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)
The Promised Land
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I pick up my money and head back into town
Driving 'cross the Waynesboro county line
I got the radio on and I'm just killing time
Working all day in my daddy's garage
Driving all night chasing some mirage
Pretty soon little girl I'm gonna take charge
'Cause they understand
If I could take one moment into my hands
Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man
And I believe in a promised land
I've done my best to live the right way
I get up every morning and go to work each day
But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold
Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode
Explode and tear this whole town apart
Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart
Find somebody itching for something to start
The dogs on Main Street howl
'Cause they understand
If I could wrench one moment into my hands
Mister I ain't a boy, no, I'm a man
And I believe in a promised land
Well there's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor
I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down
That ain't got the faith to stand its ground
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart
Blow away the dreams that break your heart
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted
The dogs on Main Street howl
'Cause they understand
If I could take one moment into my hands
Mister I ain't a boy, no I'm a man
And I believe in a promised land
And I believe in a promised land
And I believe in a promised land
The Promised Land by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band is a beautifully written song about chasing dreams and grasping at opportunities to take control of your own destiny. The song starts with the singer driving across the Waynesboro county line, picking up his hard-earned money, and tuning in to the radio, just to "kill time". He works all day and drives all night, describing it as chasing a mirage, and tells the "little girl" who may be his love interest that he's going to take charge pretty soon. He seems determined to go after his dreams and take control of his life.
In the chorus, he talks about how the dogs on Main Street howl because they understand that he is not a boy, but a man. He takes one moment into his own hands and believes that there is a promised land out there somewhere for him. The second verse talks about how he's done his best to live the right way but sometimes feels weak and just wants to explode. He wants to cut the pain from his heart and find someone who is itching for something to start.
The third verse talks about a dark cloud rising in the desert and the singer packing his bags to head straight into the storm. He believes that the storm will blow away everything that is not strong enough to stand its ground, including dreams that tear people apart and lies that leave people lost and brokenhearted. Through it all, he still believes in the promised land and continues to chase his own dreams.
Overall, the song is about chasing one's dreams and not losing faith, no matter how hard the journey may be. It's an inspiring and hopeful song that speaks to the struggle that many people face in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
On a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert
I'm driving fast in a dangerous desert area.
I pick up my money and head back into town
I'm leaving somewhere with money in hand and returning to the city.
Driving cross the Waynesboro county line
I'm crossing over into a new area.
I got the radio on and I'm just killing time
I'm bored and listening to the radio to pass time.
Working all day in my daddy's garage
I spend all day working in my father's garage.
Driving all night chasing some mirage
I'm driving throughout the night looking for something that doesn't exist.
Pretty soon little girl I'm gonna take charge
Soon I'll be in control of my life and my future.
The dogs on Main Street howl
The people in the city are upset and vocalizing their displeasure.
'Cause they understand
They know what's going on.
If I could take one moment into my hands
If I could have control for a moment.
Mister I ain't a boy, no I'm a man
I'm not a child anymore.
And I believe in a promised land
I have hope for a better future.
I've done my best to live the right way
I try to live a good, honest life.
I get up every morning and go to work each day
I work hard to support myself.
But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold
Sometimes you lose your perspective and your emotions become unfeeling.
Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode
I feel powerless and want to release my emotions.
Explode and tear this whole town apart
I want to destroy everything.
Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart
I want to be rid of the pain I feel.
Find somebody itching for something to start
I want to find someone who shares my desire to change things.
There's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor
Something ominous is coming.
I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm
I'm confronting the problem directly.
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down
There will be a powerful force that will destroy everything in its path.
That ain't got the faith to stand its ground
Those that don't believe in themselves will be the first to fall.
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart
The dreams that hurt you need to go away.
Blow away the dreams that break your heart
Get rid of the dreams that make you sad.
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted
Expose the lies that leave you feeling hopeless and heartbroken.
I believe in a promised land...
I choose to have hope and believe in a brighter future.
Na, na na, na na, na na,...
N/A
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rapbuck3
Get goosebumps when Clarence’s sax comes up. Damn what a performance and what a crowd.
It’s magical.
@lindahellestl7754
Same❤
@michaelgladman8591
You will never feel more alive than at a Bruce Springsteen show . . . He empties the tank every single time and gives you everything he’s got. And that’s all you can ask. Remarkable.
@johnthorne4093
I love your comment. I have only seen Springsteen live two times in my life. The first was in 1984, on the second show of his "Born in the USA" tour, in St Paul, Minnesota (this would be the night after Courtney Cox co-starred in the "Dancing in the Dark" video, at the same arena). Bruce started "The Promised Land". Somewhere in the first verse, he realized (and you could see it on the projection screens) that the crowd was singing, shouting, screaming, his lyrics back at him, LOUDER than he was singing and the band was playing. Young men, and young women, were feeling the late-teens, early-20s frustration, ambition, yearning, that this song is about, and standing on the armrests of their chairs in the arena, feeding back to him the inspiration live, that he had given them, on records, jukeboxes, and the radio: "Mister, I ain't a boy (girl); no, I'm a man (woman), and I believe in a promised land!" He got a huge smile on his face, stopped singing, and held out his microphone, for the deafening sound, the message, and the love (I think) to come back to him.
@patrickgermann812
I agree with Michael. It is an energy I carry and love. Hairs stick up just thinking about the shows. Just want another and hope to be able to see him again after covid.
@penny6933
So true, he lives music.
@valerietomsic8454
He has done this for YEARS.....I knew him when I was right out of high school....he comped tickets to my boyfriend at the time to see them at RUTGERS University...OMG they about tore that place down....it was awesome! He GIVES IT his ALL every show!
@MichelleLopez-ge1xy
Hoping to see
@jannaghaleiw5504
"Blow away the dreams that tear you apart, blow away the dreams that break your heart, blow away the lies that leave you nothing, but lost and brokenhearted" I believe these lyrics are timeless, amazing songwriting.
@mickjbrooks40
The whole final verse is amazing.