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)
The Promised Land
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pick up my money and head back into town
Driving 'cross the Waynesboro county line
I got the radio on and I'm just killing time
Working all day in my daddy's garage
Driving all night chasing some mirage
Pretty soon little girl I'm gonna take charge
'Cause they understand
If I could take one moment into my hands
Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man
And I believe in a promised land
I've done my best to live the right way
I get up every morning and go to work each day
But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold
Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode
Explode and tear this whole town apart
Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart
Find somebody itching for something to start
The dogs on Main Street howl
'Cause they understand
If I could wrench one moment into my hands
Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man
And I believe in a promised land
Well there's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor
I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down
That ain't got the faith to stand its ground
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart
Blow away the dreams that break your heart
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted
The dogs on Main Street howl
'Cause they understand
If I could take one moment into my hands
Mister I ain't a boy, no I'm a man
And I believe in a promised land
And I believe in a promised land
And I believe in a promised land
The song “Promised Land” by Bruce Springsteen is a powerful anthem about the journey towards self-realization and finding purpose in life. The opening lines of the song set the scene for the journey: we find ourselves on a high-speed race in the Utah desert holding on to our dreams while escaping the mundane routine of day-to-day life. The singer travels through Waynesboro, longing for something more fulfilling than his job at the garage. The song paints a picture of someone who desires change, someone who wants to feel like he’s more in control of his destiny.
The chorus of “Promised Land” highlights the desire for something greater: the dogs howling on Main Street understand that the singer is looking for a way to take control of his life. He believes in a “promised land,” a land where we don't have to settle for a mediocre life but where dreams can come true. The song climaxes with the powerful lines about the upcoming storm, where the singer is willing to take the risk of blowing everything down in order to find what truly matters.
The beauty of Springsteen’s lyrics is that they are universal; they call to the universal human desire to discover our true purpose. The song captures the essence of the risk and adventure of chasing our dreams, even when it sets us at odds with the world around us. It encourages us to take control of our own destiny, just as the singer does, and to believe in the promise of a better life.
Line by Line Meaning
On a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert
Driving down a fast and dangerous stretch of road in Utah with no real destination in mind.
I pick up my money and head back into town
Leaving the desert behind and returning to civilization with cash in hand.
Driving 'cross the Waynesboro county line
Moving from one local jurisdiction to another while driving.
I got the radio on and I'm just killing time
Listening to music while driving aimlessly with no particular goal in mind.
Working all day in my daddy's garage
Toiling away in a blue-collar job to make ends meet and support a family.
Driving all night chasing some mirage
Traveling without a specific destination in mind, hoping to find something meaningful.
Pretty soon little girl I'm gonna take charge
Feeling confident and ready to seize the day and make a change in his life.
The dogs on Main Street howl, 'Cause they understand
The animals on the street can sense and empathize with the artist's struggles and emotions.
If I could take one moment into my hands, Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man
Feeling mature and empowered, ready to take control of his life and make important decisions.
And I believe in a promised land
Holding onto hope and a sense of purpose, believing that a better future awaits.
I've done my best to live the right way
Trying his hardest to live a good and virtuous life despite facing challenges and obstacles.
I get up every morning and go to work each day
Maintaining a sense of responsibility and diligence in his work life.
But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold
Feeling emotionally and spiritually drained and disconnected from the world around him.
Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode
Feeling overwhelmed by his struggles and the pressures of life.
Explode and tear this whole town apart
Feeling angry and frustrated and wanting to lash out and destroy his surroundings.
Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart
Wishing to be released from the pain and trauma that he carries inside him.
Find somebody itching for something to start
Seeking out like-minded individuals who share his desire to change the world and make a difference.
Well there's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor
Sensing an impending sense of doom and danger on the horizon.
I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm
Taking bold and decisive action to face his fears head-on and confront his challenges.
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down
Expecting to encounter chaos and destruction in his path toward progress and change.
That ain't got the faith to stand its ground
Knowing that only those with true faith and conviction will be able to survive and thrive in the face of adversity.
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart
Cast away harmful and destructive goals and ambitions that do more harm than good.
Blow away the dreams that break your heart
Let go of unrealistic expectations and unattainable desires that only lead to despair and heartache.
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted
Reject falsehoods and deceit that lead to feeling lost and betrayed.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rapbuck3
Get goosebumps when Clarence’s sax comes up. Damn what a performance and what a crowd.
It’s magical.
@lindahellestl7754
Same❤
@michaelgladman8591
You will never feel more alive than at a Bruce Springsteen show . . . He empties the tank every single time and gives you everything he’s got. And that’s all you can ask. Remarkable.
@johnthorne4093
I love your comment. I have only seen Springsteen live two times in my life. The first was in 1984, on the second show of his "Born in the USA" tour, in St Paul, Minnesota (this would be the night after Courtney Cox co-starred in the "Dancing in the Dark" video, at the same arena). Bruce started "The Promised Land". Somewhere in the first verse, he realized (and you could see it on the projection screens) that the crowd was singing, shouting, screaming, his lyrics back at him, LOUDER than he was singing and the band was playing. Young men, and young women, were feeling the late-teens, early-20s frustration, ambition, yearning, that this song is about, and standing on the armrests of their chairs in the arena, feeding back to him the inspiration live, that he had given them, on records, jukeboxes, and the radio: "Mister, I ain't a boy (girl); no, I'm a man (woman), and I believe in a promised land!" He got a huge smile on his face, stopped singing, and held out his microphone, for the deafening sound, the message, and the love (I think) to come back to him.
@patrickgermann812
I agree with Michael. It is an energy I carry and love. Hairs stick up just thinking about the shows. Just want another and hope to be able to see him again after covid.
@penny6933
So true, he lives music.
@valerietomsic8454
He has done this for YEARS.....I knew him when I was right out of high school....he comped tickets to my boyfriend at the time to see them at RUTGERS University...OMG they about tore that place down....it was awesome! He GIVES IT his ALL every show!
@MichelleLopez-ge1xy
Hoping to see
@jannaghaleiw5504
"Blow away the dreams that tear you apart, blow away the dreams that break your heart, blow away the lies that leave you nothing, but lost and brokenhearted" I believe these lyrics are timeless, amazing songwriting.
@mickjbrooks40
The whole final verse is amazing.