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)
I Wanna Be With You
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two, three, four (yeah)
Hey
Oh, let the frozen cities crumble, crumble and fall
That's alright, I don't mind at all
Let 'em all tumble right into the sea
Since you came down the line
I can't sleep at night, I got one thing on my mind
That's every day, every night
I want to be with you
I want to be with you, that's what I want to do
'Cause you're just so out of sight (I wanna be with you)
I want to be with you, that's what I want to do
Now I lost my job at the Texaco station
'Cause instead of pumping gas I'd dream of you
I got thrown out of my house, I got such a bad reputation
'Cause all I want to do is be seen with you
They gave me my pay and said walk
I don't care what they say, go ahead and let 'em all talk
'Til the world falls apart
I want to be with you
I want to be with you
That's what I want to do
Until they will rip out my heart
I want to be with you, I want to be with you
Well that's all I want to do, alright
Let's go
Hold tight, love me just a little bit
Alright, a little bit more
Tonight, tonight give me just a little kiss
No, I don't know, I don't know, I don't
I just can't understand it, you're not pretty at all
But I come when you whisper, I run when you call
When I see you on the streets, I fall on my face
I drop to my knees, I plead my case
Oh, no, I want to be with you
I want to be with you, that's what I want to do
Oh, oh I want to be with you
I want to be with you, that's all I want to do
Oh, oh I want to be with you
I want to be with you, darlin', don't you know
Oh, oh I want to be with you
I want to be with you because I love you so
Yeah
In Springsteen's "I Wanna Be Wild," the lyrics speak to a feeling of desperation and unfulfilled longing. The singer is so consumed by their desire for the person they love that they feel like they're losing their mind. The opening lines appear to speak to a sense of nihilism - the world could crumble around him and he wouldn't care, as long as he could be with the person he loves. This is expressed through the repetition of "that's alright" and "that's fine" - the singer is so consumed by their love that only being with the person they love matters.
The verse in which the singer describes losing their job and their reputation emphasizes just how little else matters to them. They'll sacrifice everything to be with the person they love, even if it means losing everything they've got. It's a desperate statement, but one that conveys the power of love and desire.
The chorus of "I Wanna Be Wild" reiterates the message of the song - the singer wants nothing more than to be with the person they love. They'll keep wanting it until the world falls apart and even beyond, until their heart is ripped out. The repetition of "I want to be with you" underscores the singer's consuming desire, showing just how powerful love can be.
Overall, "I Wanna Be Wild" is a song about the unrelenting power of love and desire and the lengths to which one will go to be with the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
Let the frozen cities crumble, crumble and fall
I'm not afraid of change or upheaval. If the world I know falls apart, I won't be shaken.
That's alright, I don't mind at all
Things may fall apart around me, but as long as I have you, it's all good.
Let 'em all tumble right into the sea
The things I once thought were important have lost their value since I met you.
Well that's just fine, that's alright with me
In fact, I welcome the chance to start fresh with you by my side.
Since you came down the line
Ever since I met you, my life has had a new direction.
I can't sleep at night, I got one thing on my mind
You're constantly on my mind and I'm eager to be with you every moment possible.
That's every day, every night
My desire to be with you never wanes.
I want to be with you
Plain and simple, I want to be by your side.
I want to be with you, that's what I want to do
Nothing would make me happier than to spend my life with you.
'Cause you're just so out of sight
You dazzle and amaze me, and I remain awestruck by your presence.
Now I lost my job at the Texaco station
My drive to be with you is so strong that it's caused problems in other areas of my life.
'Cause instead of pumping gas I'd dream of you
I couldn't even focus on my job because thoughts of you consumed me.
I got thrown out of my house, I got such a bad reputation
Even my reputation has suffered as a result of my infatuation with you.
'Cause all I want to do is be seen with you
All I want is to be by your side, to be in your presence as much as possible.
They gave me my pay and said walk
I've lost jobs, homes, and relationships, but it doesn't matter as long as I can be with you.
I don't care what they say, go ahead and let 'em all talk
The opinions of others can't touch me as long as I have you.
'Til the world falls apart
I'm committed to being with you, come what may.
Until they will rip out my heart
Even if it means great pain and suffering, I'll still choose to be with you.
Well that's all I want to do
Being with you is the most important thing in the world to me.
Hold tight, love me just a little bit
I crave your affection and attention, and I want you to hold on tight and never let go.
Alright, a little bit more
I'm never satisfied when it comes to you. I always want more of your love and affection.
Tonight, tonight give me just a little kiss
Being in your presence is a privilege, and I never take it for granted.
No I don't know, I don't know, I don't
I can't explain why I'm so drawn to you, but I know it's real and I can't deny it.
I just can't understand it, you're not pretty at all
On the surface, there may be nothing remarkable about you, but to me, you're everything.
But I come when you whisper, I run when you call
Your slightest whim is more important to me than just about anything else.
When I see you on the street I fall on my face
Your presence is so powerful that it's hard for me to maintain my composure when I see you.
I drop to my knees, I plead my case
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be with you, even if I have to beg and plead.
I want to be with you
Above all else, I want to be in your presence.
I want to be with you, that's what I want to do
My desires are simple - I just want to spend time with you and be close to you.
Darlin', don't you know
I hope you understand how much you mean to me.
I want to be with you because I love you so
Ultimately, everything I do is fueled by the love I feel for you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind