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)
Reno
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She had your ankles, I felt filled with grace.
"Two hundred dollars straight in,
Two-fifty up the ass," she smiled and said.
She unbuckled my belt, pulled back her hair,
And sat in front of me on the bed.
She said, "Honey how's that feel, do you want me to go slow?"
My eyes drifted out the window, down to the road below.
I felt my stomach tighten. The sun bloodied the sky
And sliced through the hotel blinds. I closed my eyes.
Sunlight on the Amatitlan, sunlight streaming through your hair.
In the Valle de dos Rios, smell of mock orange filled the air.
We rode with the vaqueros, down into cool rivers of green.
I was sure the work and that smile coming out 'neath your hat
Was all I'd ever need.
Somehow all you ever need's, never really quite enough you know.
You and I, Maria, we learned it's so.
She slipped me out of her mouth, "You're ready," she said.
She took off her bra and panties, wet her finger, slipped it inside her,
And crawled over me on the bed.
She poured me another whiskey,
Said, "Here's to the best you ever had."
We laughed and made a toast.
It wasn't the best I ever had,
Not even close.
The song "Reno" by Bruce Springsteen is centered around the theme of a man who is consumed by memories of his former lover. The song takes listeners on a journey through a painful experience, as the singer seeks comfort in the arms of a prostitute while being reminded of the woman he once loved. The song opens with the singer holding a pair of stockings that belong to the prostitute, and as he holds them to his face, he is reminded of his former lover's ankles. The prostitute then proceeds to offer her services to him, and despite his hesitation, he accepts. As she engages in a sexual act with him, the singer's mind drifts to his former lover and the happy times they once shared, contrasted with the pain he now feels.
The second half of the song takes a nostalgic turn, as the singer reminisces about the good times he once had with his former lover in different parts of the world. These memories offer temporary solace from the pain he is feeling in the present, but they also highlight the extent of his loss. As the song draws to a close, the singer and the prostitute share a drink and laugh together, but the hollowness of his current situation is emphasized by the fact that the experience is far from the best he has ever had.
Overall, "Reno" is a poignant and melancholic song about loss, pain, and the fleeting nature of human connection. Springsteen's lyrics are evocative and poignant, and the song serves as a reminder of the power of music to convey complex emotions and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
She took off her stockings, I held them to my face.
I felt a deep connection with this woman, I wanted to take in her scent and feel her presence with me.
She had your ankles, I felt filled with grace.
The woman reminded me of you, and I felt blessed for even a moment to be with someone who resembled you.
"Two hundred dollars straight in, Two-fifty up the ass," she smiled and said.
The woman was a prostitute, and she offered different prices for different sexual services.
She unbuckled my belt, pulled back her hair, And sat in front of me on the bed.
The woman began to undress me and get ready for sex while I sat on the bed, watching her.
She said, "Honey how's that feel, do you want me to go slow?"
The woman asked me if I was comfortable and if I wanted her to slow down during sex.
My eyes drifted out the window, down to the road below.
Even though I was having sex with someone, my mind was not present in that moment. I was lost in thought, gazing out the window at the outside world.
I felt my stomach tighten. The sun bloodied the sky And sliced through the hotel blinds. I closed my eyes.
I felt a sense of unease and despair as the sun began to set and the day turned into night. The light shining through the blinds was painful, and I closed my eyes to escape it.
Sunlight on the Amatitlan, sunlight streaming through your hair. In the Valle de dos Rios, smell of mock orange filled the air.
I thought of you and our travels together in Mexico, where the sunlight and smells were so distinct and memorable.
We rode with the vaqueros, down into cool rivers of green. I was sure the work and that smile coming out 'neath your hat Was all I'd ever need.
We had good times in Mexico, exploring together and meeting new people. I thought I was content with just having happy memories of our travels.
Somehow all you ever need's, never really quite enough you know. You and I, Maria, we learned it's so.
Even though I thought I was content with just our happy memories, I now realize that it's not enough. You and I both learned this lesson, Maria.
She slipped me out of her mouth, "You're ready," she said.
The woman resumed sexual acts and announced that I was ready for the next step.
She took off her bra and panties, wet her finger, slipped it inside her, And crawled over me on the bed.
The woman continued to undress and stimulate herself before continuing the sexual act on top of me on the bed.
She poured me another whiskey, Said, "Here's to the best you ever had." We laughed and made a toast. It wasn't the best I ever had, Not even close.
After finishing sexual acts, the woman poured us each a drink and we pretended like the experience had been amazing. However, it was not the best sexual experience I had ever had, not even close.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind