The incorporation of the "new" tracks was portrayed in the 1996 documentary Blood Brothers. "Murder Incorporated" and "This Hard Land" were, in fact, unused 1982 songs from the Born in the U.S.A. sessions, with the latter being re-recorded here more than a decade later, and both subsequently became Springsteen concert staples. "Blood Brothers", on the other hand, was played only as the final closing song of both the 1999-2000 Reunion Tour and 2002-2003 Rising Tour, both times with an extra verse added. "Secret Garden" achieved notoriety via the soundtrack of the 1996 film Jerry Maguire. Alternate versions of several of these new tracks were released on the 1996 Blood Brothers EP.
The compilation was commercially successful, hitting the peaks of the U.S. album chart and UK Album Chart and selling more than four million copies in the U.S.
Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through the mansions of glory
In suicide machines
Sprung from cages on Highway 9
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected, and steppin' out over the line
Oh, 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 wanna guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
And strap your hands 'cross my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run 'til we drop, baby, we'll never go back
Oh, 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
Babe, I want to know if love is real
Oh, can you show me
Beyond the Palace, hemi-powered drones
Scream down the boulevard
Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist
I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight
In an everlasting kiss
(One, two, three, four)
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
Oh, someday, girl, I don't know when
We're gonna get to that place
Where we really wanna go and we'll walk in the sun
But 'til then, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run
Oh honey, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run
Come on with me, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run
Born to Run is a rock song by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1975 as the lead single from his album of the same name. The song captures the restless spirit of teenage life in small-town America, with its themes of youthful exuberance, love, and escape. The opening lines, "In the day we sweat it out on the streets / Of a runaway American dream", are a poetic invocation of this spirit, as the singer and his companions ride through the town in their "suicide machines," dreaming of escape from what he sees as a "death trap." Springsteen sings of the sense of hope and possibility that pervades youth, the conviction that everything is possible if only you have the courage to make the break: "We gotta get out while we're young / 'Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run."
Line by Line Meaning
In the day we sweat it out on the streets
During the day, we work hard on the streets
Of a runaway American dream
Trying to achieve our American dream that feels unattainable
At night we ride through the mansions of glory
During the night, we see the life of the rich and famous
In suicide machines
Risking our lives with our fast cars
Sprung from cages on Highway 9
We escaped from the monotony and constraints of our small town through Highway 9
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected, and steppin' out over the line
We have fast cars that we enjoy driving and going beyond our limits
Oh, baby this town rips the bones from your back
This town can be grueling and hard on the body and mind
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
This town can be dangerous and crippling
We gotta get out while we're young
We need to leave this town while we are still able
'Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run
Because we are restless and always on the move
Yes, girl, we were
Absolutely, we were
Wendy, let me in, I wanna be your friend
I want to be close to you and support you
I wanna guard your dreams and visions
I want to protect your aspirations and goals
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
Get on my bike and hold onto me tightly
And strap your hands 'cross my engines
Hold on tight to the motorcycle's handles
Together we could break this trap
We can escape this town together
We'll run 'til we drop, baby, we'll never go back
We will run as far as we can and never return
Oh, will you walk with me out on the wire?
Will you take a risk with me?
'Cause, baby, I'm just a scared and lonely rider
Because I am unsure and have fears
But I gotta know how it feels
But I want to experience life to its fullest
I want to know if love is wild
I want to experience a passionate and intense love
Babe, I want to know if love is real
I want to experience a genuine and authentic love
Oh, can you show me
Will you help me experience these feelings?
Beyond the Palace, hemi-powered drones
Outside our town, there are powerful cars
Scream down the boulevard
They make loud noises while driving on the street
Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
Women check their looks in the car mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
And men try to look tough
The amusement park rises bold and stark
The amusement park is visible and overwhelming
Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist
Children are playing on the beach in the fog
I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight
I want to live life to the fullest with you, Wendy, tonight
In an everlasting kiss
Through a passionate and ongoing embrace.
(One, two, three, four)
A countdown to begin a fast pace
The highway's jammed with broken heroes
The road has stranded and beaten other individuals seeking their dreams
On a last chance power drive
Taking the opportunity to give it all we have while we can.
Everybody's out on the run tonight
Everyone is seeking change, escape or fulfillment.
But there's no place left to hide
There is nowhere else to run or hide
Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness
We need to embrace the difficulties in life together
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
I will love you with everything that I have inside.
Oh, someday, girl, I don't know when
Someday, we'll find what we're looking for, but who knows when?
We're gonna get to that place
We will find our destination
Where we really wanna go and we'll walk in the sun
Where we can finally walk freely under the sun and experience our dreams.
But 'til then, tramps like us
Until then, we are still wanderers,
Baby, we were born to run
Meant to follow the road and seek adventure.
Oh honey, tramps like us
Oh honey, we're wanderers
Baby, we were born to run
Born to be adventurers.
Come on with me, tramps like us
Join me on this road, fellow wanderers
Baby, we were born to run
Because we were born to seek the unknown and the thrill of adventure.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind