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)
D2t06 Growin' Up
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Suspended in my masquerade
And I combed my hair, it was just right
And commanded the night brigade
I was open to pain and crossed by the rain
And I walked on a crooked crutch
I strolled all alone through a fallout zone
And came out with my soul untouched
But when they said, "Sit down" I stood up
Ooh, growin' up
The flag of piracy flew from my mast
My sails were set wing to wing
I had a jukebox graduate for a first mate
She couldn't sail but she sure could sing
And I pushed B-52 and bombed them with the blues
With my gear set stubborn on standing
I broke all the rules, strafed my old high school
Never once gave thought to landing
I hid in the clouded warmth of the crowd
But when they said, "Come down" I threw up
Ooh, growin' up
Work it back now
I took month-long vacations in the stratosphere
And you know it's really hard to hold your breath
I swear I lost everything I ever loved or feared
I was the cosmic kid in full costume dress
But my feet they finally took root in the earth
But I got me a nice little place in the stars
And I swear I found the key to the universe
In the engine of an old parked car
I hid in the mother breast of the crowd
When they said, "Pull down" I pulled up
Ooh, growin' up
Ooh, growin' up
The lyrics of "Growin' Up" by Bruce Springsteen are full of metaphors about his coming of age experience. The first stanza describes the singer standing still, appearing confident and put together, but struggling internally. He was prepared for sacrifice and ready to take on the world, but still walked with a limp, possibly signifying his vulnerability. Despite all this, the singer emerges from a catastrophe with his soul intact. The final line of the verse "Ooh...growin' up" is repeated throughout the song and can be seen as a reminder that despite all that has happened, he is still just a kid figuring things out.
The second verse is full of vivid imagery about his refusal to conform, demonstrated by the "flag of piracy" and "sailing with a jukebox graduate." The B-52 he pushes is likely a reference to the bomber aircraft but with a similar design to the guitar model, possibly symbolizing his pushing boundaries with music. He mentions bombing his old high school, meaning that he rejected conformity and followed his own path. The line "I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, but when they said, 'Come down,' I threw up" signifies his fear of being judged by others but also his determination to remain true to himself.
The final verse takes a more fantastical turn, with the singer taking month-long vacations in the stratosphere and feeling like a "cosmic kid in full costume dress." The line "I swear I found the key to the universe in the engine of an old parked car" is a metaphor for finding enlightenment in unexpected places. Despite all these adventures, the singer ultimately comes back down to earth and finds a place to call home. The final repetition of "Ooh...growin' up" suggests that he's still figuring things out, but he's come a long way.
Line by Line Meaning
I stood stone-like at midnight, suspended in my masquerade
I felt alone and trapped in my own false pretense, unable to express my true self.
I combed my hair till it was just right and commanded the night brigade
I meticulously crafted an image to project to society, but was never fully satisfied with it.
I was open to pain and crossed by the rain and I walked on a crooked crutch
I was vulnerable to emotional pain and constantly battered by life's hardships, but kept moving forward despite it all.
I strolled all alone through a fallout zone and come out with my soul untouched
I faced difficult situations and environments by myself, but managed to preserve my inner self and remain true to who I am.
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, but when they said, "Sit down," I stood up
I felt overshadowed by others and tried to blend in with the crowd, but eventually found the courage to stand out and assert myself.
The flag of piracy flew from my mast, my sails were set wing to wing
I embraced a rebellious spirit and set my sights on uncharted territory, with no clear destination or plan in mind.
I had a jukebox graduate for first mate, she couldn't sail but she sure could sing
I surrounded myself with unconventional people and unconventional talents, valuing creativity over practicality.
I pushed b-52 and bombed them with the blues with my gear set stubborn on standing
I faced opposition from authority figures and chose to express myself through music and art, refusing to back down from my beliefs.
I broke all the rules, strafed my old high school, never once gave thought to landing
I flaunted conventionality and acted out of rebellion, with no regard for the potential consequences of my actions.
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, but when they said, "Come down," I threw up
I found myself intimidated by social expectations and the demand for conformity, often feeling sick to my stomach in response.
I took month-long vacations in the stratosphere, and you know it's really hard to hold your breath
I sought escape and release from the stress of everyday life, but found it difficult to fully disengage from reality.
I swear I lost everything I ever loved or feared, I was the cosmic kid in full costume dress
I experienced a sense of detachment and lost my connections to things that once mattered to me, feeling like an outsider looking in.
Well, my feet they finally took root in the earth, but I got me a nice little place in the stars
I eventually found grounding and stability in my life, but maintained a sense of wonder and possibility about the future.
And I swear I found the key to the universe in the engine of an old parked car
I discovered a profound truth or meaning in a seemingly mundane or unexpected place, bringing me a sense of clarity and enlightenment.
I hid in the mother breast of the crowd, but when they said, "Pull down," I pulled up
I often felt engulfed or oppressed by the overwhelming nature of society, but was able to rise above it and assert my own voice and identity.
Ooh...growin' up
The challenges and experiences of youth define who we become as adults, shaping our character and worldview.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind