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)
City of Night
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't you take me on a ride through this city of night
I got some money and I'm feeling fine
I ain't in no hurry so just take your time
Some people wanna die young and gloriously
But Taxi cab driver, well that ain't me
I got a cute little baby down at 12th and Vine
And she opens for business just about closing time
City of night, city of night
And I don't believe what I see in this street
I don't know how people they can take the heat
Well baby I'm a liar, I'm a cheat, and I don't care
I got my money, I can take my fare
Ah hey hey, ah hey hey
City of night, city of night
I'm riding tonight to see my sugar girl
You know she wears that dress without a care in the world
Yeah she got come loving that's as bright as the sun
And she brings it with her man when she comes
Hey, hey, city of night
Ah-hey, ah-hey, city of night
Ride on
The song "City of Night," performed by Bruce Springsteen, is a quintessentially American song about the landscape of the night, urban decay, and the indiscretions of the night. The lyrics explore a cab ride through the city, highlighting the dark and the light. The singer of the song is not in any hurry and is willing to take his time. He has no aspirations to die young or gloriously, but instead, he has a "cute little baby" waiting for him at 12th and Vine.
Springsteen is a master of creating complex characters through his lyrics, and "City of Night" is no exception. The singer is a complicated figure. He admits to being a liar and a cheat, but he doesn't care. This could be interpreted as a manifestation of self-loathing or as a sign of the character's amorality. In any case, it adds nuance to the song.
The song is a commentary on urban decay and the dark aspects of city life. The singer is disillusioned with what he sees on the street and how people seem to tolerate it. However, the song isn't all doom and gloom. The singer has a "sugar girl" waiting for him, and her love is described as "bright as the sun." This optimistic note indicates that there can be hope in the midst of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Taxi Cab, taxi cab, at the light
The singer is calling for a taxi; he's requesting for the driver at the light.
Won't you take me on a ride through this city of night
The singer wants to go on a ride, and he asks the driver to take him through the city of night.
I got some money and I'm feeling fine
The singer has money with him and feeling upbeat.
I ain't in no hurry so just take your time
The artist wants the cab driver to take it easy and not rush.
Some people wanna die young and gloriously
Some people want to live fast and die young, but that's not what the artist wants.
But Taxi cab driver, well that ain't me
The singer distances himself from people who want to live fast, comparing himself to a cab driver with a calmer pace.
I got a cute little baby down at 12th and Vine
The singer has a girlfriend waiting for him at a particular address.
And she opens for business just about closing time
The artist's girlfriend is a sex worker, who works in the late hours of the night.
Ah hey hey, ah hey hey
This line is purely for rhythm and does not convey any meaning.
City of night, city of night
The artist is talking about the city at night, its ambiance, and its vibes.
And I don't believe what I see in this street
The singer is shocked at the things happening in the street or the way people are behaving.
I don't know how people they can take the heat
The artist is amazed as to how people can tolerate the heat of the situation in the city.
Well baby I'm a liar, I'm a cheat, and I don't care
The singer is a dishonest person who does not care about the consequences of his actions.
I got my money, I can take my fare
The singer has money, which he can use to pay his cab fare.
I'm riding tonight to see my sugar girl
The singer is on his way to meet his girlfriend, whom he refers to as 'sugar girl.'
You know she wears that dress without a care in the world
The artist's girlfriend wears her dress without worrying about being judged or criticized.
Yeah she got come loving that's as bright as the sun
The artist's girlfriend brings love that is as overwhelming as the sun.
And she brings it with her man when she comes
The singer's girlfriend brings her love with her when she comes to meet the singer.
Hey, hey, city of night
This line is purely for rhythm and does not convey any meaning.
Ah-hey, ah-hey, city of night
This line is purely for rhythm and does not convey any meaning.
Ride on
The artist encourages the listener to continue the ride.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind