For You
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics

Princess cards she sends me with her regards
The singer receives cards from the woman he cares about, addressed with a rather royal tone.

Oh, barroom eyes shine vacancy, to see her you gotta look hard
The woman's eyes look empty, and it's not easy to tell if she feels the same way about the singer as he does about her.

Wounded deep in battle, I stand stuffed like some soldier undaunted
The singer has been struggling with his emotions, yet he's still bravely standing there as a soldier would.

To her Cheshire smile, I'll stand on file, she's all I ever wanted
Despite everything he's been through, the artist is still completely enamored with the woman and will do anything to be with her.

Oh, but you let your blue walls get in the way of these facts
The artist accuses the woman of letting her emotions and personal barriers prevent her from seeing how much he truly cares for her.

Honey, get your carpetbaggers off my back
The singer wants the woman to stop interfering in his affairs and give him space to express his emotions.

You wouldn't even give me time to cover my tracks
The singer feels like the woman hasn't given him a fair chance to show how he feels before making assumptions about his motives.

You said, here's your mirror and your ball and jacks
The woman gave the artist trivial things, suggesting that she didn't take his feelings seriously or understand their significance.

But they're not what I came for, and I'm sure you see that too
The artist wanted something much more profound and meaningful from the woman, and he's certain that she understands that.

I came for you, for you, I came for you
The artist reiterates that he's here for the woman and will always be there for her, no matter what.

But you did not need my urgency
The woman didn't appreciate the singer's eagerness to be with her, and it seemed like her priorities were elsewhere.

But your life was one long emergency
The woman's own life was too chaotic and unpredictable to make room for the artist, causing tension between them.

And your cloud line urges me
The woman's mysterious attitude and inscrutable demeanor only make the singer more curious and interested in her.

And my electric surges free
The singer's emotions are intense and powerful, and he feels like he can't contain them any longer.

Oh, crawl into my ambulance, your pulse is getting weak
The singer wants the woman to come closer to him, as if he's rescuing her from something dangerous or life-threatening.

Oh, reveal yourself all now to me, girl
The artist wants the woman to open up and unveil her true emotions and intentions to him instead of keeping them hidden.

While you've got the strength to speak
The artist knows that the woman might be too fragile or vulnerable later on, so he needs her to speak her truth while she's still able to.

'Cause they're waiting for you at Bellevue with their oxygen masks
The singer suggests that the consequences for not dealing with one's emotions can be severe, and that the woman might need professional help or intervention.

But I could give it all to you now, if only you could ask
The singer is willing to do anything for the woman, but she needs to initiate it and ask for his help first.

Oh, and don't call for your surgeon, even he says it's too late
The artist acknowledges that the problem between them is beyond the point of fixing, even for a professional like a surgeon.

It's not your lungs this time, it's your heart that holds your fate
The problem isn't physical, but emotional - the woman's heart is what determines her future and the direction of their relationship.

Don't give me my money, honey, I don't want it back
The artist is willing to let go of any financial or material ties he might have had with the woman - money isn't the issue here.

You and your pony face and your Union Jack
The singer references the woman's physical features and her nationality, suggesting that they might be aspects of her identity that have contributed to their issues.

Well, take your local joker and teach him how to act
The artist would rather the woman be with someone else - someone she could teach how to act, instead of someone like him who struggles with his emotions.

I swear I was never that way, even when I really cracked
The singer insists that despite his emotional struggles, he has never been unpredictable or erratic like the woman might perceive him to be.

Didn't you think I knew
The singer is frustrated that the woman didn't believe he knew more about her than she thought he did.

That you were born with the power of a locomotive
The singer acknowledges the woman's strength and persistence, comparing her to a powerful train that can't be stopped.

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound?
The artist admires the woman's resilience and capability, likening her to a superhero that can do the impossible.

And your Chelsea suicide with no apparent motive
The artist references the woman's neighborhood and suggests that she might be harming herself emotionally or mentally, without any visible cause or explanation.

You could laugh and cry in a single sound
The woman's emotions are complex and multi-faceted - she can feel happy and sad at the same time.

And your strength is devastating in the face of all these odds
The woman's strength and resilience is impressive, especially considering the difficulties she faces.

Remember how I kept you waiting when it was my turn to be the God?
The artist acknowledges that there have been times he's put the woman on hold or made her wait for him, perhaps reversing their roles.

You were not quite half so proud when I found you broken on the beach
The artist reminds the woman of a time when she was vulnerable and needed him, suggesting that there's an element of hypocrisy in how she's treating him now.

Remember how I poured salt on your tongue and hung just out of reach
The artist further reminds the woman of his actions, which were borderline abusive, but also kept her wanting and in need of him.

And the band, they played the homecoming theme as I caressed your cheek
The singer provides a vivid image of a moment that was both tender and poignant, during which he showed the woman love and affection.

Yeah, that ragged, jagged melody, she still clings to me like a leech
The artist can't shake off the memory of that moment, which still resonates with him and affects him emotionally.

But that medal you wore on your chest always got in the way
The woman had a certain pride or arrogance that prevented her from showing vulnerability and connecting with the singer more.

Like a little girl with a trophy so soft to buy her way
The singer paints a picture of the woman like a little girl who uses a shiny trophy to assert her superiority over others.

We were both hitchhikers but you had your ears tuned to the roar
The singer and the woman were both in the same uncertain journey, but the woman was looking for something else that distracted her from what they could have shared.

Of some metal-tempered engine on an alien, distant shore
The reference to the engine suggests that the woman was looking for something more substantial than what the artist could offer, and she felt like they're not aligned in their goals.

So you left to find a better reason than the one we were living for
The woman left the artist to pursue something else that was missing in their relationship, which left the artist feeling confused and hurt.

And it's not that nursery mouth that I came back for
The singer is not interested in the physical aspect of their relationship, but he wants to reconnect with the woman on an emotional level.

It's not the way you're stretched out on the floor
The singer is not interested in the woman's physical appearance, but what's behind it.

'Cause I've broken all your windows and I've rammed through all your doors
The artist has tried everything to reach out and connect with the woman but to no avail.

And who am I to ask you to lick my sores?
The artist acknowledges that he's also not perfect, and he shouldn't be asking the woman for anything while he's also nursing his own emotional wounds.

And you should know that's true
The artist reiterates that his feelings and intent are genuine, and he hopes the woman will recognize it and come back to him.

I came for you, for you, I came for you
The singer wants the woman to know that everything he's done was truly for her and no one else.

But you did not need my urgency
The woman didn't see or appreciate the extent of the artist's love and affection, and it was often overlooked or cast aside.

I came for you, for you, I came for you
The singer is committed to the woman and their relationship and will never give up on her.

But your life was one long emergency
The woman's life was too uncertain and unpredictable, making it hard for the singer to get close to her and feel secure.

And your cloud line urges me
The woman's elusiveness is intriguing to the singer and only encourages him to pursue her more.

And my electric surges free
The artist is consumed with emotions that he needs to express, and they're becoming more intense and electric.