In 1973, Springsteen released his first two albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, neither of which earned him a large audience. He changed his style and reached worldwide popularity with Born to Run in 1975. It was followed by Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and The River (1980), which topped the US Billboard 200 chart. After the solo recording, Nebraska (1982), he reunited with the E Street Band for Born in the U.S.A. (1984), his most commercially successful album and one of the best-selling albums of all time. Seven of its singles reached the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100, including the title track. Springsteen recorded his next three albums, Tunnel of Love (1987), Human Touch (1992), and Lucky Town (1992) using mostly session musicians. He reassembled the E Street Band for 1995's Greatest Hits, then recorded the sparse acoustic The Ghost of Tom Joad, followed by the EP Blood Brothers (1996), his last release of the decade.
Springsteen dedicated his 2002 album The Rising to the victims of the September 11 attacks. He released two more folk albums, Devils & Dust (2005) and We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006), followed by two more albums with the E Street Band: Magic (2007) and Working on a Dream (2009). The next two, Wrecking Ball (2012) and High Hopes (2014), topped album charts worldwide. His latest releases include the solo Western Stars (2019), the E Street Band-featuring Letter to You (2020) and a solo cover album Only the Strong Survive (2022). When Letter to You went to No.2 in the US, Springsteen became the first artist to score a Top Five hit across six consecutive decades.
Among the album era's prominent acts, Springsteen has sold more than 140 million records worldwide and more than 71 million in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Special Tony Award (for Springsteen on Broadway). Springsteen was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, named MusiCares person of the year in 2013, and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2016. He ranked 23rd on Rolling Stone's list of the Greatest Artists of All Time, which described him as being "the embodiment of rock & roll".
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Springsteen
Studio albums
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)
Born to Run (1975)
Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
The River (1980)
Nebraska (1982)
Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Tunnel of Love (1987)
Human Touch (1992)
Lucky Town (1992)
The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)
The Rising (2002)
Devils & Dust (2005)
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006)
Magic (2007)
Working on a Dream (2009)
Wrecking Ball (2012)
High Hopes (2014)
Western Stars (2019)
Letter to You (2020)
Only the Strong Survive (2022)
4th of July Ansbury Park
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forcin' a light into all those stony faces left stranded on this fourth of July
Down in town the circuit's full of switchblade lovers so fast, so shiny, so sharp
As the wizards play down on Pinball Way on the boardwalk way past dark
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open like Latin lovers on the shore
Chasin' all them silly New York virgins by the score
And Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
Oh love me tonight for I may never see you again
Hey Sandy girl
My, my baby
Now the greasers, ah they tramp the streets or get busted for sleeping on the beach all night
Them boys in their high heels ah Sandy their skins are so white
And me I just got tired of hangin' in them dusty arcades bangin' them pleasure machines
Chasin' the factory girls underneath the boardwalk where they all promise to unsnap their jeans
And you know that tilt-a-whirl down on the south beach drag
I got on it last night and my shirt got caught
And they kept me spinnin' I didn't think I'd ever get off
Oh Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
This pier lights our carnival life on the water
laughin' 'neath the boardwalk, ah, with the boss's daughter
I remember Sandy girl, na, na, na, na, na baby
Sandy that waitress I was seeing lost her desire for me
I spoke with her last night, she said she won't set herself on fire for me anymore
She worked that joint under the boardwalk, she was always the girl you saw boppin' down the beach with the radio
The kids say last night she was dressed like a star in one of them cheap little seaside bars
And I saw her parked with lover boy out on the Kokomo
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
Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us
This pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever
Oh, I mean it, Sandy, girl
My, my, my, my, my baby
Yeah, I promise, Sandy, girl
Sha, la, la, la, la, baby
"4th of July, Asbury Park" by Bruce Springsteen is a narrative song that paints a picture of the boardwalk scene in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on a summer evening, focusing mainly on teenage romance and rebellion. The singer, who may or may not be Springsteen himself, describes the various characters that inhabit this setting while observing life at the carnival and the boardwalk amusement park. The song also includes personal reflections on lost love, acceptance, and the fleeting nature of life.
The first verse sets the tone, describing the fireworks display in the sky while the singer observes the “stony faces” of people stranded on the Fourth of July. It creates a sense of aloneness and detachment, despite the festivities. The next verse brings in the “greasers,” a marginalized group often associated with the ’50s and ’60s teenage subculture, who hang out in the streets and sleep on the beach. The singer likens them to carnival characters with their pale skin and high heels. The third verse centers around the singer’s personal story and his pursuit of factory girls under the boardwalk. He playfully mentions getting stuck on a tilt-a-whirl ride and being spun around until he thought he’d never get off.
Throughout the song, the singer reminds Sandy of the magnetic pulls of Asbury Park and the temporary nature of their connection. In the bridge, he makes a promise to love her forever but acknowledges the transience of life by referring to the pier lights that “light our carnival life forever.”
Overall, the song is a nostalgic tribute to a particular space and time that includes moments of bittersweet nostalgia, revelry, disillusionment, and romance.
Line by Line Meaning
Sandy the fireworks are hailin' over little Eden tonight
There are fireworks lighting up the night sky over the town of Asbury Park, giving life to people who have become used to rough times.
Forcin' a light into all those stony faces left stranded on this fourth of July
The beauty of the fireworks is casting a brilliant light over the faces of the people stuck in a repetitive life and in need of a way out.
Down in town the circuit's full of switchblade lovers so fast, so shiny, so sharp
In the lower part of town, the streets are filled with people characterized by their speed and dangerous allure, wielding switchblades as a symbol of their ruthlessness.
As the wizards play down on Pinball Way on the boardwalk way past dark
In the dark shadows of the boardwalk, the pinball wizards play their games with skill and precision.
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open like Latin lovers on the shore
The young men who work at the casino dance and flirt with the girls, baring their chests like confident, passionate Latin lovers on the sand.
Chasin' all them silly New York virgins by the score
The boys are chasing the young, naive girls from New York who have yet to gain experience in the harsh world of the Jersey Shore.
And Sandy, the aurora is risin' behind us
The atmosphere is changing with the aurora borealis rising in the sky behind them, an omen of what's to come.
This pier lights our carnival life forever
The pier and boardwalk are the foundation of their carnival-like existence that lasts indefinitely.
Oh love me tonight for I may never see you again, Hey Sandy girl
Sandy's love is being passionately asked for because of the uncertainty of the future.
Now the greasers, ah they tramp the streets or get busted for sleeping on the beach all night
The greasers, a group known for their greased-back hair and leather jackets, wander the streets or end up getting arrested for trespassing on the beach.
Them boys in their high heels ah Sandy their skins are so white
The cross-dressing boys have very pale skin, which is emphasized by their high heels.
And me I just got tired of hangin' in them dusty arcades bangin' them pleasure machines
The artist is tired of spending his time in dusty arcades playing games and slot machines for entertainment.
Chasin' the factory girls underneath the boardwalk where they all promise to unsnap their jeans
The singer is chasing after working girls under the boardwalk, where they offer to reveal more of themselves to him.
And you know that tilt-a-whirl down on the south beach drag, I got on it last night and my shirt got caught
The singer recently rode on the Tilt-A-Whirl ride on the south beach drag and got his shirt caught in the machinery.
And they kept me spinnin' I didn't think I'd ever get off
The ride was so intense, the singer felt dizzy and lost balance, feeling as if he would never escape the ride's effect on him.
laughin' 'neath the boardwalk, ah, with the boss's daughter
The artist is laughing and hanging out under the boardwalk with the boss's daughter, a girl he's interested in and who holds some form of power over him.
I remember Sandy girl, na, na, na, na, na baby
The artist is nostalgic for Sandy and their past relationship.
Sandy that waitress I was seeing lost her desire for me
The singer's relationship with the waitress, Sandy, has grown distant as she has lost interest in him.
I spoke with her last night, she said she won't set herself on fire for me anymore
The singer recently talked to Sandy, and she told him that she will no longer be so invested and passionate in their relationship.
She worked that joint under the boardwalk, she was always the girl you saw boppin' down the beach with the radio
Sandy used to work at the joint under the boardwalk, and was a common sight on the beach, often dancing while holding a radio.
The kids say last night she was dressed like a star in one of them cheap little seaside bars
The artist has heard that Sandy was dressed up in a glamorous outfit in one of the inexpensive seaside bars recently.
And I saw her parked with lover boy out on the Kokomo
The artist recently saw Sandy parked out on a street called Kokomo with someone he thinks is her lover.
Did you hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do
Madame Marie, a local fortune teller rumored to have great abilities, was finally arrested by the police for being too good at her job.
For me this boardwalk life is through, babe
The artist has had enough of the boardwalk life and wants to move on from it.
You ought to quit this scene too
The singer is urging Sandy to leave the boardwalk and the life that they once shared behind.
Oh, love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever
The singer wants Sandy's love again and offers a promise that he will love her forever.
Oh, I mean it, Sandy, girl
The singer reassures Sandy that his promise of everlasting love is sincere and not just lip service.
My, my, my, my, my baby
The artist refers to Sandy as his baby, feeling sentimental and loving towards her.
Yeah, I promise, Sandy, girl
The artist repeats his promise of commitment and love to Sandy.
Sha, la, la, la, la, baby
The singer continues to express his feelings with an upbeat and musical vibe.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind