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)
Ballad of Jesse James
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, don't you wanna ride the river
Drink from a magic fountain
Give your woman all the love that you can give her
Well, don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you wanna ride the range
Don't you wanna be an outlaw children
Well now, don't you wanna swim the ocean
Yeah, don't you wanna climb the highest tree
Drink some of Mama's lovin' potion
Get your woman till she just can't see
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Just a poor boy caught on the skids
Don't you wanna be an outlaw children
Just like Billy, just like Billy the Kid
Well now, Billy he was a bad boy
He won the wilder west
By the year of 21, had many notches on his gun
But someone laid him to an early rest
Well, don't you wanna climb a mountain
Yeah, don't you wanna ride the river
Drink from a magic fountain
Give your woman all the love that you can give her
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you wanna ride the range
Don't you wanna be an outlaw children
Just like Jesse
Yeah, Jesse he was a bad boy
He won the wilder west
And many notches on his gun, as the year of 21
Someone laid him to an early rest
Don't you wanna climb a mountain
Yeah, don't you wanna ride the river
Drink from a magic fountain
Give your woman all the love that you can give her
Hey!
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you wanna ride the range
Don't you wanna be an outlaw children
Just, just like Jesse,
Well, don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Woah woah woah, woah woah woah
Just like Jesse, just like Jesse, just like Jesse
Bring it on man! Bring it on man!
Woah woah woah
The Ballad of Jesse James by Bruce Springsteen is a song that evokes a sense of adventure and rebellion, asking the listener if they want to live a life like the famous outlaws Jesse James and Billy the Kid. The lyrics suggest that the desire to break free from the constraints of society and live a life on one's own terms is a universal dream. The lines "Don't you wanna climb a mountain, Yeah, don't you wanna ride the river" emphasize the desire for adventure and the longing to experience the natural world. The song also touches on the importance of love, with lyrics like "Give your woman all the love that you can give her," suggesting that despite being branded as outlaws, both Jesse James and Billy the Kid still found love.
The song also pays tribute to the lives of Jesse James and Billy the Kid, who were, in the eyes of many, romanticized as Robin Hood-like figures. The lyrics speak of the many notches on their guns and their wild exploits, portraying them as daring and charismatic figures. However, the end of the song also acknowledges their ultimate tragic ends, with the line "Someone laid him to an early rest."
Overall, the Ballad of Jesse James speaks to the universal longing for adventure and freedom, the importance of love, and the allure of the outlaw lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, don't you wanna climb a mountain
Do you not feel a desire to overcome something that seems insurmountable?
Yeah, don't you wanna ride the river
Don't you feel the urge to take on the unknown and unpredictable?
Drink from a magic fountain
Would you not like to experience something mystical or extraordinary?
Give your woman all the love that you can give her
Do you not want to express your love and affection to your partner to the fullest?
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Do you not wish to break free from the norms and expectations of society?
Don't you wanna ride the range
Don't you desire the freedom and adventure of a cowboy lifestyle?
Just like Jesse, like Jesse James, just like Jesse boy
Would you not like to follow in the footsteps of a legendary outlaw figure like Jesse James?
Yeah, don't you wanna swim the ocean
Do you not want to challenge yourself and test your limits in the vast and unpredictable ocean?
Don't you wanna climb the highest tree
Would you not like to climb to new heights and see things from a different perspective?
Drink some of Mama's lovin' potion
Do you not want to experience the intoxicating power of love?
Get your woman till she just can't see
Do you not want to indulge in passion and pleasure with your partner until you both lose yourselves?
Just a poor boy caught on the skids
Do you not want to embrace your humble beginnings and use them as fuel to defy expectations?
Just like Billy, just like Billy the Kid
Would you not like to emulate the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid?
Well now, Billy he was a bad boy
Billy the Kid was known for his rebellious and violent nature
He won the wilder west
Billy the Kid was a figure that came to symbolize the untamed and lawless American West
By the year of 21, had many notches on his gun
At the age of 21, Billy the Kid was reputed to have killed several men and had notches on his gun to prove it
But someone laid him to an early rest
Billy the Kid was killed by Sheriffs Pat Garrett and James Bell
Yeah, Jesse he was a bad boy
Jesse James was known for his criminal activities and violent behavior
And many notches on his gun, as the year of 21
Jesse James was reputed to have killed several people by the time he was 21, hence the notches on his gun
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Do you not want to live on the fringes of society and make your own rules?
Just, just like Jesse,
Just like Jesse James, someone who defies social norms and lives by their own code
Well, don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you feel a desire to live a life free of constraints and expectations?
Woah woah woah, woah woah woah
Expressing enthusiasm and excitement for the idea of living life as an outlaw
Bring it on man! Bring it on man!
Expressing eagerness to take on the challenge of living a rebellious and adventurous life
Woah woah woah
Continued enthusiasm and excitement for the idea of living life as an outlaw
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind