Thunder Road
Bruce Springsteen Lyrics

A screen door slams, Mary's dress sways
Mary rushes out of her house, and her dress sways in the movement

Like a vision she dances across the porch
The scene is so beautiful, it feels like a dream

As the radio plays
The background music sets the mood for the moment

Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
The song playing on the radio is Roy Orbison's "Only the Lonely"

Hey, that's me, and I want you only
The singer relates to the lonely character in the song and wants Mary's affection

Don't turn me home again
The singer doesn't want Mary to reject him and send him home

I just can't face myself alone again
The singer is lonely and wants to be with Mary

Don't run back inside, darling
The singer doesn't want Mary to retreat from him

You know just what I'm here for
The singer is clear about his intentions and desires

So you're scared and you're thinking
Mary is hesitant and uncertain

That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Mary wonders if they are too old for this kind of romance

Show a little faith, there's magic in the night
The singer urges Mary to have faith in their love and the possibilities of the night

You ain't a beauty but, hey, you're alright
The singer doesn't care about Mary's looks, just her heart

Oh, and that's alright with me
The singer is content with Mary just the way she is

You can hide 'neath your covers and study your pain
The singer acknowledges Mary's pain and tendency to hide from it

Make crosses from your lovers, throw roses in the rain
Mary uses symbols of love to cope with her emotional pain

Waste your summer praying in vain
Mary's efforts to find salvation has been futile so far

For a savior to rise from these streets
Mary looks for a way out of her pain in the streets

Well now I'm no hero, that's understood
The singer doesn't consider himself a hero or savior

All the redemption I can offer, girl
The singer can't save Mary but he can provide some relief

Is beneath this dirty hood
The singer's car, which carries Mary away from her troubles, is the only thing he can offer her

With a chance to make it good somehow
The singer and Mary have a chance to change their lives tonight

Hey, what else can we do now?
The singer and Mary are out of other options

Except roll down the window
The singer suggests opening up to new experiences

And let the wind blow back your hair
The singer suggests that Mary let loose and have fun

Well, the night's busting open
Tonight is full of possibilities

These two lanes will take us anywhere
The open road provides endless opportunities

We got one last chance to make it real
The night is their last chance to change their lives

To trade in these wings on some wheels
The singer suggests leaving behind old dreams for new realities

Climb in back, heaven's waiting down on the tracks
The singer invites Mary to join him on this journey and embrace the possibilities of the night

Oh-oh, come take my hand
The singer urges Mary to join him and take his hand as they follow their dreams

We're riding out tonight to case the promised land
The singer and Mary are taking a risk to explore their hopes and dreams

Oh-oh, Thunder Road
Thunder Road is the symbol of hope and possibility

Oh, Thunder Road, oh, Thunder Road
The singer repeats the name of the road to emphasize its importance

Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Thunder Road is full of promise, but it also has a danger to it

Hey, I know it's late, we can make it if we run
Despite the danger, the singer believes they can still make it if they try

Oh-oh, Thunder Road
The singer repeats the name of the road to emphasize its importance

Sit tight, take hold
The singer urges Mary to hold on tight and brace herself for the ride

Thunder Road
Thunder Road is the place where their dreams will come true

Well, I got this guitar
The guitar is a symbol of the singer's artistic expression and potential

And I learned how to make it talk
The singer has honed his skill and can convey his emotions through his music

And my car's out back
The car is the vehicle that can take them to their dreams

If you're ready to take that long walk
The singer is inviting Mary to join him on a long and risky journey

From your front porch to my front seat
The singer is asking Mary to come out of her comfort zone and into his car

The door's open but the ride ain't free
The journey will come at a cost

And I know you're lonely for words that I ain't spoken
Mary is looking for assurance and comfort, which the singer hopes to provide

Tonight we'll be free, all the promises'll be broken
The singer is taking a risk to escape his past promises and embrace a new reality

There were ghosts in the eyes
The artist is haunted by the past

Of all the boys you sent away
Mary has rejected many suitors in the past

They haunt this dusty beach road
The memories of these lost opportunities linger on this road

On the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets
The abandoned and burned cars symbolize the broken dreams of the past

They scream your name at night in the street
The lost opportunities call out to Mary, haunting her with regret

Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
The discarded graduation gown symbolizes lost opportunities and broken dreams

And in the lonely cool before dawn
The singer is up late, haunted by his past and filled with uncertainty

You hear their engines roaring on
The singer's past mistakes still resonate with him

When you get to the porch
The singer and Mary finally arrive at their destination

They're gone on the wind
The singer reflects on the past and what could have been

So Mary, climb in
Despite the past, the singer invites Mary to pursue new dreams

It's a town full of losers
The singer reflects on the limitations and failures of their hometown

I'm pulling out of here to win
The singer takes a risk and leaves the past behind to pursue a new future with Mary