Track 17 of Greatest Hits, 1995.
- Greatest Hits (1995)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, harmonica
- Roy Bittan: piano
- Clarence Clemons: saxophone
- Danny Federici: organ, synthesizer
- Nils Lofgren: guitar
- Frank Pagano: percussion
- Garry Tallent: bass
- Max Weinberg: drums
- Blood Brothers (EP) (Rock Version) (1996)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan: piano, keyboard, synthesizer
- Clarence Clemons: saxophone, percussion
- Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel, synthesizer
- Nils Lofgren: guitar
- Garry Tallent: bass
- Steven Van Zandt: guitar
- Max Weinberg: drums
Performed live 6 times total. Performed live 1 times in the rock version. |
Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances)
|
Performed multiple times during the following shows:
Released on Greatest Hits (1995) and, in a distinct "rock" version, on Blood Brothers (EP, 1996).
Live versions are available on the following 3 official live downloads:
One of these recordings is also available on the playlist The Live Series: Songs Of Friendship (2019).
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V1 | 1:11 | YBNT2 / BB |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V2a | 1:54 | YBNT2 / BB |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V2b | 1:31 | YBNT2 / BB |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V3a | 3:12 | YBNT2 |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V3b | 0:47 | BB |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V3c | 5:05 | YBNT2 / BB |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V3d | 4:31 | GREATEST |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V4 | 5:02 | DDITV |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V5 | 0:50 | BB |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V6 take 31 | 4:53 | private |
| BLOOD BROTHERS (ALTERNATE VERSION) - V7 | 3:57 | BB: EP / MT2 |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V8 take 20 | 3:12 | private |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V9 take 3 | 5:12 | private |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V10 take 9 | 5:42 | private |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V11 take 18 | 3:54 | private |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V12 | 4:20 | private |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V13 | 2:20 | private |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V14 | 4:16 | O&S |
| BLOOD BROTHERS - V15 | 4:02 | circulating |
Note: Written the night before the Greatest Hits sessions, all the above takes were recorded in early January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City with the E Street Band. "Blood Brothers" has many different arrangements, and it's clear that Springsteen was uncertain about which to use. V1 is a brief snippet shown in the video. V2a and V2b are slightly different mixes of the official video take. V3 (with session player Frank Pagano guesting on percussion instruments) was issued in 1995 on Greatest Hits. V4 is an alternate arrangement, and V5 is a rocking variation on the V3 arrangement. V6 (take #31) is very similar to the V3, slightly slower with small lyrical variations. V7 is the stirring "rock" version that many consider superior to V3 and was officially released as "Blood Brothers (Alternate Version)" in November 1996 on the Blood Brothers EP that was packaged with the Blood Brothers VHS.
V8 is an early work-in-progress take of the "rock" arrangement with some lyrical variation and an upfront accordion accompaniment. This arrangement does not have the a capella introduction, but instead opens with the full band and is take #20. V9 is the earliest complete take and is a different arrangement of the "rock" version with a melody very close to that of the Greatest Hits version. This take (#3) also has some lyrical variations, including "out on west end" rather than "out on the end" - a small variation that can be found in several of these versions. V10 features a quiet, downbeat arrangement and is take #9. V11 is performed by Bruce, Max, and Roy (on keyboards). This take (#18) features some lyrical variations and can perhaps be described as "Secret Garden"-ish. V12 is fascinating, and the arrangement can only be described as heavily Dylan-inspired with an organ riff that is very reminiscent of "Like A Rolling Stone". There's also plenty of harmonica and some lyrics that are unique to this arrangement. At the conclusion, Bruce says, "Well, that's the idea anyway!" This is the same arrangement found in V1. V13 is a cut work-in-progress of the Greatest Hits arrangement in a different key (D) with Bruce providing instruction and direction to the band. V14 is a stunning solo acoustic performance that is deserving of an official release. V15 is yet another distinct variation, a gentle piano-led arrangement described by Bruce prior to the song as "kind of restrained", shared on the BTX forum in April 2025.
Studio Sessions: Greatest Hits
Blood Brothers |
We played king of the mountain out on the end
The world come charging up the hill, and we were women and men
Now there's so much that time, time and memory fade away
We got our own roads to ride and chances we got to take
We stood side by side each one fighting for the other
And we said until we died we'd always be blood brothers
Now the hardness of this world slowly grinds your dreams away
Making a fool's joke out of the promises we make
And what once seemed black and white turns to so many shades of gray
We lose ourselves in work to do, work to do and bills to pay
And it's a ride, ride, ride, and there ain't much cover
With no one running by your side, my blood brother
On through the houses of the dead past those fallen in their tracks
Always moving ahead and never looking back
Now I don't know how I feel, I don't know how I feel tonight
If I've fallen 'neath the wheel, if I've lost or I gained sight
I don't even know why, I don't know why I made this call
Or if any of this matters anymore after all
But the stars are burning bright like some mystery uncovered
I'll keep moving through the dark with you in my heart, my blood brother
| Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song. |
Blood Brothers (Rock-version) |
Once we were kids playing king of the mountain on the end
World came charging up the hill, and we were women, we were men
Yeah, we stood by each other's side, each one fighting for the other
And we swore until we died we'd always be blood brothers
Hoo hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo
Now the hardness of the world ??? slowly grind your world away
Making nothing but a fool's joke out of promises made
It's a long and dirty ride and there ain't much cover
No one running by your side, my blood, my blood brother
Whoa!
Through the houses of the dead past those fallen in their tracks
Always moving ahead and never looking back
Now the moon's dirty light shines 'cross the highway unfurled
And this love burns inside me like the last light in the world
And the night is shining bright like some mystery uncovered
I'll keep moving through the dark with you in my heart, my blood brother
Whoa!
Whoa!
| Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song. |
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