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)
Hearts of Stone
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you try to see, girl
The way things were when we were at your place
In the days it was just you and me, girl
And you cry because things ain't like before
Well don't you know they can't be that way anymore
But don't worry baby
So put your ear close to the phone
'Cause this is the last dance
This is the last chance for hearts of stone
If there was something, baby, that I could do
Something that would last, honey, I would
But we all know, girl, especially you do
How you can't return to your past, no
So girl close your eyes and I'll be there
Hold me once more and we can go anywhere
Ah, we could
But I can't talk now, I'm not alone
Just put your ear close to the phone
This is the last dance
The last chance for hearts of stone
And you cry because things ain't like before
Well don't you know they can't be that way anymore
But don't worry baby, I know it baby
But I can't talk now, I'm not alone
So put your ear close to the phone
Baby this is the last chance the last dance
For hearts of stone
This is the last dance, the last chance for heart of stone
The opening lines, "You stare in the mirror at the lines in your face, and you try to see, girl, the way things were when we were at your place" evoke a sense of nostalgia and regret. The singer is urging the girl to let go of the past and embrace the present because it's impossible to go back to the way things were before. The line "But don't worry baby" is an attempt to reassure her that he understands her pain and he's there for her.
The chorus, "I can't talk now, I'm not alone, so put your ear close to the phone, 'cause this is the last dance, this is the last chance for hearts of stone" highlights the theme of finality and acceptance. The singer is telling the girl that this is the end, and they both need to move on. He's acknowledging that their hearts are hardened, but this is their last chance to break free and live a happy life together.
Overall, the song plays on the contrast between the past and the present. It's a poignant reminder that nothing lasts forever, and sometimes we need to let go of the past in order to move on and live our lives fully.
Line by Line Meaning
You stare in the mirror at the lines in your face
You examine your reflection in the mirror, observing the various creases and grooves present on your face.
And you try to see, girl
In your effort to reminisce about days gone by, you attempt to vividly recall past events in your mind's eye.
The way things were when we were at your place
You reminisce on the good old days when we used to be at your house, surrounded by positive energy.
In the days it was just you and me, girl
During those days gone by, you and I enjoyed each other's company and had a special closeness that we no longer share.
And you cry because things ain't like before
Feeling nostalgic makes you sad because things have changed since we first met and were together.
Well don't you know they can't be that way anymore
You must acknowledge and accept that time has passed, and you cannot go back to the past because you cannot change what has already occurred.
But don't worry baby
But don't stress because I am here to reassure you that everything will be okay.
I can't talk now, I'm not alone
I am currently in a situation where I cannot speak freely because I'm not alone and there are others around me.
So put your ear close to the phone
However, even though we cannot speak freely, I still want to communicate with you, so move closer to the phone to hear me clearly.
'Cause this is the last dance
This is our final chance to connect and communicate in a meaningful way, so we need to make the most of it.
This is the last chance for hearts of stone
Our hearts have become cold and unfeeling over time, and this is our final opportunity to reignite the passion that once existed between us.
If there was something, baby, that I could do
If there was anything I could do to make things better, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Something that would last, honey, I would
I would do something that could have a lasting, meaningful impact, not just a temporary fix.
But we all know, girl, especially you do
However, deep down we know that we cannot change the past or undo mistakes that were made, and you are aware of this more than anyone.
How you can't return to your past, no
You must recognize that you cannot go back in time because what is done is done, and nothing can be changed.
So girl close your eyes and I'll be there
Visualize me in your mind and imagine that we are together once again, so you can experience the comfort of my presence.
Hold me once more and we can go anywhere
If you hold me in your mind's eye and imagine that we are together again, we can relive the excitement and adventure of exploring the world together without limitations.
And I know it, baby
I understand how difficult it is to come to terms with past events and accept that certain things cannot be changed, but we must let go and move on.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind