57 Channels (And Nothin' On)

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Track 3 of Human Touch, 1992.

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Credits

• Human Touch (1992)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, bass
  • Roy Bittan: keyboard
  • Jeff Porcaro: drums

Performances

Performed live 110 times (not including snippet performances). 1993-06-26 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1993-06-24 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1993-06-01 Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway 1993-05-30 Gentofte Stadion, Gentofte, Denmark 1993-05-28 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 1993-05-25 Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy 1993-05-22 National Bowl (The), Milton Keynes, England 1993-05-20 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 1993-05-17 Maimarkthalle, Mannheim, Germany 1993-05-16 Alter Flughafen-Riem, Munich, Germany 1993-05-14 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany 1993-05-11 Estadi Olímpic De Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain 1993-05-09 Auditorio Monte Do Gozo, Santiago De Compostela, Spain 1993-05-07 Estadio Municipal El Molinón, Gijón, Spain 1993-05-05 Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain 1993-05-01 Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal 1993-04-24 Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium 1993-04-23 Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium 1993-04-20 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1993-04-19 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1993-04-16 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England 1993-04-15 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England 1993-04-13 Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon, France 1993-04-11 Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Verona, Italy 1993-04-08 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland 1993-04-07 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland 1993-04-04 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany 1993-04-03 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany 1993-03-31 SECC, Glasgow, Scotland 1992-12-17 Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY 1992-12-16 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 1992-12-14 Boston Garden, Boston, MA 1992-12-13 Boston Garden, Boston, MA 1992-12-08 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1992-12-07 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1992-12-05 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN 1992-12-03 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO 1992-12-02 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX 1992-11-30 Omni (The), Atlanta, GA 1992-11-24 Miami Arena, Miami, FL 1992-11-23 Orlando Arena, Orlando, FL 1992-11-18 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC 1992-11-17 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC 1992-11-15 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT 1992-11-13 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY 1992-11-10 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 1992-11-09 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 1992-11-06 SkyDome, Toronto, ON 1992-11-05 SkyDome, Toronto, ON 1992-11-03 Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI 1992-10-31 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN 1992-10-30 Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 1992-10-26 McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO 1992-10-22 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1992-10-21 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1992-10-18 Northlands Coliseum, Edmonton, AB 1992-10-17 Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, AB 1992-10-15 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC 1992-10-13 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA 1992-10-06 ARCO Arena, Sacramento, CA 1992-10-03 America West Arena, Phoenix, AZ 1992-10-02 America West Arena, Phoenix, AZ 1992-09-29 San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA 1992-09-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1992-09-25 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1992-09-24 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1992-09-22 Warner Hollywood Studios, Los Angeles, CA 1992-09-03 World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, IL 1992-09-02 World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, IL 1992-08-29 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1992-08-28 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1992-08-26 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1992-08-25 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1992-08-22 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1992-08-21 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1992-08-18 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI 1992-08-17 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI 1992-08-14 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1992-08-13 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1992-08-10 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-08-07 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-08-06 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-08-04 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-08-02 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-31 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-30 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-28 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-26 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-25 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-23 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-13 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-12 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-10 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-09 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-06 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-04 Plaza Monumental, Barcelona, Spain 1992-07-03 Plaza Monumental, Barcelona, Spain 1992-06-30 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 1992-06-29 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 1992-06-26 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany 1992-06-25 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany 1992-06-21 Forum Di Assago, Milan, Italy 1992-06-20 Forum Di Assago, Milan, Italy 1992-06-17 Globen, Stockholm, Sweden 1992-06-15 Globen, Stockholm, Sweden 1992-06-05 Hollywood Center Studios, Studio #4, Los Angeles, CA 1992-05-09 Rockefeller Center, GE Building, Studio 8H, New York City, NY 1992-05-06 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY 1990-11-17 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA 1990-11-16 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 0 show(s) of 130 on the 2023-25 International Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 266 on the Springsteen On Broadway run. Performed at 0 show(s) of 14 on the Summer '17 Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 0 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 133 on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 83 on the Working On A Dream Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 99 on the Magic Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 56 on The Seeger Sessions Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 72 on the Devils & Dust Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 7 on the Vote For Change Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 120 on The Rising Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 132 on The Reunion Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 128 on The Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. Performed at 102 show(s) of 102 on the World Tour 1992-93. Performed at 6 known other show(s), plus 2 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Human Touch (1992), 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) (Single, 1992), and 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) (EP, 1992).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 6 official live downloads:

• 1993-06-24 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
• 1993-05-14 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
• 1992-12-13 Boston Garden, Boston, MA
• 1992-07-25 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
• 1990-11-17 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
• 1990-11-16 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA

One of these recordings is also available on the playlist The Live Series: Songs Of Conscience (2024).

On The Tracks

57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V1a	2:23	promo release
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V1b	2:25	HUMAN / 1992 single
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2a	3:52	promo mixes
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2b	5:56	1992 single
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2c	4:45	1992 single
57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHIN' ON) – V2d	8:19	1992 single

Note: Recorded in early December 1990, most likely at The Record Plant, Los Angeles. The song was registered at the US copyright office on December 18, 1990. Springsteen handles guitar, bass and vocals and his two-man backing band on this recording is Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Jeff Porcaro (drums). Springsteen had premiered this song live a couple of weeks earlier at the November 1990 Christic Benefit – the album version has more refined lyrics. V1a is the demo version, which seems to be virtually identical to V1b. V2 is 4 alternate dance mixes (the so-called "Little Steven Remixes") done in spring 1992 by mixer David McNair and produced by Steve Van Zandt. These were first released in July 1992 in various single formats.

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^{Studio Sessions: Human Touch}

Lyrics

57 Channels (And Nothin' On)

I bought a bourgeois house in the Hollywood hills
With a truckload of hundred thousand dollar bills
Man came by to hook up my cable TV
We settled in for the night my baby and me
We switched 'round and 'round 'til half-past dawn
There was fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

Well now home entertainment was my baby's wish
So I hopped into town for a satellite dish
I tied it to the top of my Japanese car
I came home and I pointed it out into the stars
A message came back from the great beyond
There's fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

Well we might'a made some friends with some billionaires
We might'a got all nice and friendly if we'd made it upstairs
All I got was a note that said "Bye-bye John
Our love's fifty-seven channels and nothin' on"
(Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on)

So I bought a .44 magnum, it was solid steel cast
And in the blessed name of Elvis well I just let it blast
'Til my TV lay in pieces there at my feet
And they busted me for disturbin' the almighty peace
Judge said "What you got in your defense son?"
"Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on"
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

I can see by your eyes friend you're just about gone
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and…

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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