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 Rising
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
Make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile of line
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
I was wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li
There's spirits above and behind me
Faces gone black, eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood bind me
Lord, as I stand before your fiery light
Li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li
I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of my line
Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li
In Bruce Springsteen's song "The Rising," the lyrics describe a person navigating through the darkness, carrying a heavy burden and feeling lost. The opening lines express a sense of isolation and blindness as the person cannot see what is ahead of them or what is behind them. The heaviness of the burden is conveyed through the imagery of a sixty-pound stone on their back and a half mile of line on their shoulder. Despite these struggles, the chorus of the song urges the listener to "come on up for the rising," to join together and connect through the darkness.
The second verse contrasts the mood of isolation in the first verse with a sense of community as the person hears bells ringing and wears a cross that signifies their calling. They arrive at their destination "on wheels of fire" after a journey through the darkness. The bridge introduces a spiritual theme as the person seeks guidance and protection from spirits above and behind them.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't see nothin' in front of me
I'm lost and can't see a way forward
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I'm so focused on what's ahead, I'm not paying attention to what's behind me
Make my way through this darkness
I'm moving ahead anyway despite not knowing where I'm headed
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
I'm weighed down by my burdens and can't seem to shake them off
Lost track of how far I've gone
I no longer have any sense of progress
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
I don't know how much progress I've made and how much farther I have to go
On my back's a sixty pound stone
I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders
On my shoulder a half mile of line
I've got a long way to go and it's slowing me down
Come on up for the rising
Let's work together to overcome our struggles
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
We can support each other and lift each other up
Left the house this morning
I'm starting fresh
Bells ringing filled the air
The world is full of sound and life
I was wearin' the cross of my calling
I'm embracing my purpose and identity
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
I'm motivated and ready to charge forward
There's spirits above and behind me
There's an unseen presence guiding and influencing me
Faces gone black, eyes burnin' bright
There's a darkness lurking in the world
May their precious blood bind me
I pray for protection and strength
Lord, as I stand before your fiery light
I acknowledge a higher power and seek guidance
I see you Mary in the garden
I hold onto memories of loved ones
In the garden of a thousand sighs
Where there is sadness, there is also beauty
There's holy pictures of our children
I cherish the memories of the innocent and pure
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
I find hope and joy in the realm beyond
May I feel your arms around me
I seek comfort and connection
May I feel your blood mix with mine
I long for a deep and meaningful bond
A dream of life comes to me
I aspire for something better
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of my line
I feel close to achieving my dream
Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
Life can be full of sadness and despair
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
It can also be full of love and emotion
Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
The highest highs and lowest lows are all part of life
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
There's both kindness and danger in the world
Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
There's a past that haunts us and holds us back
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
I feel the intense and uncontrollable forces of life
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
We yearn for something more
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life
And there's hope for a fulfilling and joyful life
Li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li
The repetition implies an ongoing journey or cycle
Come on up for the rising tonight
Let's make tangible progress towards our dreams tonight
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thijs Masschelein
Maybe because the fans are really close to the band. No 20 meters space between stagebarriers and stage. Stage isn't 20 meters high and offcourse a smaller venue with only (die-hard) fans. I have no idea but no golden area.
I think music industry should rethink about this and get fans closer to band to get them more involved in the concerts. Just my thoughts about it maybe one of the reasons Bruce is one of the few who wants to get closer to his fans instead of playing on a stage 20 meters further away and 20 meters higher.
Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger and Bruce they really want to keep their fans close and it gives them a lot of energy.
Also my opinion there is a big difference if an artist thinks he has to entertain people or he show his work and his knowledge to the people who loves them. When you entertain people you just aren't that passioned about your talent/work anymore (just the money). If you want to show the people your talent, your knowlede then it's passion. I think Bruce his last tour feels more about entertainment anymore. I saw a couple weeks ago John Fogerty and i didn't believe his songs anymore he's just greedy sing his songs and that's it. It is a whole different dynamic.
Entertainment <> Passion it's whole different angle. Passion is Bob Dylan for me he just don't care about the music industry shit he's really passioned about music and wants to spread his work. The moment Dylan thinks he has to the to entertainment people I think he stops living. To return to Bruce you'll see this show is pure passion and that's what made him so big. Here he's just passioned about his work (Risin' album), album, e-street band.
diogo neto
Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile line
Come on up for the rising
Com on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
Spirits above and behind me
Faces gone, black eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood forever bind me
Lord as I stand before your fiery light
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of the line
Sky of blackness and sorrow ( a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness ( a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear ( a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow ( a dream of life)
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life ( a dream of life)
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Don Funk
The Rising
Bruce Springsteen, E Street Band
Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
Make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile of line
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
I was wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li - li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li - li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li
There's spirits above and behind me
Faces gone black, eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood bind me
Lord, as I stand before your fiery light
Li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li - li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li - li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li
I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of my line
Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li - li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li - li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li, li...
Evan Oglesby
It’s amazing how much an audience can amplify the energy of a performance. He blew the goddamn roof off with this one.
Thijs Masschelein
Maybe because the fans are really close to the band. No 20 meters space between stagebarriers and stage. Stage isn't 20 meters high and offcourse a smaller venue with only (die-hard) fans. I have no idea but no golden area.
I think music industry should rethink about this and get fans closer to band to get them more involved in the concerts. Just my thoughts about it maybe one of the reasons Bruce is one of the few who wants to get closer to his fans instead of playing on a stage 20 meters further away and 20 meters higher.
Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger and Bruce they really want to keep their fans close and it gives them a lot of energy.
Also my opinion there is a big difference if an artist thinks he has to entertain people or he show his work and his knowledge to the people who loves them. When you entertain people you just aren't that passioned about your talent/work anymore (just the money). If you want to show the people your talent, your knowlede then it's passion. I think Bruce his last tour feels more about entertainment anymore. I saw a couple weeks ago John Fogerty and i didn't believe his songs anymore he's just greedy sing his songs and that's it. It is a whole different dynamic.
Entertainment <> Passion it's whole different angle. Passion is Bob Dylan for me he just don't care about the music industry shit he's really passioned about music and wants to spread his work. The moment Dylan thinks he has to the to entertainment people I think he stops living. To return to Bruce you'll see this show is pure passion and that's what made him so big. Here he's just passioned about his work (Risin' album), album, e-street band.
Halligan
Lost my old man in the south tower - miss him so much. This song, the whole album was a catalyst for me to respond well. Would so love to sing this with Bruce.
Barry Obama
Halligan what floor was he on 🤔
Halligan
Barry Obama 99. Worked for Aon.
SchantalleHundeMama
I am so sorry for your loss, Halligan. I hope your wish comes true.
Sean O'Rourke
Love to you and your family, my friend.
steve durbin
so sorry for your loss.i think music in some way is a healer for all of us whatever life throws at us.bruce is just awesome
Janice Michael Sedona
Still over 20 years later ,the most fitting tribute to the strength of out country and the victims of 9/11 and their families and loved ones! Pure poetry and an affirmation of our resiliency as a nation that survived what those evil men tried to do that day!
God Bless the United States of America and God Bless Bruce Springsteen for this lasting tribute the to victims and heroes of 9/11 and their loving survivors. Thank you, Bruce and the East Street Banc
Dana
This song has *everything*. This song is everything, everything True about Life. LOVE this live version!! Thank you Bruce for making REAL American rock & roll that represents real Americans. Love you & the E Street Band. Thanks to you & Patti for keeping it real. God Bless y'all always. You totally earned being called The Boss, much Love always ♥️♥️♾️🕉️🔥🖖❤️🎵🎶🇺🇸