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)
Held Up Without a Gun
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above earth's lamentation
I hear the real, thought far off hymn
That hails the new creation
Above the tumult and the strife,
I hear the music ringing;
It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
What through the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth
What through the darkness round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging
Since love is lord of Heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble, sick with fear,
And hear their death-knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near,
How can I keep from singing?
In prison cell and dungeon vile
Our thoughts to them are winging
When friends by shame are undefiled,
How can I keep from singing?
Bruce Springsteen's song "Held Up Without a Gun" is actually a cover of a traditional hymn called "How Can I Keep From Singing?" The hymn's lyrics express a feeling of inner peace and joy even in the face of struggle and hardship. The song begins with the lines "My life flows on in endless song / Above earth's lamentation." These lines suggest that despite the challenges of life, there is a deep sense of inner peace and harmony that can be found through music or spirituality.
The lyrics go on to describe the power of music to transcend the struggles of the world. The lines "No storm can shake my inmost calm / While to that rock I'm clinging" suggest that the singer has found a source of stability and strength that enables them to endure even the most difficult of circumstances. The song's final verse speaks to the power of music to inspire resistance and hope in the face of oppression. It reads, "When tyrants tremble, sick with fear / And hear their death-knell ringing / When friends rejoice both far and near / How can I keep from singing?" These lines suggest that even in the darkest of times, there is still reason to hope and to celebrate.
Overall, Springsteen's cover of "How Can I Keep From Singing?" is a powerful statement about the enduring human spirit. It suggests that even in the face of struggle and adversity, there is a sense of inner strength and joy that can be found through music or spirituality. The song is also a testament to the power of music to inspire hope and resistance, even in times of great difficulty.
Line by Line Meaning
My life flows on in endless song
My life is constantly moving forward with a sense of movement and perpetual sound.
Above earth's lamentation
Beyond the sorrow and grief of the world.
I hear the real, thought far off hymn
I perceive the distinct and authentic hymn, although it may sound distant.
That hails the new creation
That greets the arrival of a new era.
Above the tumult and the strife,
Higher than the chaos and conflict of life,
I hear the music ringing;
I hear a sound that resonates with me deeply and musically.
It sounds an echo in my soul
It reverberates deep within me, resonating with my innermost being.
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not be filled with joy and song in response to this experience?
What through the tempest loudly roars,
The tumultuous noise caused by a widespread disorder and confusion.
I hear the truth, it liveth
I discern that which is true, and it persists and thrives.
What through the darkness round me close,
The obscurity and gloom that surround me.
Songs in the night it giveth
It offers music, especially in the midst of the darkness and difficulty.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
My deepest inner peace cannot be unsettled by any tragedy.
While to that rock I'm clinging
I hold on to that solid foundation with tenacity.
Since love is lord of Heaven and earth
Given that kindness dominates both the heavenly and Earthly realm,
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not be filled with joy and song as a result of this knowledge?
When tyrants tremble, sick with fear,
When rulers become awash in terror,
And hear their death-knell ringing,
And hear of the events foretelling their demise,
When friends rejoice both far and near,
When my colleagues celebrate, both near and far,
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not be filled with joy and song in the midst of such positive emotions?
In prison cell and dungeon vile
In a cell or space that is used to imprison someone and is particularly repugnant or unspeakable,
Our thoughts to them are winging
My thoughts and aspirations reach out to those who are incarcerated in these terrible conditions.
When friends by shame are undefiled,
When friends are still righteous despite enduring disgraceful and humiliating circumstances,
How can I keep from singing?
How can I not be filled with joy and song, given that even adversity cannot shut out the power of kindness?
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind