

“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 line.”

Bruce Springsteen

"The Rising"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

Way , Feeling

“Well now you say you've found another man who does things to you that I can't,
And that no matter what I do it's all over now between me and you girl.
But I can't believe what you say;
No I can't believe what you say 'cause babyI don't wanna fade away.
Oh I don't wanna fade away.
Tell me what can I do, what can I say
'Cause darlin' I don't wanna fade away.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Fade Away"
Song lyrics, The River (1980)

Girl

“So I bought a.44 magnum, it was solid steel cast.
And in the blessed name of Elvis well I just let it blast.
'Til my TV lay in pieces there at my feet
And they busted me for disturbin' the almighty peace.
Judge said "What you got in your defense son?"
"Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on."
I can see by your eyes friend you're just about gone.
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on…
Fifty-seven channels and nothin'”

Bruce Springsteen

"57 Channels"
Song lyrics, Human Touch (1992)

Peace

“Some guys they just give up living,
And start dying little by little, piece by piece.
Some guys come home from work and wash up
And go racin' in the street.Tonight, tonight the strip's just right.
I wanna blow 'em all out of their seats.
Calling out around the world, we're going racin' in the street.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Racing in the Street"
Song lyrics, Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

World , Guy , Home

“It's rainin' but there ain't a cloud in the sky;
Musta been a tear from your eye.
Everything'll be okay.
Funny, thought I felt a sweet summer breeze;
Musta been you sighin' so deep.
Don't worry we're gonna find a way.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Waitin' on a Sunny Day"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

Way , Tear , Summer

“Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month.
Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none.
He came home too drunk from mixin' Tanqueray and wine.
He got a gun shot a night clerk now they call'm Johnny 99.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Johnny 99"
Song lyrics, Nebraska (1982)

Home , Wine , Night

“Your success story is a bigger story than whatever you’re trying to say on stage… Success makes life easier. It doesn’t make living easier.”

Bruce Springsteen

Q magazine (August 1992)

Life , Success

“Out of the East on an Irish stallion came bounty hunter Dan.
His heart quickened and burdened by the need to get his man.
He found Pete peacefully fishing by the river.
Pulled his gun and got the drop.
He said "Pete you think you've changed but you have not."”

Bruce Springsteen book Outlaw Pete

"Outlaw Pete"
Song lyrics, Working on a Dream (2009)

Thinking , Fish , Change , Heart

“Did you hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do?
For me this boardwalk life is through, babe.
You ought to quit this scene too.”

Bruce Springsteen

"4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)"
Song lyrics, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)

Life

“Music was my way of keeping people from looking through and around me. I wanted the heavies to know I was around.”

Bruce Springsteen

Time magazine (27 October 1975)

People , Music , Way

“Everybody's got a hunger, a hunger they can't resist;
There's so much that you want, you deserve much more than this.
But if dreams came true, oh, wouldn't that be nice?
But this ain't no dream we're living through tonight.
Girl, you want it, you take it, you pay the price.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Prove It All Night"
Song lyrics, Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

Hunger , Dreams , Girl

“I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would.
Man turns his back on his family well he just ain't no good.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Highway Patrolman"
Song lyrics, Nebraska (1982)

Family

“We all come up a little short and we go down hard.
These days I spend my time skipping through the dark.
Through the empires of dust, I chant your name.
I am the hunter of invisible game.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Hunter of Invisible Game"
Song lyrics, High Hopes (2014)

Game , Time

“Have you ever seen a one trick pony in the field so happy and free/
If you've ever seen a one trick pony then you've seen me.
Have you ever seen a one legged dog makin' his way down the street?
If you've ever seen a one legged dog then you've seen me.”

Bruce Springsteen

"The Wrestler"
Song lyrics, Working on a Dream (2009)

Dogs , Way , Happiness

“There's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor.
I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm.
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down
That ain't got the faith to stand its ground.
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart,
Blow away the dreams that break your heart.
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted.”

Bruce Springsteen

"The Promised Land"
Song lyrics, Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

Faith , Dreams , Tear , Heart

“For the ones who had a notion,
A notion deep inside,
That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Badlands"
Song lyrics, Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)

“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.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Born in the U.S.A."
Song lyrics, Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

Life , Dogs , Dead

“Well here's to your good looks baby, now here's to my health.
Here's to the loaded places that we take ourselves.
When it comes to luck, you make your own.
Tonight I got dirt on my hands but I'm building me a new home.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Lucky Town"
Song lyrics, Lucky Town (1992)

Health , Home , Baby

“Now I think I'm going down to the well tonight
And I'm going to drink till I get my fill.
And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it,
But I probably will.
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture
A little of the glory of,
Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing mister but boring stories of glory days.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Glory Days"
Song lyrics, Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

Hope , Drink , Thinking , Time

“The street's alive as secret debts are paid.
Contacts made, they vanished unseen.
Kids flash guitars just like switch-blades hustling for the record machine.
The hungry and the hunted explode into rock'n'roll bands
That face off against each other out in the street, down in Jungleland.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Jungleland"
Song lyrics, Born to Run (1975)

Secret

“We busted out of class had to get away from those fools;
We learned more from a three minute record 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.”

Bruce Springsteen

"No Surrender"
Song lyrics, Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

School , Dreams , Fools , Feeling

“Now I been out in the desert, just doin' my time.
Searchin' through the dust, lookin' for a sign.
If there's a light up ahead well brother I don't know.
But I got this fever burnin' in my soul.
So let's take the good times as they go,
And I'll meet you further on up the road.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Further On (Up the Road)"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

Soul , Light , Time

“There ain't a note that I play on stage that can’t be traced back directly to my mother and father.”

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen Talking

“Now I know your mama she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band.
And I know your daddy he don't dig me but he never did understand.
Papa lowered the boom, he locked you in your room;
I'm comin' to lend a hand.
I'm comin' to liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man.
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"
Song lyrics, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)

Understanding

“At this point, I don’t need my records to be Number One or sell as many as this person or that person. That’s not fundamentally important — I don’t believe that sustains you.”

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen Talking

Personality

“Laying here in the dark you're like an angel on my chest,
Just another tramp of hearts crying tears of faithlessness.
Remember all the movies, Terry, we'd go see?
Trying to learn how to walk like heroes we thought we had to be.
And after all this time to find we're just like all the rest,
Stranded in the park and forced to confess
To hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets.
We swore forever friends on the backstreets until the end,
Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Backstreets"
Song lyrics, Born to Run (1975)

Angels , Tear , Learning , Time

“It's a fairytale so tragic,
There's no prince to break the spell.
I don't believe in magic,
But for you I will, for you I will.
If I'm a fool, I'll be a fool.
Darlin' for you.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Countin' on a Miracle"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

Fools , Fairytale

“Baby, in a world without pity,
Do you think what I'm askin's too much?
I just want to feel you in my arms,
Share a little of that Human Touch.
Feel a little of that Human Touch.
Give me a little of that Human Touch.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Human Touch"
Song lyrics, Human Touch (1992)

World , Feeling , Thinking , Baby

“In the third grade a nun stuffed me in a garbage can under her desk because she said that’s where I belonged.”

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen Talking

“Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun.
But Mama, that's where the fun is …”

Bruce Springsteen

"Blinded by the Light"
Song lyrics, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)

Sun

“She went away, she cut me like a knife.
Hello beautiful thing, maybe you could save my life.
In just a glance, down here on magic street,
Loves a fool's dance
And I ain't got much sense, but I still got my feet.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Girls in Their Summer Clothes"
Song lyrics, Magic (2007)

Love , Life , Beauty , Fools

“May your strength give us strength.
May your faith give us faith.
May your hope give us hope.
May your love give us love.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Into the Fire"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

Love , Faith , Hope

“The times are tough now, just getting tougher.
This old world is rough, it's just getting rougher.
Cover me, come on baby, cover me.
Well I'm looking for a lover who will come on in and cover me.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Cover Me"
Song lyrics, Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

World , Lovers , Time , Baby

“When they built you brother, they turned this dust to gold.
When they built you brother, they broke the mold.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Terry's Song"
Song lyrics, Magic (2007)

“It ought to be easy, ought to be simple enough.
Man meets woman and they fall in love.
But the house is haunted and the ride gets rough.
And you've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above
If you want to ride on down in through this tunnel of love.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Tunnel of Love"
Song lyrics, Tunnel Of Love (1987)

Love , Learning , Housing

“Better ask questions before you shoot,
Deceit and betrayal's bitter fruit.
It's hard to swallow, come time to pay
That taste on your tongue don't easily slip away.
Let kingdom come I'm gonna find my way
Through this lonesome day.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Lonesome Day"
Song lyrics, The Rising (2002)

Way , Question , Betrayal , Time

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