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)
Good Eye
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was standing by the river
Where the cold black water runs
I was standing by the river
Where the cold black water runs
I had my good eye to the dark
And my blind eye to the sun
I had all of the riches
I had each and every one
I had all of the riches
I had each and every one
I had my good eye to the dark
And my blind eye to the sun
Well I swore you were my darling
Yeah, you were the only one
Since I swore you were my darling
You were the only one
Had my good eye to the dark
And my blind eye to the sun
Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!
In Bruce Springsteen’s song “Good Eye,” the singer is standing by the river where the cold black water runs. The lyrics tell us that he had all the riches and each and every one of them. However, he had his good eye to the dark and his blind eye to the sun. This suggests that the singer may have some kind of vision that simply cannot see the good in people, only the bad. It could also mean that he chooses to see the darker aspects of humanity, only focusing on the negative aspects of life, the ones that cause pain and sorrow.
The lyrics become even more interesting as the singer goes on to say that he swore that someone was his darling, was the only one. He continues to say this repeatedly, almost like he’s trying to convince himself that this person is indeed his one and only. However, he still has his good eye to the dark and his blind eye to the sun. This can be interpreted as him being unable to fully trust this person or anyone for that matter. He’s so used to seeing the negative things in people that he finds it hard to believe that there’s anyone out there who is genuinely good.
Overall, “Good Eye” is a song about a person who is haunted by their past and chooses to focus on the negative aspects of life, unable to see the beauty in people and in life itself. It’s a commentary on the human condition and the struggles many people face when it comes to trusting others and believing in the good in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I was standing by the river
I was in a dark place, feeling lost and uncertain.
Where the cold black water runs
This place was cold and unforgiving, with no hope or warmth to be found.
I had my good eye to the dark
Despite the darkness, I was paying attention and aware of my surroundings.
And my blind eye to the sun
I was ignoring the light and positivity that could help me out of this dark place.
I had all of the riches
I had everything that should make me happy, but it wasn't enough.
I had each and every one
I had all the material possessions and success one could want.
Well I swore you were my darling
I thought I had found love and happiness, but it turned out to be false.
Yeah, you were the only one
I put all my trust and hope into this person, thinking they were the only thing that mattered.
Since I swore you were my darling
I held onto this belief even when reality proved me wrong.
Had my good eye to the dark
Even though I was hurt and disillusioned, I continued to be aware of my surroundings and keep myself grounded.
And my blind eye to the sun
I continued to ignore the potential happiness and positivity that was waiting for me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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