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)
Jesse
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh Jesse, you put on that leather jacket like you put on respect
you got cleats on your boots and a woman who shoots everytime you shuffle out the stage door
And darling Jesse, do you know what its all for?
Ah Jesse, your manager brought by them eight by ten glossies of your band
Oh Jesse, he says you wear cross around your neck and come on with nails in your hands
With your insides showing and your New York band blowin' them old Chicago blues
Ah Jesse, can't you see you're the one Jesse
Well Jesse, your child is slobbering all over your pants
And Jesse, your wife has fallen into a trance
She's got eyes that tell no lies
She's seen so many wars
Ah be a good boy Jesse, tell her she don't have to look no more.
Well Jesse, he knows all the tricks to get the crowd reeling
Oh and Jesse, ya he rocks 'em with that old soul feeling
And he walks off the stage in a self-adoring haze
and gets shoved right out the door
Whoa Jesse, can't you see now boy that that's what its all about Jesse
Not even time to do that old played out encore
Whoa Jesse
The song "Jesse" by Bruce Springsteen tells a story of a musician named Jesse, who has gained notoriety and success in the music industry. However, with this newfound fame, Jesse is not entirely happy. He feels pressure from his manager to maintain his image and put on a show, even if it means compromising his own values. He is also torn between his passion for music and his obligations as a husband and father. Springsteen laments that Jesse has lost the soul and authenticity that made him successful in the first place.
The chorus and repetition of "Ah Jesse, can't you see you're the one Jesse" highlights the internal struggle that Jesse is facing. He is caught in the middle of wanting to maintain his artistic integrity and pleasing his audience and those around him. The line "Not even time to do that old played out encore" emphasizes the idea that Jesse is trapped in a cycle of performing for the sake of others rather than for his own love of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Jesse, you better start thinkin' about saving your neck
Jesse, you need to be careful about the choices you're making or you might get into trouble
Oh Jesse, you put on that leather jacket like you put on respect
Jesse, it seems like you're trying too hard to look cool and gain admiration
you got cleats on your boots and a woman who shoots everytime you shuffle out the stage door
You have a tough exterior and a woman who supports you fiercely
And darling Jesse, do you know what its all for?
Jesse, do you really understand why you're performing and what it all means?
Ah Jesse, your manager brought by them eight by ten glossies of your band
Your manager is pitching your band to various industry players
Oh Jesse, he says you wear cross around your neck and come on with nails in your hands
Your manager is using religious imagery to promote your act and create a persona for you
With your insides showing and your New York band blowin' them old Chicago blues
Your music is a mix of old and new styles that reflects your experiences in New York
Ah Jesse, can't you see you're the one Jesse
Jesse, you're the one in control of your life and your decisions
Ah Sonny, this time its you
It's your turn to face the challenges and opportunities in front of you, just like Sonny did before you
Well Jesse, your child is slobbering all over your pants
Your family is present but you're focused on your career
And Jesse, your wife has fallen into a trance
Even your wife seems distant and disconnected from your performance
She's got eyes that tell no lies
Your wife is very perceptive and knows what's really going on with you
She's seen so many wars
Your wife has been through a lot and has a lot of experience to draw from
Ah be a good boy Jesse, tell her she don't have to look no more.
Jesse, be attentive to your wife and show her that you value her presence and support
Well Jesse, he knows all the tricks to get the crowd reeling
You know how to manipulate the audience and keep them engaged
Oh and Jesse, ya he rocks 'em with that old soul feeling
Your music resonates with the audience and touches them emotionally
And he walks off the stage in a self-adoring haze and gets shoved right out the door
After the performance, you're feeling a mix of emotions and are subject to the whims of the venue staff
Whoa Jesse, can't you see now boy that that's what its all about Jesse
Jesse, you need to recognize that the performance is just one aspect of the music industry and there's much more to it than that
Not even time to do that old played out encore
You don't even have time to do another song because of the demands of the industry and the need to keep moving forward
Contributed by Stella I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jim Page
Another acoustic treat from the Boss...you can reflect on some of his lyrics that eventually found themselves on released songs. A gem indeed! Thanks Bruce...
Ron Paoline
"Jesse" is one of Bruce's really great songs - Bruce probably never released it on any production because Appel released it w/out permission.
Edward Gallucci
This is my © photograph of Bruce Springsteen I shot for Crawdaddy Magazine in 1972. It was stolen off my website with no permission from me for its use.
Dorothy G
What a shame. Great pic!
62rosangeladoro
Bruce Springsteen THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD!!
HUGS OF THE BRAZIL,
ROSANGELA D'ORO
sharpshooterrn
I could see this song being played a little faster and harder. What a hit it would be for Bruce! Nice Post!
Nella Crosiglia
Rare uncle Bruce!
Roland Belyea
The 22 most fun nights of my life. 22 times I was lucky enough to be there. Check out the one burner bachelor on YouTube. We rock you all night long.💪✌️👍
ROSANGELA DORO
Bruce Springsteen THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD!!
HUGS OF THE BRAZIL,
ROSANGELA D'ORO
xander boogaerts
Does anybody know the chords?