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)
War
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say it again
There's got to be a better way-yeah
What is it good for? (war)
Man has a sense for the discovery of beauty
How rich is the world for one who makes you for us to show
Beauty must have power over man, war
After the end of the war I want to devote myself
To my thoughts for five to ten years and to writing them down
War has caused unrest among the younger generation
Induction then destruction, who wants to die?
Wars come and go what remains are only the values of culture
Then of course there is revolutionary love
Love of comrades fighting for the people and love of people
Not an abstract people but people one meets and works with
When Che Guevara taught of love being
At the center of revolutionary endeavor, he meant both
For people like Che or George Jackson or Malcolm X
Love was the prime mover of their struggle
That love cost them their lives, love coupled with a man's pride
Love coupled with a man's pride
Give it to you on top, now
War, I despise 'cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War, means tears to thousands of mothers how
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
I said, war, good god, now, what is it good for?
Absolutely, nothing
Say it again, war, what is it good for?
Absolutely, nothing, listen to me
War, it ain't nothing but a heart breaker
War, friend only to the undertaker, war
(War, war, war, war)
War, what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it, war, good god now, what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, say it, (war)
Oh no, there's got to be a better way
Say it again, there's got to be a better way
Yeah, what is it good for?
War, what is it good for?
The lyrics of Bruce Springsteen's song "War" present a strong anti-war message. The song begins with a declaration that there must be a better way than war, and asks the rhetorical question "What is it good for?" The following verses describe the power of beauty and ideas over war, and express a desire to devote oneself to thought and writing after the end of the conflict.
The lyrics move on to offer a vision of revolutionary love, inspired by figures such as Che Guevara, George Jackson, and Malcolm X. This love is described as the prime mover of their struggle, and the reason they were willing to risk and sacrifice their lives. The song returns to its central message in the final verse, condemning war as a destroyer of innocent lives and a heart-breaker. The repetition of the question "What is it good for?" throughout the song emphasizes the futility and senselessness of war.
Overall, the lyrics of "War" deliver a strong political message against the horrors of war and the need for a better way to solve conflicts. By emphasizing the power of ideas, beauty, and love over destruction, the song offers a hopeful vision of a more peaceful future.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh no-there's got to be a better way
The human race needs to find a different way to settle its disputes
Say it again
This message needs to be repeated and emphasized
There's got to be a better way-yeah
There must be a more just and peaceful solution to conflicts
What is it good for? (war)
War has no value or benefit for humankind
Man has a sense for the discovery of beauty
Humans are capable of appreciating and creating beauty
How rich is the world for one who makes you for us to show
The world is enriched by the beauty that humans create and share
Beauty must have power over man, war
The human desire for beauty should be strong enough to overcome the desire for war
After the end of the war I want to devote myself
The artist desires to focus on personal reflection and creativity after the end of a war
To my thoughts for five to ten years and to writing them down
The artist wants to devote a significant amount of time to introspection and creative expression
War has caused unrest among the younger generation
Young people are dissatisfied with the effects of war on their world
Induction then destruction, who wants to die?
The process of drafting people into the military and sending them into war is absurd and tragic
Wars come and go what remains are only the values of culture
War may be temporary, but cultural values endure
Then of course there is revolutionary love
A deeper, more transformative form of love exists
Love of comrades fighting for the people and love of people
Love can unite people in common cause and inspire them to fight for justice
Not an abstract people but people one meets and works with
The singer advocates for concrete relationships and connections between people united in love
When Che Guevara taught of love being
The artist references a well-known revolutionary leader to illustrate the power of love
At the center of revolutionary endeavor, he meant both
Revolutionary struggle should be motivated by both love for comrades and love of people generally
For people like Che or George Jackson or Malcolm X
These important figures understood the importance of love in their movements
Love was the prime mover of their struggle
Love motivated and inspired these leaders to fight for their vision of justice
That love cost them their lives, love coupled with a man's pride
These leaders were willing to sacrifice themselves for their ideals, but their love was sometimes mixed with a dangerous sense of pride
War, I despise 'cause it means destruction of innocent lives
The artist hates war because of the harm it does to innocent people
War, means tears to thousands of mothers how
The emotional impact of war is felt by many people, especially mothers who lose their children
When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives
Parents suffer when their children are killed in war
War, good god, now, what is it good for?
The artist repeats the question to underscore the point that war is useless
Absolutely, nothing
The singer reiterates the answer to the question about the value of war: it is worth nothing
War, it ain't nothing but a heart breaker
War causes emotional pain and suffering
War, friend only to the undertaker, war
Only people who make money from death can benefit from war
(War, war, war, war)
The artist repeats the word 'war' multiple times to emphasize its significance as an issue
Oh no, there's got to be a better way
The refrain calls for a more just and peaceful way to resolve disputes
Yeah, what is it good for?
The question about the value of war is repeated to drive home the song's message
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mocomcpee
I searched and searched for the version that I had seen ‘live,’ with no luck. (Even found some live versions where he had Edwin Starr doing the song with him!). It had included his spoken word intro like here, but he had added some poignant parts that were surprising, moving and chilling.
And the opening picture of the video here is a picture of the narration that he did for the intro to the show that I saw.
Sad that this song has to be ‘ever present’ and relevant in any and all eras.
So anyway, in mine, he’s talking about coming home late one night. His father asks “Where you been, son?”
A dejected young Bruce tells his Dad “Well, I went down to the recruiter’s office to enlist, Dad.” His father, shocked, said “Well, why would you do that?”
Bruce starts explaining it to him, and gets to the part where he has to show his shame and tell his father that he was rejected or denied (for some health thing I think).
Then his father says something that shocked Bruce and made his jaw drop.
He said “Good!”
Then the story ties into the narration here- of “next time, they’re gonna be looking to you to decide.
But in 1985, blind faith in your leaders or in anything will get you KILLED.
What I’m talking about here is WAR! Huh! Yeah…”
During his intro (which had that solo flanged guitar picking out on one chord), which was quite lengthy, you could hear a pin drop.
That is, until the band kicked in!
@SB-zf5ug
One of the most important and meaningful songs of all time. The emotion in the way bruce delivers is so powerful and still relevant today. I wish for peace in the Ukraine!
@kathybramley5609
Credit due Edwin Starr! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztZI2aLQ9Sw
@CrackerJohn100
Lets have a fking rock show in Kyiv, like Monsters Of Rock 1990 in Moscow.
@85tyrell
@@kathybramley5609 his was wayyyyy better
@andybilakshow260
@@CrackerJohn100 great idea. Every time a was is about to break out, break out the jam session. That'll fix their little red wagon 😁😇🥰😍😎👍
@fredstuckmann
A Viet Nam vet myself, I lost my buddy to this war back in 2006 due to complications from injuries sustained in that war. He was like a brother to me. He told me shortly before he died, that "War is not the answer!" RIP Jerry and thanks Bruce for taking Edwin's song and giving it even more meaning than before. The last bit of video will tear your heart out, if one can still feel something other than hatred.
@MarkGrago
Thank you for your service, Mr. Stuckmann!
@aquabuddha8022
hey Fred this is Spence from London, sorry to hear about your friend, I will chant for you and him, you both will be in my thoughts.....
@voteskynyrd
Fred Stuckmann Thank you for your service, I lost my dad three weeks ago to bladder cancer caused by agent orange, yet the VA refuses to acknowledge the fact that agent orange causes bladder cancer.
@braydonschram4917
Fred Stuckmann thank. You for your time in the military