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)
Highway Patrolman
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville, barracks number eight
I always done an honest job, as honest as I could
I got a brother named Franky, and Franky ain't no good
Now ever since we was young kids, it's been the same come down
I get a call on the shortwave, Franky's in trouble downtown
Well if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
Yeah, me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, well, he just ain't no good
Well, Franky went in the army back in nineteen sixty-five
I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my wife
But them wheat prices kept on droppin' 'til it was like we were gettin' robbed
Franky came home in sixty-eight and me I took this job
Yeah, we're laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', teach him how to walk that line
Man turns his back on his family, he ain't no friend of mine
Well, the night was like any other, I got a call 'bout quarter to nine
There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
There was a kid lyin' on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head
Was a girl cryin' at a table and it was Frank, they said
Well, I went out and I jumped in my car and I hit the lights
Well, I musta done a hundred and ten through Michigan County that night
It was out at the crossroads, down 'round Willow bank
Seen a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank
Well I chased him through them county roads
'Til a sign said "Canadian border five miles from here"
I pulled over the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear
Me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good
The song Highway Patrolman by Bruce Springsteen tells the story of Joe Roberts, a police sergeant who is torn between his loyalty towards his duty and his love for his younger brother, Franky. Joe has always been honest in his job as a sergeant in Perrineville, barracks number 8. However, his brother Franky has not always been on the right side of the law. Whenever Franky gets into trouble, Joe often looks past the rules he is meant to enforce, and helps his brother out.
The loyalty of brothers is a central theme in this song, and reflects the often-complicated dynamic between siblings. The chorus of the song emphasizes the bond between family members and the power this bond holds. Joe's love for Franky is unwavering, even though Franky may not always be deserving of it.
The song is also a commentary on the restrictions that come with authority, and the sacrifices that must be made to uphold the law. The song recognizes the internal conflict faced by police officers who have to make tough decisions about their family and the laws they are meant to enforce.
Line by Line Meaning
My name is Joe Roberts, I work for the state
I am a police officer working for the state of New Jersey.
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville, barracks number 8
I hold the rank of sergeant and work out of the Perrineville barracks, which is numbered eight.
I always done an honest job, as honest as I could
I have always been an honest police officer, doing the best I can in difficult situations.
I got a brother named Franky, and Franky ain't no good
My brother Franky has a troubled past and has often been in trouble with the law.
Now ever since we was young kids, it's been the same come down
Since we were children, Franky has been getting into trouble while I have tried to do the right thing.
I get a call on the shortwave, Franky's in trouble downtown
I receive a call on the police radio that Franky has gotten into trouble in the city.
Well if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
If it were any other criminal, I would quickly arrest them.
But when it's your brother sometimes you look the other way
But since it is my own brother, I may be more likely to let him slide or turn a blind eye.
Yeah me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Franky and I share a close bond and enjoy spending time together, even if it involves drinking.
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
We take turns dancing with Maria to a song called "Night of the Johnstown Flood".
I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
I try to keep Franky from getting into further trouble, like any brother would.
Man turns his back on his family, well he just ain't no good
If someone turns their back on their family, they are not worthy of trust or respect.
Well Franky went in the army back in 1965
Franky joined the army in 1965.
I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my wife
I received a deferment from the draft because of my farm work, and then settled down and married Maria.
But them wheat prices kept on droppin' till it was like we were gettin' robbed
The price of wheat continued to decrease, causing us to feel exploited.
Franky came home in '68 and me I took this job
Franky returned home from service in 1968 and I began my career in law enforcement.
Well the night was like any other, well I got a call 'bout quarter to nine
One night, I received a call around 8:45 pm, which seemed like a normal occurrence.
There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
There was a disturbance at a bar located along the Michigan border.
There was a kid lyin' on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head
A young person was lying on the floor, severely injured and bleeding from the head.
There was a girl cryin' at a table and it was Frank, they said
A girl was crying at a nearby table, and I was told that Franky was responsible for her emotional distress.
Well I went out and I jumped in my car and I hit the lights
I quickly got into my car and turned on the emergency lights.
Well I musta done a hundred and ten through Michigan County that night
I drove at a very high speed through Michigan County in order to get to the scene quickly.
It was out at the crossroads, down 'round Willow bank
The incident occurred at a crossroads near Willow Bank.
Seen a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank
I saw a Buick with Ohio license plates, and Franky was behind the wheel.
Well I chased him through them county roads
I followed Franky along several county roads.
Till a sign said "Canadian border five miles from here"
I pursued Franky until I reached a sign indicating that the Canadian border was five miles away.
I pulled over the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear
I stopped my car and watched as Franky drove away, his taillights disappearing into the distance.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xlhsxl8844
My name is Joe Roberts, I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville Barracks Number 8
I always done an honest job—as honest as I could
I got a brother named Frankie, and Frankie ain't no good
Now, ever since we was young kids, it's been the same comedown
I get a call on the shortwave: Frankie's in trouble downtown
Well, if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
But when it's your brother, sometimes, you look the other way
Me and Frankie laughing and drinking, nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancing with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's straying, like any brother would
A man turns his back on his family, well, he just ain't no good
Well, Frankie went in the army back in 1965
I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my wife
But them wheat prices kept on dropping 'til it was like we were getting robbed
Frankie came home in '68, and me, I took this job
Yeah, we're laughing and drinking, nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancing with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's straying, teach him how to walk that line
A man turns his back on his family, he ain't no friend of mine
Well, the night was like any other, I got a call 'bout quarter to nine
There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
There was a kid lying on the floor, looking bad, bleeding hard from his head
There was a girl crying at a table, and it was Frank, they said
Well, I went out and I jumped in my car, and I hit the lights
Well, I must've done one hundred and ten through Michigan County that night
It was out at the crossroads, down 'round Willow Bank
Seen a Buick with Ohio plates; behind the wheel was Frank
Well, I chased him through them county roads
'Til a sign said "Canadian border, five miles from here"
I pulled over on the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear
Me and Frankie laughing and drinking, nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancing with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's straying, like any brother would
A man turns his back on his family, well, he just ain't no good
@loganwhite5016
My brother and I were polar opposites in just about every way, but at the end of the day there wasn’t anything stopping us from sharing a beer together, and laughing the night away.
He passed away about two years ago from a drug overdose. I always come back to this song, and it makes me think of him. That no matter what darkness he was traveling through, at the end of the day he was still my brother, through thick and thin. I’ll always miss him.
@E_Chap
Cheers to your brother man. I'm sorry he took that path, but it sounds like you guys had some good memories.
@andrevandebruck756
🙏🏼🍻 cheers to your brother and you🙏🏼
@katanaki3059
The lyrics are masterful. The Nebraska album was life changing
@gloriadoidge8422
Respect to the friends of my daughter Lesha Walker,Favona Road Mangere,NZ.Your lovely Falcon,was stolen, You were good people,I hope life has been good.I know you liked Bruce.My friend, now owns a Falcon replica, I think of you,every time,we drive,Cheers.Gloria.xxx
@linsayspence7070
One of Bruce's greatest songs.
@martystamey69
But it's not Bruce's song it's Johnny Cash
@marchomeslice1
@Marty Stamey Actually Springsteen wrote it and it first appeared in his Nebraska record in 1982.
@TheSpiritOfTheTimes
Gayest
@abc-bu7nr
I love Johnny but for me it doesn't come close to this
Hurt, on the other hand is all Johnny