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)
Independence Day
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing we can say is gonna change anything now
I'll be leaving in the morning from Saint Mary's Gate
We wouldn't change this thing even if we could somehow
'Cause the darkness of this house has got the best of us
There's a darkness in this town that's got us too
But they can't touch me now
And you can't touch me now
What I watched them do to you
So say goodbye it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day
All down the line
Just say goodbye it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day this time
Now I don't know what it always was with us
We chose the words, and yeah, we drew the lines
There was just no way this house could hold the two of us
I guess that we were just too much of the same kind
Well say goodbye it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day all boys must run away
So say goodbye it's Independence Day
All men must make their way come Independence Day
Now the rooms are all empty down at Frankie's joint
And the highway she's deserted down to Breaker's Point
There's a lot of people leaving town now
Leaving their friends, their homes
At night they walk that dark and dusty highway all alone
Well Papa go to bed now it's getting late
Nothing we can say can change anything now
Because there's just different people coming down here now
And they see things in different ways
And soon everything we've known will just be swept away
So say goodbye it's Independence Day
Papa now I know the things you wanted that you could not say
But won't you just say goodbye it's Independence Day
I swear I never meant to take those things away
The song Independence Day by Bruce Springsteen presents a powerful and emotional story about the relationship between a father and his son. The main character, the singer of the song, is leaving his home and his troubled relationship with his father to start a new life. The song takes place on Independence Day, a day that represents freedom and liberation, but also marks as a symbolic day when the singer is leaving his past behind and starting anew.
The song presents the idea that sometimes moving on from one's past is the only way to find true freedom. The character realizes that in order for him to find independence, he needs to leave the darkness of his hometown and his negative relationship with his father. The singer sees his departure as an opportunity to break free from his past and start a new life independent of the old problems that he was facing. It is a difficult decision for him but necessary for him to find true freedom.
The song also deals with the idea of different generations seeing things in different ways. The father and son have their own ideas about independence and what it means to them. The singer realizes that his father's generation sees things differently, and this new perspective helps him move on and start over. The song emphasizes the importance of letting go of the past to find real freedom, and that the only way to achieve this is to leave it behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Well Papa go to bed now it's getting late
Father, it is now late at night and you must go to bed.
Nothing we can say is gonna change anything now
Any words we say cannot undo the past or present.
I'll be leaving in the morning from Saint Mary's Gate
I will be departing tomorrow from Saint Mary's Gate.
We wouldn't change this thing even if we could somehow
Even if given the power, we would not change the situation.
'Cause the darkness of this house has got the best of us
The darkness within this household has deeply affected us.
There's a darkness in this town that's got us too
The town itself is also enveloped by darkness.
But they can't touch me now
I have become untouchable to them.
And you can't touch me now
They cannot reach me anymore.
They ain't gonna do to me
They will not do to me.
What I watched them do to you
What I witnessed them do to you.
So say goodbye it's Independence Day
It's time to bid farewell and embrace Independence Day.
It's Independence Day
A day symbolizing freedom and independence.
All down the line
Continuing throughout the journey ahead.
Now I don't know what it always was with us
I am unsure of what peculiarly bound us together.
We chose the words, and yeah, we drew the lines
We deliberately selected our words and actions.
There was just no way this house could hold the two of us
This house was too small to accommodate us.
I guess that we were just too much of the same kind
Perhaps we had too much in common.
It's Independence Day all boys must run away
On Independence Day, all boys must eventually leave home.
All men must make their way come Independence Day
All men must finally make their own path on Independence Day.
Now the rooms are all empty down at Frankie's joint
Frankie's joint is now devoid of any occupants.
And the highway she's deserted down to Breaker's Point
The highway leading to Breaker's Point is abandoned.
There's a lot of people leaving town now
Many people are now departing from this place.
Leaving their friends, their homes
Abandoning their social ties and homes.
At night they walk that dark and dusty highway all alone
In the darkness of the night, they venture down the dusty highway all alone.
Papa now I know the things you wanted that you could not say
Father, I now perceive the things you desired but remained unsaid.
But won't you just say goodbye it's Independence Day
But for once, can you let go and bid farewell on Independence Day?
I swear I never meant to take those things away
I swear I never intended to deprive you of those things.
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brandonpankratz2658
Like if Bruce is the greatest music legend ever
@LETOUR7TIMESFRANCE
He is
@josepg.2479
You can shout to all the four wings and those who denied this great truth just need to listen this song and its lyrics and they will be shut down forever.
@roadwarrior280
Bruce vintage is the best . Early years with E Street Band.
@n-Fold
Felt this one. So beautiful especially after listening to a later interview after his fatherโs death, where he said he asked his dad what songs he liked best and he said โthe ones about meโ. Such a gift to be able to sing a song about your dad. Especially when the love seems broken. And then to know it healed some of the brokenness.
@stones8484
That sax maybe rocks finest moment
@carolynerenthlei5440
The song melts my heart..his voice is uniqueโฃ๏ธ
@USMagazine1002
This and Racin gets me.
@philpinckley1720
A beautiful and painful story
@coyote5371
There are so much presidents and prime ministers, so much generals and admirals, - but just ONE Boss!
His gift is a great present for us all.