Born To Run
Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen Lyrics


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In the day we sweat it out on the streets
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

Overall Meaning

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen is a quintessential American rock song, released in 1975. The opening lines describe the overarching theme of the song, which is escaping the mundane life in the city and searching for the freedom of the open road. The lyrics vividly paint a picture of the landscape of suburban New Jersey, where Springsteen grew up. The chorus of the song, "Tramps like us, baby we were born to run", portrays the sense of restlessness and longing for an adventurous life.


The song mentions Wendy, a name representing a girl who the singer wants to run with. She is the quintessential girl-next-door, who loves Springsteen but is afraid of driving suicide machines or breaking out of the small town to be adventurous. The lyrics "Beyond the Palace, hemi-powered drones, scream down the boulevard, girls combed their hair in rearview mirrors, and the boys try to look so hard" is a statement of the high school lifestyle that Springsteen left behind. He found that life unfulfilling, which is why he wanted to escape and go beyond the lifestyle that he was living.


"Born to Run" received critical acclaim and remains one of Springsteen's most popular songs. The song's catchy tune and memorable chorus make it an anthem for outsiders who are searching for a way out of the mundanity of suburban life. It is often featured on classic rock radio stations and in films and TV shows, such as "The Sopranos" and "Jerry Maguire."


Line by Line Meaning

In the day we sweat it out on the streets
During the day, we work hard and sweat to achieve our dreams on the streets.


Of a runaway American dream
We are chasing a dream of success and freedom in America that seems impossible to catch hold of.


At night we ride through the mansions of glory
At night, we drive around in fancy cars, dreaming of being rich and famous and living in luxury.


In suicide machines
The cars we drive are dangerous and could lead to our death, but we take the risk anyway to pursue our dreams.


Sprung from cages on Highway 9
We are trying to escape from the limitations that our small town or city puts on us by taking a chance on the open road.


Chrome wheeled, fuel injected, and steppin' out over the line
Our cars are fast and stylish, and we're pushing them to the limit to get ahead and take risks.


Oh, baby this town rips the bones from your back
The city is harsh and unforgiving, causing us to work so hard that it feels like our bones are being ripped out of our backs.


It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
Our pursuit of success and freedom is risky and could lead to our downfall, but we're willing to take the risk.


We gotta get out while we're young
We know we can't stay in this place forever, so we need to take action now while we're still young and have the energy to pursue our dreams.


'Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run
We are wanderers who are always moving forward, never satisfied with our current situation, and we were destined to keep moving forward and never stop.


Wendy, let me in, I wanna be your friend
I want to be close to you and be there to support you in achieving your dreams.


I wanna guard your dreams and visions
I want to protect and support your dreams and aspirations, and help you make them a reality.


Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
Hold onto my fancy car as we speed towards our dreams and never look back.


And strap your hands 'cross my engines
Hold onto the car even tighter, and let me drive us towards our future.


Together we could break this trap
If we work together, we can break free from the limitations and expectations placed on us and achieve our dreams.


We'll run 'til we drop, baby, we'll never go back
We won't stop until we've achieved our goals, and we'll never go back to the place and mindset that held us back.


Oh, will you walk with me out on the wire?
Will you take the risk with me and walk on a dangerous path to achieve our dreams?


'Cause, baby, I'm just a scared and lonely rider
I'm afraid of the risks we're taking, but I'm willing to face them because I don't want to be alone in my chase for success.


But I gotta know how it feels
I need to experience the rush and excitement of pursuing my dreams, even if it's risky.


I want to know if love is wild
I want to know if chasing our dreams with reckless abandon is worth it, and if it will lead us to a life filled with passion and love.


Babe, I want to know if love is real
I want to know if the dream we're chasing is real and if it's worth the risk of putting everything on the line.


Oh, can you show me
Can you help me figure out if this is worth it, and show me that we can achieve our dreams together?


Beyond the Palace, hemi-powered drones
Outside of our small town or city, there's a whole world of opportunities waiting for us.


Scream down the boulevard
Our cars are fast and exciting, and we want to push them to their limits on the open road.


Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
Girls are getting ready and preparing for their own dreams while they ride in the passenger seat of the dreamers' fast cars.


And the boys try to look so hard
The boys want to impress the girls and prove that they're capable of achieving their dreams and winning their hearts.


The amusement park rises bold and stark
There's a fun and exciting world waiting for us if we follow our dreams, full of joy and amusement.


Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist
The young people are gathered together, hoping to find their own dreams on the horizon and in the foggy uncertainty of their future.


I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight
I want to pursue our dreams so fervently that I would risk everything, even my own life, to achieve them with you by my side.


In an everlasting kiss
I want our memory of chasing our dreams together to be an unforgettable, eternal moment of triumph and passion.


(One, two, three, four)
The music kicks into high gear, propelling us further towards achieving our dreams with a fast and exciting beat.


The highway's jammed with broken heroes
The roads are filled with people who have tasted success but are chasing it once again and people who have tried and failed before us.


On a last chance power drive
We're taking our last chance at achieving our dreams, using all our power and energy to make it happen.


Everybody's out on the run tonight
Everyone is chasing their dreams and pursuing a life of success, freedom, and love tonight.


But there's no place left to hide
We can't escape the risks, challenges, and opportunities that come with pursuing our dreams, and we must face them head-on.


Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness
We will face our heartbreaks and disappointments together, and use them as motivation to keep working towards our dreams.


I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
I will love you with all the passion and purpose that comes with pursuing our dreams, and our love will be a source of strength and inspiration on this journey.


Oh, someday, girl, I don't know when
I don't know when we'll achieve our dreams, but I know that we will eventually get there if we keep pushing forward.


We're gonna get to that place
We will reach the place where we can live the life we've always dreamed of.


Where we really wanna go and we'll walk in the sun
We'll achieve our dreams and walk into the bright, sunlit future we've always hoped for.


But 'til then, tramps like us
Until then, we're wanderers who don't have a fixed destination and will keep chasing our dreams no matter what.


Baby, we were born to run
We were born with the drive, passion, and instincts to chase our dreams and push ourselves to the limit in pursuit of a better life.


Oh honey, tramps like us
We are drifters, wanderers, and adventurers who are destined to always keep moving towards our next destination.


Baby, we were born to run
We were born with the energy, excitement, and desire to keep pursuing our dreams, no matter what obstacles stand in our way.


Come on with me, tramps like us
Join me on this journey of chasing our dreams, with all the risks, adventures, and excitement that come with it.


Baby, we were born to run
We were meant to pursue our dreams with passion, fire, and energy, never stopping until we've truly lived the life we've always dreamed of.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@ajjimenez9140

LYRICS:
In the day we sweat it out on the streets
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

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

Songwriters: Bruce Springsteen



All comments from YouTube:

@ryanmon1212

This was my Dads favorite song. He unfortunately passed away 3 days ago...Dad i'm playing this song loud in the apartment for you.

@peterpreece5411

Hope you are ok ❤❤

@donknotts85

Sorry for your loss Ryan. What a FANTASTIC song to remember your dad to. Rest easy bro

@jonnymill5520

X

@CP-os1pc

It is my favorite God bless ur dad

@billwine590

Sorry for your loss. Your dad had great taste.

240 More Replies...

@stephenoverthrow2463

How in God's name can anyone write a song like that at the age of 24/25 years is unbelievable. The greatest songwriter of our age! Must have heard Born to run 20 plus times live, you know what's coming, you know gonna happen, but it still blows your mind when the first and last chord is struck. Thanks for the ride, Bruce.

@user-sw4vi8bn6o

He wrote it at the age of 23! He said he wanted to write the greatest R&R song of all time! His quote, I think he succeeded!!

@MrJonpac

Only 20 times. I listen 20 times a day

@Char_H

I had to put my dog down during the summer of 2022, she had completely deteriorated and couldn’t really walk anymore. Her passing completely shattered my heart as she has been a major part of my life. As I’m driving away from the vets office this song starts playing and I just start bawling, this song gave me so much comfort in that moment and I felt like she was finally able to run again and be free. What an amazing song perfect for an amazing dog like her <3

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