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)
Johnny 99
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
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Ooh-ooh-ooh
Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month
Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none
He came home too drunk from mixin' Tanqueray and wine
He got a gun, shot a night clerk, now they call him Johnny 99
Johnny's wavin' his gun around and threatenin' to blow his top
When an off-duty cop snuck up on him from behind
Out in front of the Club Tip Top they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99
Well the city supplied a public defender but the judge was Mean John Brown
He came into the courtroom and stared poor Johnny down
Well the evidence is clear, gonna let the sentence, son, fit the crime
Prison for ninety-eight and a year and we'll call it even Johnny 99
Fistfight broke out in the courtroom, they had to drag Johnny's girl away
His mama stood up and shouted, "Judge don't take my boy this way"
Well, son, you got any statement you'd like to make
Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away?
Now judge, judge I got debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holdin' my mortgage and takin' my house away
Now I ain't sayin' that make me an innocent man
But it was more 'n all this that put that gun in my hand
Well, your honor, I do believe I'd be better off dead
And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head
Then won't you sit back in that chair and think it over just one more time
And let 'em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line (woo)
The song "Johnny 99" by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band is a harrowing tale of unemployment, desperation, and crime that ultimately leads to a death sentence for the singer, Johnny. The song tells the story of a man named Ralph who, after losing his job at an auto plant, turns to drinking and, eventually, murder. Johnny's story is a commentary on the harsh economic conditions of working-class America in the 1980s and the desperation and hopelessness that these conditions can lead to.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of Johnny's plight; we see him waving a gun around, threatening to "blow his top," and we witness the chaos that ensues in the courtroom as Johnny pleads for his life. The song's chorus, "well now judge, judge, I had debts no honest man could pay," is a heartbreaking plea for mercy from a man who feels that he has been left with no other options.
Line by Line Meaning
Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month
The auto plant in Mahwah was closed down at the end of the month
Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none
Ralph couldn't find any job despite trying
He came home too drunk from mixin' Tanqueray and wine
Ralph came back home intoxicated after drinking a mixture of Tanqueray and wine
He got a gun, shot a night clerk, now they call him Johnny 99
Ralph shot a night clerk with a gun and received the nickname Johnny 99
Down in the part of town where when you hit a red light you don't stop
There is a part of town where people keep driving even when they encounter a red light
Johnny's wavin' his gun around and threatenin' to blow his top
Johnny is pointing the gun in the air, threatening to lose his composure
When an off-duty cop snuck up on him from behind
A cop who was not on duty sneaked up from behind Johnny
Out in front of the Club Tip Top they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99
The police arrested Johnny in front of Club Tip Top
Well the city supplied a public defender but the judge was Mean John Brown
The city provided a public defender, but the judge was notorious for being harsh named Mean John Brown
He came into the courtroom and stared poor Johnny down
Mean John Brown came into the courtroom and stared down Johnny
Well the evidence is clear, gonna let the sentence, son, fit the crime
The evidence is conclusive and the sentence will be appropriate for the crime
Prison for ninety-eight and a year and we'll call it even Johnny 99
Johnny will get prisoned for ninety-eight years and one year and it will be considered a fair punishment
Fistfight broke out in the courtroom, they had to drag Johnny's girl away
A fistfight which emerged in the courtroom and Johnny's girlfriend had to be taken away by force
His mama stood up and shouted, "Judge don't take my boy this way"
Johnny's mother stood up and protested saying that this was not the way to treat her son
Well, son, you got any statement you'd like to make
The judge asked Johnny if he wanted to say anything
Now judge, judge I got debts no honest man could pay
Johnny told the judge that he was in debt and couldn't pay, like many honest men
The bank was holdin' my mortgage and takin' my house away
The bank seized Johnny's house as they had the mortgage
Now I ain't sayin' that make me an innocent man
Johnny did not mean to say that he is innocent
But it was more 'n all this that put that gun in my hand
However, there were other reasons that resulted in him having a gun in his hand
Well, your honor, I do believe I'd be better off dead
Johnny thinks that he would be better off dead
And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head
Johnny is questioning if it is fair to take someone's life for their thoughts
Then won't you sit back in that chair and think it over just one more time
He is requesting the judge to take some time to reevaluate his decision
And let 'em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line (woo)
Finally, Johnny asks the judge to let him be executed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind