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)
Point Blank
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you go to bed at night
Prayin' that tomorrow, everything will be alright
But tomorrow's fall in number
In number one by one
You wake up and you're dying
You don't even know what from
You been shot in the back
Baby point blank you been fooled this time
Little girl that's a fact
Right between the eyes, baby, point blank
Right between the pretty lies that they tell
Little girl you fell
You grew up where young girls they grow up fast
You took what you were handed and left behind what was asked
But what they asked baby wasn't right
You didn't have to live that life
I was gonna be your Romeo you were gonna be my Juliet
These days you don't wait on Romeos
You wait on that welfare check
And on all the pretty things that you can't ever have
And on all the promises
That always end up point blank
Shot between the eyes
Oh, point blank
Like little white lies you tell to ease the pain
You're walkin' in the sights, girl of point blank
And it's one false move and baby the lights go out
Once I dreamed we were together again
Baby you and me
Back home in those old clubs the way we used to be
We were standin' at the bar
It was hard to hear
The band was playin' loud and you were shoutin' somethin' in my ear
You pulled my jacket off and as the drummer counted four
You grabbed my hand and pulled me out on the floor
You just stood there and held me, then you started dancin' slow
And as I pulled you tighter I swore I'd never let you go
Well I saw you last night down on the avenue
Your face was in the shadows but I knew that it was you
You were standin' in the doorway out of the rain
You didn't answer when I called out your name
You just turned, and then you looked away
Like just another stranger waitin' to get blown away
Point blank
Right between the eyes
Oh, point blank
Right between the pretty lies you fell
Point blank
Shot straight through the heart
Yeah point blank
You've been twisted up 'til you've become just another part of it
Point blank, you're walkin' in the sights
Point blank
Livin' one false move just one false move away
Point blank
They caught you in their sights
Point blank
Did you forget how to love
Girl, did you forget how to fight
Point blank
They must have shot you in the head
'Cause point blank
Bang bang baby you're dead
The lyrics to Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's song "Point Blank" are a haunting tribute to a lost love. The song tells the story of a woman who grew up too fast and became trapped in a life she did not choose. She dreams of a better life, but is shot down point blank by the harsh reality of her situation. The singer tells her story with heartbreaking detail.
The opening lines ask the woman if she still prays, if she still hopes for a better future. But the reality is that each day brings her closer to death, and she doesn't even know why. The lyrics suggest that she has been betrayed, shot in the back and fooled by people she trusted. The singer laments the loss of his love and the life they could have had together. He reminisces about a dream where they were reunited and dancing together. But the dream is shattered, and his love remains lost to him forever.
"Point Blank" is a powerful song about the consequences of a life lived in desperation. It speaks to the longing we all feel for something better and the sorrow that comes when those dreams are shattered. Springsteen's voice is full of pain and longing, and the music is both beautiful and haunting.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you still say your prayers little darlin'
Do you still pray for guidance and support, dear?
Do you go to bed at night
Do you go to sleep each night?
Prayin' that tomorrow, everything will be alright
Hoping that things will work out in the future.
But tomorrow's fall in number
But the future is uncertain and limited.
In number one by one
Each day passes.
You wake up and you're dying
You realize that time is moving forward.
You don't even know what from
You don't even know what's wrong.
Well they shot you point blank
They shot you directly.
You been shot in the back
You have been betrayed.
Baby point blank you been fooled this time
You have been deceived, and it was a direct hit.
Little girl that's a fact
It's the truth, and it's a pity you had to learn this way.
Right between the eyes, baby, point blank
They hit you right where it hurts the most.
Right between the pretty lies that they tell
They hit you with the truth, despite all the lies you've been told.
Little girl you fell
You believed what you were told and you fell for it.
You grew up where young girls they grow up fast
You came from a place where girls matured quickly.
You took what you were handed and left behind what was asked
You accepted what you were given and ignored what was important.
But what they asked baby wasn't right
But what they wanted from you was not what you deserved.
You didn't have to live that life,
You didn't have to live in that way.
I was gonna be your Romeo you were gonna be my Juliet
I was going to be your lover and you mine.
These days you don't wait on Romeo's
But nowadays, you can't rely on anyone.
You wait on that welfare check
You can only count on government assistance.
And on all the pretty things that you can't ever have
And on all the things that are out of reach to you.
And on all the promises
And on all the empty words that have been spoken.
That always end up point blank, shot between the eyes
That always end up hurting you, directly and painfully.
Point blank like little white lies you tell to ease the pain
Point blank, like small lies you tell yourself to make things easier.
You're walkin' in the sights, girl of point blank
You're being targeted and you don't even know it.
And it's one false move and baby the lights go out
And one mistake could ruin everything.
Once I dreamed we were together again
Once, I had a dream that we were reunited.
Baby you and me
You and I, my love.
Back home in those old clubs the way we used to be
Back in the day, in the old clubs, where we were together.
We were standin' at the bar
We were standing at the bar.
It was hard to hear
It was difficult to hear one another.
The band was playin' loud and you were shoutin' somethin' in my ear
The band was loud and you had to shout in my ear to be heard.
You pulled my jacket off and as the drummer counted four
You took my jacket off as the drummer played a rhythm.
You grabbed my hand and pulled me out on the floor
You pulled me onto the dance floor.
You just stood there and held me, then you started dancin' slow
You held me close and danced slowly.
And as I pulled you tighter I swore I'd never let you go
As I held you closer, I made a promise to never let you leave my side.
Well I saw you last night down on the avenue
I saw you on the street last night.
Your face was in the shadows but I knew that it was you
Even though I couldn't see your face, I knew it was you.
You were standin' in the doorway out of the rain
You were standing in the doorway to stay out of the rain.
You didn't answer when I called out your name
You didn't respond when I called your name.
You just turned, and then you looked away
You turned away and looked somewhere else.
Like just another stranger waitin' to get blown away
Like just another person waiting to get killed.
Point blank, shot right through the heart
Shot directly in the heart.
Yea point blank, you've been twisted up till you've become just another part of it
Yes, you've been twisted until you're like everyone else.
Point blank, you're walkin' in the sights
You are being targeted directly.
Point blank, livin' one false move just one false move away
Living on the edge, where one mistake can ruin everything.
Point blank, they caught you in their sights
They have targeted you directly.
Point blank, did you forget how to love,
Did you forget how to love?
Girl, did you forget how to fight.
Have you forgotten to fight for yourself?
Point blank they must have shot you in the head
They must have shot you in the head.
Bang bang baby you're dead.
Bang bang, baby, you're dead.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iesus68
All of this old live stuff brings me back when I was a kid. When listen to music was a private thing, often in my room, alone, turning off lights and be submerged by emotions. And no one else like Bruce is able to sing for the lonely people.
@michaellafreniere3599
iesus68 yes,exactly like THAT- Sofieann B.
@arundhawan8574
Were you listening with your eyes open or closed? ;-)
@PanteraRosa68
Right between the eyes...
@alessandropino8479
In 1985 when I First listen to this version I didn't understand english very well, and It was so different from the version on the River! 20 Years later I listened to all the version of the darkness tour ! The deepest lyrics ever written, expecially when you don't know where aim your guns because you've been shot in the back...
@vitorfrancagalvao2077
One of the great songs from The River - so beautiful that it hurts... and the piano of professor Roy Bittan... amazing. Bruce and The E Street Band: the soundtrack of my life. Greetings from São Paulo, Brazil!
@RobJazzful
Vitor França Galvão In watching a ton of E Street Band live videos lately, I’ve come to the conclusion that Roy Bittan was the Boss’ not-so-secret weapon.
@niallcarty5500
Love this and darkness album
@vitorfrancagalvao2077
@@RobJazzful You are more than right - remember that Bruce didn't send Mr. Roy away in 1989. Mr. Bittan went on with Bruce in "Human Touch" and "Lucky Town". Best wishes, Rob.
@vitorfrancagalvao2077
@@niallcarty5500 Great, great albuns, Niall. You have a very good taste. Best wishes from São Paulo, Brazil!