Bruce Springsteen: Well

“When I die I don't want no part of heaven.
I would not do heaven's work well.
I pray the devil comes and takes me
To stand in the fiery furnaces of hell.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Youngstown"
Song lyrics, The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)

Hell , Parting

“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

“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

“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

“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

“Well let there be sunlight, let there be rain.
Let the brokenhearted love again.
Sherry we can run with our arms open before the tide”

Bruce Springsteen

"Sherry Darling"
Song lyrics, The River (1980)

Love

“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

“If the angels are unkind or the season is dark,
Or if in the end
Love just falls apart.
Well then here's to our destruction.
Baby let me be your soul driver.”

Bruce Springsteen

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

Love , Angels , Soul , Baby

“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

“Well it's Saturday night you're all dressed up in blue.
I been watching you awhile, maybe you been watching me too.
So somebody ran out, left somebody's heart in a mess.
Well if you're looking for love, honey I'm tougher than the rest.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Tougher Than the Rest"
Song lyrics, Tunnel Of Love (1987)

Love , Heart , Night

“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

“Well, I believe in the love that you gave me
I believe in the faith that can save me
I believe in the hope
And I pray that some day it may raise me
Above these badlands”

Bruce Springsteen

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

Love , Faith , Hope

“I think what's happening now is people want to forget. There was Vietnam, there was Watergate, there was Iran – we were beaten, we were hustled, and then we were humiliated. And I think people got a need to feel good about the country they live in. But what's happening, I think, is that that need – which is a good thing – is gettin' manipulated and exploited. And you see the Reagan reelection ads on TV – you know: "It's morning in America." And you say, well, it's not morning in Pittsburgh. It's not morning above 125th Street in New York. It's midnight, and, like, there's a bad moon risin'. And that's why when Reagan mentioned my name in New Jersey, I felt it was another manipulation, and I had to disassociate myself from the president's kind words.”

Bruce Springsteen

Rolling Stone magazine (December 1984)

People , Feeling , Thinking , Country

“Well now everything dies baby that's a fact,
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back.
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty,
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City.”

Bruce Springsteen

"Atlantic City"
Song lyrics, Nebraska (1982)

Baby

“Well the highway is alive tonight,
But nobody’s kiddin’ nobody about where it goes.
I’m sittin’ down here in the campfire light
Searchin’ for the ghost of Tom Joad.”

Bruce Springsteen

"The Ghost of Tom Joad"
Song lyrics, The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)

Light

“Hey what else can we do now?
Except roll down the window
And let the wind blow back your hair.
Well the night's busting 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 on down the tracks.
Oh come take my hand,
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land.
Oh Thunder Road, oh Thunder Road.
Thunder Road.”

Bruce Springsteen

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

Chance , Waiting , Night