Since forming in 1972, the band's members have changed; however, core members include saxophonist Clarence Clemons, organist Danny Federici, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg, pianist Roy Bittan and, of course, guitarist/singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen. Guitarist Steven Van Zandt joined the band while recording Born to Run and made this record at least possible. He became one of the most honored and most influential members.
Other musicians important to the band include guitarist Nils Lofgren (who stepped in after Van Zandt quit); guitarist/singer Patti Scialfa (who is also Springsten's wife); and pianist David Sancious and drummers "Mad Dog" Vini Lopez and Ernest "Boom" Carter, who all had left the band prior to Born to Run. Also, The Rising tour saw the official addition of violinist Soozie Tyrell.
In 1989 the band split up, after the massive success of the Born in the USA tour and the quieter Tunnel of Love tour. However, in 1999, the band reunited and embarked on a rather successful 18-month reunion tour - the "E-United Tour" - and now were powered by three guitars (Springsteen, Van Zandt and Lofgren, with Scialfa usually playing a fourth, acoustic guitar).
Following the events of September 11, 2001, Springsteen and the Band embarked on their first studio recordings (excepting a short recording session for Springsteen's 1995 Greatest Hits album) since 1984's Born in the U.S.A. The band recorded The Rising in 2002, and then hit the road for another marathon, two-year tour.
After The Rising, Springsteen recorded two more albums without the E Streeters followed by "Magic", released in October 2007 and featuring the hit single "Radio Nowhere". Magic was followed up by a traditionally strong tour throughout 2008, during which original band-member and friend Danny Federici passed away. Federici had already been temporarily replaced by Charlie Giordano, with whom Springsteen played the year before during the Seeger Sessions. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band rounded the 100-show tour at Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration.
On January 27, 2009 Springsteen's twenty-fourth album "Working on a Dream" will be released. According to the official press release, Working on a Dream was recorded with the E Street Band and features twelve new Springsteen compositions plus two bonus tracks. It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album. A new tour for 2009 is expected to be announced soon. Springsteen and the E Street Band will play The Super Bowl halftime show on February 1, 2009.
Saturday 27th July 2009 saw Bruce and the E-Streeters played The Glastonbury Festival, England. This was the band's first-ever UK festival performance, a total of 135,000 people watched an epic, two-and-a-half hour headlining set.
Current members
* Bruce Springsteen - lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano
* Garry Tallent - bass guitar, tuba
* Max Weinberg - drums, percussion (joined September 1974)
* Roy Bittan - piano, synthesizer (joined September 1974)
* Steven Van Zandt - lead guitar, mandolin, backing vocals (officially joined July 1975 after playing in previous bands; left in 1984 to go solo; rejoined in early 1995) Steven Van Zandt
* Nils Lofgren - guitar, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals (replaced Steven Van Zandt in June 1984; remained in group after Van Zandt returned)
* Patti Scialfa - backing and duet vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion (joined June 1984; became Springsteen's wife in 1991; they have a daughter and two sons)
* Soozie Tyrell - violin, acoustic guitar, percussion, backing vocals (joined 2002, occasional appearances before that)
Former members
* Vinnie 'Mad Dog' Lopez - drums (inception through February 1974, when asked to resign)
* David Sancious - keyboards (June 1973 to August 1974)
* Ernest 'Boom' Carter - drums (February to August 1974)
* Suki Lahav - violin, backing vocals (September 1974 to March 1975)
* Danny Federici - organ, electronic glockenspiel, accordion, other keyboards (on medical leave of absence from late November 2007, temporarily replaced by Charles Giordano) (Danny passed away on April 17, 2008 after a battle with cancer.)
* Clarence Clemons - saxophone, percussion, backing vocals, larger-than-life persona and Springsteen foil (died 2011)
Bobby Jean
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, I came by your house the other day
Your mother said you went away
She said there was nothing that I could have done
There was nothing nobody could say
That me and you, we've known each other ever since we were sixteen
I wished I would have known
Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean
Now, you've hung with me when all the others
Turned away, turned up their nose
We liked the same music, we liked the same bands
We liked the same clothes
Yeah, we told each other that we were the wildest
The wildest things we'd ever seen
Now I wished you would have told me
I wished I could have talked to you
Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean
Now, we went walking in the rain
Talking about the pain that from the world we hid
Now there ain't nobody, nowhere, nohow
Gonna ever understand me the way you did
But maybe you'll be out there on that road somewhere
Some bus or train that's traveling along
In some motel room, there'll be a radio playing
And you'll hear me sing this song
Well, if you do, you'll know I'm thinking of you
And all the miles in between
And I'm just calling one last time
Not to change your mind, but just to say I miss you, baby
Good luck, goodbye, Bobby Jean
In Bruce Springsteen's song "Bobby Jean," the singer reminisces about a past friend with whom he shared a close bond. At the beginning of the song, the singer states that he went to the friend's house, only to find that the friend had already left. He acknowledges that there was nothing he could have done or said to keep the friend from leaving. The singer then reflects on the close bond that he and his friend shared. They were each other's confidants and shared everything with each other, including their love of music, fashion, and wild ways. The singer laments the fact that his friend had not told him about his decision to leave, as he would have liked to say goodbye. The song ends on a poignant note, with the singer wishing his friend well but letting him know that he misses him.
The song "Bobby Jean" was included in Bruce Springsteen's album “Born in the U.S.A.,” which was released in 1984. Its lyrics are said to have been inspired by a real-life friendship that the singer-songwriter had with Steve Van Zandt, a musician who is also a member of the E Street Band. When Springsteen and Van Zandt first met, they bonded over their mutual love of music and fashion. However, Van Zandt later decided to leave the band and pursue other interests, leaving Springsteen feeling sad and nostalgic. The song captures the singer's sense of loss over the breakup of their friendship. It has since become a fan favorite, with many interpreting it as a tribute to lost friendships.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I came to your house the other day
I went to your house recently
Your mother said you went away
Your mother told me that you were gone
She said there was nothing that I could have done
She said that there was nothing I could have done about it
There was nothing nobody could say
There was nothing anyone could have said
Me and you, we've known each other ever since we were sixteen
We've been friends since we were sixteen years old
I wished I could have known
I wish I had known
I wished I could have called you
I wish I could have called you
Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean
Just to say goodbye to you, Bobby Jean
Now, you hung with me when all the others
You stayed with me when everyone else left
Turned away, turned up their nose
Ignored me, had disdain for me
We liked the same music, we liked the same bands
We had a shared love for the same music and bands
We liked the same clothes
We had similar taste in clothing
We told each other that we were the wildest
We declared that we were the most unruly
The wildest things we'd ever seen
The most extreme things we'd ever encountered
Now I wished you would have told me
I wish you had told me
I wished I could have talked to you
I wish I could have spoken to you
Just to say goodbye, Bobby Jean
Just to say goodbye to you, Bobby Jean
Now, we went walking in the rain,
We took a walk in the rain
Talking about the pain that from the world we hid
Discussing the pain that we kept hidden from the world
Now there ain't nobody, nowhere, nohow
There's nobody, nowhere, nohow
Gonna ever understand me the way you did
Who will ever understand me the way you did?
Maybe you'll be out there on that road somewhere
Perhaps you'll be out there traveling somewhere
In some bus or train traveling along
On a bus or train, traveling somewhere
In some motel room there'll be a radio playing
In some motel room, there will be a radio playing
And you'll hear me sing this song
You'll hear me singing this song
Well, if you do, you'll know I'm thinking of you
If you hear this song, know that I'm thinking of you
And all the miles in between
All the distance between us
And I'm just calling you one last time
I'm calling you one final time
Not to change your mind, but just to say I miss you, baby
Not to try and change your mind, but just to express that I miss you
Good luck, goodbye, Bobby Jean
Wishing you good luck and saying goodbye, Bobby Jean
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@goat2558
As this song came on tears began to whale up in my eyes and roll down my cheeks. Just a week ago I learned my once closest and dearest friend, the mother of my son and once my wife had taken her own life. Finally today I cry..I love you Karen and always will.
@kschepelern
and the "target" of the song is now back 4ft to his left - good lord the connection between the two <3 <3
@Ben-rs8pe
I’m sure there’s an underlying smile discreetly kept on Stevie’s face during this anthem
@terryoquinn8199
I’ve never seen Bruce but have “grown up” with him for the last 50 years . I wanted to try to see them in Nov. of ‘23 but Bruce became ill and had to cancel those shows , so I didn’t try to get tickets . By sheer coincidence , my daughter and her husband got 2 sets , only needed one , and I bought the other tickets from them . He is supposed to come back in Aug. ‘24 and I’m waiting anxiously ! I’ve seen most of the truly great rock and roll bands that I wanted to but never got to see Bruce . I hope we both make it till then ! It’ll be wild , the wildest thing I’ve ever seen ! Good luck , good bye !
@joycebunn6045
Love that man that band too followed also I’m 74 great rock singer great band none like him ❤❤❤
@kidby108
This song gets me everytime. There’s always something about a saxophone performance but seeing Clarence’s nephew up there and performing like him is incredible ❤
@pattykweram2391
"Not to change your mind, just to say I miss you baby, good luck, good bye"
My ex that moved away called me Bobby Jean in his last email. Those last lines really hit me hard. We never got to see Bruce together, he had tickets, but didn't ask me.
@fredmutalya
Jake! Jake! Jake! How many times did i have to call you?
That, was one momentous moment. For those that might not fully understand this; the ability to uphold breathe that much and yet maintaining the rhythm of the song is just staggering! Only a band player can know this. He simply made it seem so easy. I will always remember this as my best saxophone musical act. Thank you Jake!
@lapaulyfresh8223
if this song doesn't make you cry, then you don't have a heart....
@MrSpencem1959
I do this song in every one of my solo shows. I dedicate it to my best friend whose friendship I shunned for several years. Sometimes I have a hard time getting through it with getting misty-eyed.