Be True

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Disc 2 track 10 of Tracks and track 5 of The River: Single Album (as "To Be True").

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Credits

• Tracks (1998)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
  • Roy Bittan: piano
  • Clarence Clemons: saxophone, percussion
  • Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel
  • Garry Tallent: bass
  • Steven Van Zandt: guitar, backing vocals
  • Max Weinberg: drums

Performances

Performed live 75 times. 2017-02-14 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 2017-02-09 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2016-06-05 Wembley Stadium, London, England 2016-02-08 Times Union Center, Albany, NY 2014-05-14 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA 2012-12-06 Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ 2012-07-31 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland 2012-06-17 Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain 2012-06-10 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy 2009-10-02 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-09-13 BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, FL 2009-08-19 Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT 2009-07-30 Estadio Municipal De Foietes, Benidorm, Spain 2009-07-23 Stadio Friuli, Udine, Italy 2008-07-04 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden 2008-03-22 U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH 2008-03-07 HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY 2007-11-04 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH 2005-11-08 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2005-11-04 St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL 2005-10-04 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ 2005-08-11 KeyArena At Seattle Center, Seattle, WA 2003-09-06 Fenway Park, Boston, MA 2003-08-28 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2003-08-11 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA 2003-05-24 Stade De France, Saint-Denis, France 2000-06-12 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2000-06-03 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA 2000-05-27 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV 1999-09-21 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA 1999-08-06 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1988-06-15 Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy 1988-06-11 Stadio Comunale, Turin, Italy 1988-05-23 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-22 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-19 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-18 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-16 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-09 Met Center, Bloomington, MN 1988-05-06 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA 1988-05-05 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA 1988-05-03 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1988-05-02 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1988-04-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-27 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-25 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-23 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-22 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-20 McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO 1988-04-17 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO 1988-04-15 Frank Erwin Center, University Of Texas, Austin, TX 1988-04-13 Summit (The), Houston, TX 1988-04-12 Summit (The), Houston, TX 1988-04-05 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1988-04-04 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1988-04-02 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 1988-04-01 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 1988-03-29 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI 1988-03-28 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI 1988-03-26 Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY 1988-03-23 Omni (The), Atlanta, GA 1988-03-22 Omni (The), Atlanta, GA 1988-03-20 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 1988-03-17 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL 1988-03-16 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL 1988-03-14 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1988-03-13 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1988-03-09 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1988-03-08 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1988-03-04 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC 1988-03-03 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC 1988-02-29 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1988-02-28 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1988-02-25 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1984-08-26 Capital Centre, Largo, MD

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 2 show(s) of 14 on the Summer '17 Tour. Performed at 2 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 1 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 4 show(s) of 133 on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Performed at 5 show(s) of 83 on the Working On A Dream Tour. Performed at 4 show(s) of 99 on the Magic Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 56 on The Seeger Sessions Tour. Performed at 4 show(s) of 72 on the Devils & Dust Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 7 on the Vote For Change Tour. Performed at 4 show(s) of 120 on The Rising Tour. Performed at 5 show(s) of 132 on The Reunion Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 128 on The Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 102 on the World Tour 1992-93. Performed at 0 show(s) of 20 on the Human Rights Now! Tour. Performed at 43 show(s) of 67 on the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. Performed at 1 show(s) of 156 on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour. Performed at 0 known other show(s), plus 0 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Fade Away (Single, 1981), Sherry Darling (Single, 1981), Tracks (1998), and The Ties That Bind (2015).

A live version is released on the Chimes Of Freedom (EP, 1988) (recorded March 3, 1988).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 11 official live downloads:

• 2017-02-14 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• 2017-02-09 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• 2016-06-05 Wembley Stadium, London, England
• 2016-02-08 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
• 2014-05-14 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
• 2012-07-31 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
• 1988-05-23 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 1988-05-16 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 1988-04-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• 1988-04-23 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• 1988-03-28 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI

On The Tracks

TO BE TRUE - V1a	3:39	LM-6 / PYP
TO BE TRUE - V1b	3:49	DROC1
TO BE TRUE - V1c	3:50	DROC1 / RRR
TO BE TRUE - V1d take 2	3:40	DROC1 / TTTBJ / ATMF / LES / LEK
BE TRUE - V2	3:40	1981 b-side / TRP / BACK / DBTR
BE TRUE - V3	3:36	TRACKS
BE TRUE - V4	3:49	RIVER: SINGLE

Note: Evolved from "Mary Lou" and early versions of "Little White Lies" that used "Be True" vocals over unique backing. The only takes for this track all occurred on July 18, 1979 at Power Station, and a mixing or overdub session took place on April 22, 1980, before it was included on an April 1980 shortlist for the double album. Six different mixes are known: V1a runs fast with minimal vocal effects, V1c has a double-tracked vocal on the second verse, bridge, break, and has no sax except tail, V1d has double tracked vocals, background vocals and a different sax solo, V2 is the 1981 b-side to "Fade Away"; the version on 'Down By the River' (3:23) sounds exactly like V2 when slowed down by 6%. V3 is the mix released on Tracks, and version 4 is V1d released in 2015 on The Ties That Bind: The River Single Album.

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^{Studio Sessions: The River}

Lyrics

Be True (Tracks)

Your scrapbook's filled with pictures of all your leading men
Well baby don't put my picture in there with them
Don't make us some little girl's dream that can't ever come true
That only serves to hurt and make you cry like you do
Well baby don't do it to me and I won't do it to you

You see all the romantic movies, you dream and take the boys home
But when the action fades you're left all alone
You deserve better than this, little girl can't you see you do
Do you need somebody to prove it to you
Well you prove it to me and I'll prove it to you

Now every night you go out looking for true love's satisfaction
But in the morning you end up settling for li- li- li- lights, camera, action
Whoa whoa whoa

And another cameo role with some bit player you're befriending
You're gonna go broken-hearted looking for that happy ending
Well girl you're gonna end up just another lonely ticket sold
Crying alone in the theatre as the credits roll
You say I'll be like those other guys
Who filled your head with pretty lies
And dreams that can never come true
Well you be true to me and I'll be true to you

Whoa whoa whoa
Whoa yeah
Yeah
Whoa whoa whoa
Oh yeah yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

Be True (The River Collection)

Your scrapbook's filled with pictures of all your leading men
Well baby don't put my picture in there with them
Don't make us some little girl's dream that can't ever come true
That only serves to hurt and make you cry like you do
Well baby don't do it to me and I won't do it to you

You see all the romantic movies, you dream and take the boys home
But when the action fades you're left all alone
You deserve better than this, little girl can't you see you do
Do you need somebody to prove it to you
Well baby you prove it to me and I'll prove it to you

Now every night you go out looking for true love's satisfaction
But in the morning you end up settling for just li- li- li- lights, camera, action
Uh hu hu

And another cameo role with some bit player you're befriending
You're gonna go broken-hearted looking for that happy ending
Well girl you're gonna end up just another lonely ticket sold
Crying alone in the theatre as the credits roll
You say I'll be like those other guys
Who filled your head with pretty lies
And dreams that can never come true
Well baby you be true to me and I'll be true to you

Ooh hoo hoo…
Ooh hoo hoo…
Ooh hoo hoo…
Ooh hoo hoo…

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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Links

• MusicBrainz

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