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)
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just a-twirlin' her baton
Me and her went for a ride, sir
And ten innocent people died
From the town of Lincoln, Nebraska
With a sawed-off .410 on my lap
Through to the badlands of Wyoming
I can't say that I'm sorry
For the things that we done
At least for a little while, sir, me and her we had us some fun
Now the jury brought in a guilty verdict
And the judge he sentenced me to death
Midnight in a prison storeroom
With leather straps across my chest
Sheriff, when the man pulls that switch, sir
And snaps my poor head back
You make sure my pretty baby
Is sittin' right there on my lap
They declared me unfit to live
Said into that great void my soul be hurled
They wanted to know why I did what I did
Sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world
The lyrics of Bruce Springsteen's song "Nebraska" narrate the story of a man who, standing on his front lawn, feels a sudden and inexplicable urge to kill. He takes his .410 shotgun and drives with a young woman through the Midwest, shooting and killing innocent people. He expresses no remorse for his actions, leaving the listener to confront the harshness of the world and the complexity of the human condition.
The song invites reflection on the dark side of the American Dream and the violence that underlies it. The singer's lack of justification for his actions reminds us of the emptiness at the heart of so much violence. The inclusion of the woman in the murder spree further complicates the situation. It seems that the need for human connection, even in the most heinous of circumstances, is a driving force for human beings.
One can also interpret the song as a commentary on the American justice system, with its power struggles and the inevitability of punishment. The character's request to have his lover with him during his execution is an attempt to subvert the system's finality and to find solace in the embrace of another person, even in his last moments. The song is an introspective reflection on the human condition, and its haunting music and lyrics stay with the listener long after it has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw her standin' on her front lawn
I saw a girl twirling her baton on her front lawn.
Just a-twirlin' her baton
The girl was spinning her baton in a playful manner.
Me and her went for a ride, sir
The singer and the girl went for a drive.
And ten innocent people died
The artist and the girl killed ten people during their drive.
From the town of Lincoln, Nebraska
The events took place in Lincoln, Nebraska.
With a sawed-off .410 on my lap
The singer had a sawed-off .410 shotgun on his lap during the drive.
Through to the badlands of Wyoming
The singer and the girl drove through Wyoming on their killing spree.
I killed everything in my path
The artist killed anything that crossed his path.
I can't say that I'm sorry
The artist doesn't feel remorseful for his actions.
For the things that we done
The artist does not feel guilty for what he and the girl did.
At least for a little while, sir, me and her we had us some fun
The singer enjoyed spending time with the girl, even though it resulted in murder.
Now the jury brought in a guilty verdict
The artist was found guilty by a jury.
And the judge he sentenced me to death
The judge sentenced the singer to death.
Midnight in a prison storeroom
The execution took place in a prison storeroom at midnight.
With leather straps across my chest
The singer was restrained with leather straps.
Sheriff, when the man pulls that switch, sir
The artist is addressing the sheriff who will carry out the execution.
And snaps my poor head back
The electric chair will snap the artist's head back.
You make sure my pretty baby
The singer wants his girlfriend to be present at his execution.
Is sittin' right there on my lap
The singer wants his girlfriend to sit on his lap during the execution.
They declared me unfit to live
The artist was deemed unworthy to live by those in authority.
Said into that great void my soul be hurled
The artist's soul will presumably go to the afterlife after his execution.
They wanted to know why I did what I did
Authorities wanted to understand the motive behind the murders.
Sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world
The singer suggests that the world contains elements of cruelty and meanness.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
reymont cantil
I saw her standin' on her front lawn just twirlin' her baton
Me and her went for a ride sir and ten innocent people died
From the town of Lincoln, Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap
Through to the badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path
I can't say that I'm sorry for the things that we done
At least for a little while sir me and her we had us some fun
The jury brought in a guilty verdict and the judge he sentenced me to death
Midnight in a prison storeroom with leather straps across my chest
Sheriff when the man pulls that switch sir and snaps my poor head back
You make sure my pretty baby is sittin' right there on my lap
They declared me unfit to live said into that great void my soul'd be hurled
They wanted to know why I did what I did
Well sir I guess there's just a meanness in this world.
Math? Music!
Yes, most emotional, chilling live version ever of "Nebraska" by Bruce and the band.................love it.
The people who never will hear this have NO IDEA of what a chilling, haunting, hypnotizing, riveting experience they are missing!!!!!!!!!!
brett estep
there's just so much more emotion in this version gives me chills
Millsey
This is the best live version i have heard!!
Brad Magnuson
Tom Mills it's a true story, this song
Math? Music!
Exactly what I was about to write!!! It's mystical, man, deep inside me somewhere................(better than the LP version, I think)
MONACO1860
Bloody awesome. So evocative. I can barely hold my tears every time I listen to this song.
Brad Magnuson
MONACO1860 it's a song about the life of charles starkweather
Math? Music!
Exactly MONACO1869...I'm with ya'...........
anella d'ambrosio
Quanta melodia nella tua bellissima voce! Dio ti benedica! Bruce! Questa canzone e molto emozionante! 😰😰😌😌😍😍😘😘💘♥️💔💯💯💯
brian o sullivan
this is the best version of this song from the box set which has amazing live works