American Land

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Written for 2006's Seeger Sessions Tour and recorded as a bonus track for Wrecking Ball, 2012.

Wrecking Ball (2012) (Bonus Track)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, banjo, percussion, loops
- Ron Aniello: guitar, bass, keyboards, loops, backing vocals, percussion, hurdy gurdy
- Art Baron: sousaphone, penny whistle
- Charles Giordano: piano, Hammond B3 organ, celeste
- Rob Lebret: backing vocals
- Clif Norrell: backing vocals
- Ross Petersen: backing vocals
- Soozie Tyrell: violin, backing vocals
- Steven Van Zandt: mandolin, backing vocals
- Max Weinberg: drums

American Land ^{(Wrecking Ball)}

Whoa!

What is this land America, so many travel there
I'm going now while I'm still young, my darling meet me there
Wish me luck my lovely, I'll send for you when I can
And we'll make our home in the American land

Over there all the women wear silk and satin to their knees
And children, dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the rivers straight into your hands
When you make your home in the American land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, the gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who'll make his home in the American land

Whoa!

I docked at Ellis Island in the city of light and spire
I wandered to the valley of red-hot steel and fire
We made the steel that built the cities with the sweat of our two hands
We made our home in the American land

Go!
There's diamonds in the sidewalk, the gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who'll make his home in the American land

Whoa!
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
???!
Come on!

The McNicholas, the Posalskis, the Smiths, Zerillis too
The Blacks, the Irish, Italians, the Germans and the Jews
They come across the water a thousand miles from home
With nothing in their bellies but the fire down below

They died building the railroads, they worked to bones and skin
They died in the fields and factories, names scattered in the wind
They died to get here a hundred years ago, they're still dying now
Their hands that built the country we're always trying to keep out

^{Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.}

American Land ^{(Live Version)}

^{June 22, 2006}

Welcome friends! Alright, hello New York. Hit it Larry! Alright, we got a… immigrant song for New York City.

Come on!

One, two!

Whoa!

Over there the women wear silk and satin to their knees
And children dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the rivers straight into your hands
If you make your home in the American land

There's diamonds in the sidewalks, there's gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who'll make his home in the American land

Whoa!

I docked at Ellis Island in a city of light and spire
I wandered to the valley of red-hot steel and fire
We made the steel that built the cities with the sweat of our two hands
And I made my home in the American land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who'll make his home in the American land

Whoa!

The McNicholas, the Posalskis, the Smiths, Zerillis too
The Blacks, the Irish, Italians, the Germans and the Jews
The ???, the ???, the Asians, Arabs miles from home
Come across the water with a fire down below

They died building the railroads, worked to bones and skin
They died in the fields and factories, names scattered in the wind
They died to get here a hundred years ago, they're dying now
The hands that built the country we're always trying to keep down

Whoa!

For all you travellers out there!

^{Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.}