Long Time Comin'
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics


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Out where the creek turns shallow and sandy
And the moon comes skimmin' away the stars
The wind in the mesquite comes rushin' over the hilltops
Straight into my arms
Straight into my arms

I'm riding hard carryin' a catch of roses
And a fresh map that I made
Tonight I'm gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on its grave
And dance on its grave

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here

Well my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
When I was a kid he was just somebody
Somebody I'd see around
Somebody I'd see around

Now down below and pullin' on my shirt
I got some kids of my own
Well if I had one wish in this god forsaken world, kids
It'd be that your mistakes would be your own
Yea your sins would be your own

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here

Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia
Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It's me and you, Rosie, cracklin' like crossed wires
And you breathin' in your sleep
You breathin' in your sleep

Well there's just a spark of campfire burning
Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
I Reach 'neath your shirt, lay my hands across your belly
And feel another one kickin' inside
I ain't gonna fuck it up this time

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here




It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Long Time Comin'" by Bruce Springsteen paint a picture of a man on a journey towards redemption and a new beginning. In the first verse, he describes a peaceful and quiet night out in nature, with the wind rushing towards him and the moon shining bright. He's carrying roses and a fresh map he's made, symbolizing his hope for a new start. He declares his intent to "bury my old soul and dance on its grave," showing a desire to let go of past mistakes and move forward.


The second verse shifts to a reflection on his relationship with his father when he was younger. He describes his father as a stranger who would occasionally show up in his life. Now, with children of his own, he wishes for them to be able to make their own mistakes and learn from them. This shows a desire to break the cycle of absentee parenting that he experienced growing up.


The final verse is the most intimate and vulnerable, as he lays beside his partner, Rosie, under the stars. He feels a new life growing inside of her and vows to not repeat the mistakes of his past. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus, a reminder that though it may have taken a long time, he's finally reached a place of hope and renewal.


Overall, the lyrics to "Long Time Comin'" showcase Springsteen's ability to tell a story and convey deep emotion through his music. It's a powerful and introspective song that deals with themes of redemption, family, and growth.


Line by Line Meaning

Out where the creek turns shallow and sandy
In a remote area where the creek is getting shallower and the sand is becoming visible


And the moon comes skimmin' away the stars
As the moon rises, it makes the stars less visible


The wind in the mesquite comes rushin' over the hilltops
Breezy wind rustles the mesquite trees and travels over the hills


Straight into my arms
Blowing wind feels like it's hugging me


I'm riding hard carryin' a catch of roses
Riding fast while carrying a bunch of roses


And a fresh map that I made
I have a newly made map in my possession


Tonight I'm gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
Tonight, I plan to metaphorically shed my old self and become a new version of myself


And dance on its grave
I plan to celebrate my transformation by dancing on the grave of my old self


It's been a long time comin', my dear
I've waited a while for this moment, my love


It's been a long time comin' but now it's here
I've been anticipating this moment for a long time and now it's finally happening


Well my daddy he was just a stranger
My father was never a close part of my life


Lived in a hotel downtown
My father lived in a hotel in the city center


When I was a kid he was just somebody
When I was young, my father was just a person I saw occasionally


Somebody I'd see around
My father was never actively involved in my upbringing


Now down below and pullin' on my shirt
My children are now tugging on my shirt


I got some kids of my own
I have children of my own now


Well if I had one wish in this god forsaken world, kids
Given the unfortunate state of the world, if I had one wish for my children,


It'd be that your mistakes would be your own
I would wish that you learn from your own mistakes


Yea your sins would be your own
I'd hope that you take responsibility for your own actions


Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia
Beneath the constellation 'Cassiopeia'


Where the sword of Orion sweeps
In an area where the 'Orion' constellation appears


It's me and you, Rosie, cracklin' like crossed wires
Rosie, it's just you and me, our connection intense like crossed wires


And you breathin' in your sleep
While you're sleeping, I can hear you breathing


Well there's just a spark of campfire burning
There's only a small flame left in the campfire


Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
We have two kids sleeping in a shared sleeping bag


I Reach 'neath your shirt, lay my hands across your belly
I tenderly touch your belly under your shirt


And feel another one kickin' inside
I feel our unborn child moving inside your belly


I ain't gonna fuck it up this time
I won't mess up this time - I want to be a better father than my own


It's been a long time comin', my dear
I've hoped for this moment for a long time, my love


It's been a long time comin' but now it's here
It's finally happening - I've waited a long time for this




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@kimhawes624

"Long Time Comin'"

Out where the creek turn shallow and sandy
And the moon comes skimmin' away the stars
When the mesquite comes rushin' over the hilltops
Straight into my arms
Straight into my arms

I'm ridin' hard carryin' a cache of roses
A fresh map that I made
Now I'm gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on it's grave
And dance on it's grave

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
And now it's here

Well my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
Well when I was a kid he was just somebody
Somebody I'd see around
Somebody I'd see around

Well now down below and pullin' on my shirt
Yeah I got some kids of my own
Well if I had one wish for you in this god forsaken world, kid
It'd be that your mistakes will be your own
That your sins will be your own

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
And now it's here

(Whoaaa)

Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia*
Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It's me and you, Rosie, cracklin' like crossed wires
And you breathin' in your sleep
And you breathin' in your sleep

Well there's just a spark of a campfire left burnin'
Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
Reach 'neath your shirt, put my hands across your belly and feel
Another one kickin' inside
And I ain't gonna fuck it up this time

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here

(Whoaaa)



@LinoAgudelo

Out where the creek turns shallow and sandy
And the moon comes skimmin' away the stars
The wind in the mesquite comes rushin' over the hilltops
Straight into my arms
Straight into my arms

I'm riding hard carryin' a catch of roses
And a fresh map that I made
Tonight I'm gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on its grave
And dance on its grave

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here

Well my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
When I was a kid he was just somebody
Somebody I'd see around
Somebody I'd see around

Now down below and pullin' on my shirt
I got some kids of my own
Well if I had one wish in this god forsaken world, kids
It'd be that your mistakes would be your own
Yea your sins would be your own

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here

Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia
Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It's me and you, Rosie, cracklin' like crossed wires
And you breathin' in your sleep
You breathin' in your sleep

Well there's just a spark of campfire burning
Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
I Reach 'neath your shirt, lay my hands across your belly
And feel another one kickin' inside
I ain't gonna fuck it up this time

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here



@bizonman2567

Out where the creek turns shallow and sandy
And the moon comes skimming away the stars
The wind in the mesquite comes rushing over the hilltops
Straight into my arms, straight into my arms
I'm riding hard carrying a catch of roses
A fresh map that I made
Tonight I'm going to get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on its grave, and dance on its grave
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here
Yeah, now it's here
Well, my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
And when I was a kid, he was just somebody
Somebody I'd see around, somebody I'd see around
Well, now down below and pulling on my shirt
Yeah, I got some kids of my own
If I had one wish in this god forsaken world, kids
Let your mistakes would be your own
Yeah, your sins would be your own
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here
And now it's here
Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia
Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It's me and you, Rosie, crackling like crossed wires
And you breathing in your sleep
Hear you breathing in your sleep
Well, there's just a spark of a campfire left burning
Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
Reach 'neath your shirt, lay my hands across your belly
Feel another one kicking inside
I ain't gonna fuck it up this time
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin' but now it's here



All comments from YouTube:

@tommymorgan73

How can one man produce so much brilliance!!

@tommymorgan73

One of the best live performances of all time this concert! Every song is astounding.

@constantincarstea4870

Splendid...

@williambarker7932

I swear when i first heard this song i thought he knew my life story and wrote a song about it...his lyrics always touches someone

@azbarb478

Favorite track off Devils and Dust. Springsteen’s genius is most displayed in his 3 acoustic albums. Nebraska, Ghost of Tom Joad , Devils and Dust are his finest!

@rosannamorselli585

Live in Dublin was a magical moment!

@birgittagrunerwald7726

❤️Brilliant!❤️

@TerryTomlin

I adore this performance!

@verastewart5087

Love Bruce singing this beautiful song. Now it's here. ❤ Always

@robertgener5564

Einer der allerbesten Sänger überhaupt und seine verschiedenen bands

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