Track 10 of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, 1978.
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- Darkness On The Edge Of Town (1978)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan: piano, backing vocals
- Clarence Clemons: percussion, backing vocals
- Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel
- Garry Tallent: bass
- Steven Van Zandt: guitar, backing vocals
- Max Weinberg: drums
Performed multiple times during the following shows:
Released on Darkness On The Edge Of Town (1978), The Essential (2003), and Greatest Hits (2009).
Live versions are released on Live/1975–85 (1986) (recorded December 29, 1980), In Concert: MTV XXPlugged (1992) (recorded September 22, 1992), Columbia Records Radio Hour (US-only Promotional Tape, 1995)/The Ghost Of Tom Joad (Single, 1995)/Live & Rare (EU-only promotional EP, 2003) (recorded December 9, 1995), Missing (Single, 1996) (recorded April 19, 1996), and Waitin' On A Sunny Day (Single, 2003) (recorded June 29, 2000).
Live versions are available on the following 83 official live downloads:
- 2024-11-09 Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
- 2024-11-06 Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
- 2024-09-07 Nationals Park, Washington, DC
- 2024-08-23 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
- 2024-08-18 PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2024-07-27 Wembley Stadium, London, England
- 2024-07-02 Werchter Park, Werchter, Belgium
- 2024-06-20 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
- 2024-06-12 Cívitas Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain
- 2024-03-31 Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
- 2024-03-19 Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
- 2023-09-01 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
- 2023-07-13 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2023-07-08 Hyde Park, London, England
- 2023-06-30 Voldsløkka Stadion, Oslo, Norway
- 2023-06-28 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 2023-05-30 BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland
- 2023-05-27 Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 2023-05-21 Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy
- 2023-05-15 Paris La Défense Arena, Nanterre, France
- 2023-05-07 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
- 2023-03-29 Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
- 2017-02-21 AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
- 2017-02-07 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- 2017-01-22 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- 2016-09-14 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
- 2016-09-11 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2016-08-25 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
- 2016-07-09 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium
- 2016-06-29 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
- 2016-06-01 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
- 2016-05-27 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
- 2016-05-25 Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
- 2016-05-19 Bela Vista Park, Lisbon, Portugal
- 2014-05-18 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
- 2014-05-01 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL
- 2014-04-19 Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
- 2014-04-12 Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA
- 2014-03-02 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
- 2014-02-19 AllPhones Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- 2014-02-15 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- 2014-02-11 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- 2014-01-28 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
- 2012-08-15 Fenway Park, Boston, MA
- 2012-07-04 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
- 2009-10-14 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
- 2008-04-28 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
- 2008-04-22 St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
- 2007-11-19 TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
- 1999-10-23 Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
- 1999-07-15 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1997-05-18 Palais Des Congrès Acropolis, Nice, France
- 1996-11-26 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
- 1996-11-24 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
- 1996-11-08 St. Rose Of Lima School, Gymnasium, Freehold, NJ
- 1996-09-25 E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Akron, OH
- 1996-03-19 King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- 1995-12-09 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
- 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
- 1984-08-20 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1984-08-19 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1981-07-09 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1981-06-05 Wembley Arena, London, England
- 1981-06-04 Wembley Arena, London, England
- 1980-12-31 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
- 1980-12-29 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
- 1980-12-28 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
- 1980-11-05 ASU Activity Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
- 1978-12-16 Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
- 1978-12-15 Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
- 1978-12-08 Summit (The), Houston, TX
- 1978-10-01 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
- 1978-09-30 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
- 1978-09-21 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
- 1978-09-20 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
- 1978-09-19 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
- 1978-08-09 Agora (The), Cleveland, OH
- 1978-07-07 Roxy Theatre (The), West Hollywood, CA
- 1978-07-01 Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA
One of these recordings is also available on the playlists The Live Series: Songs Of Location (2022), The Darkness Tour '78 (2023), and The Live Series: Songs From Around The World, Vol.2 (2024).
| DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN - V1a | 4:26 | DO-3 / DDO / UP / DDOC |
| DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN - V1b | 4:43 | RTT |
| DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN - V2a | 4:23 | ODM / HOD / UP / AM |
| DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN - V2b | 4:23 | DARKNESS / ESSENTIAL: 2003 / GREATEST: 2009 / PROMISE: DELUXE |
Note: Bruce began writing "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" right after Born To Run, according to a 1978 interview. Indeed, the title can be found in two lists of songs that were penned some time in 1976, supporting his recollection. It is rumored that band rehearsals during 1976 at Bruce's home at Holmdel, NJ included versions of "Darkness On The Edge Of Town". With music and some lyrics written by February 1976, the song was subtitled "The Racer" for a time.
Though it is listed on the 'Star Wars' demo tape of June 1, 1977, pictured below, V1a was not cut until June 6. V1b is the full length, speed-corrected version. Sony logs show takes recorded on June 8, 9, 20 and 23, 1977 at Atlantic Studios. Work on the lyrics was needed. Bruce then put "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" aside for the rest of the year. It was not included on the 'Badlands' album sequence from October, nor the January 16, 1978 sequence. On March 8, he suddenly called his forces together, and over three days, they re-recorded from scratch and completed what would become the title track of the album. The March takes were cut in a studio with bare concrete walls, after the room was gutted prior to renovation. V2a and V2b are the album track recording, with a slight difference. V2a can be identified by the addition of the word "ready" to the line "I'll be there on time ready to pay the cost." V2b is mix take #28 from March 30, 1978, and was pressed to metal acetate on April 12.
Studio Sessions: Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Darkness On The Edge Of Town |
Well, they're still racing out at the Trestles
But that blood it never burned in her veins
Now I hear she's got a house up in Fairview
And a style she's trying to maintain
Well, if she wants to see me
You can tell her that I'm easily found
Tell her there's a spot out 'neath Abram's Bridge
And tell her there's a darkness on the edge of town
There's a darkness on the edge of town
Well, everybody's got a secret, Sonny
Something that they just can't face
Some folks spend their whole lives trying to keep it
They carry it with them every step that they take
Till some day they just cut it loose
Cut it loose or let it drag 'em down
Where no one asks any questions
Or looks too long in your face
In the darkness on the edge of town
In the darkness on the edge of town
Well, now some folks are born into a good life
And other folks get it anyway anyhow
Well, I lost my money and I lost my wife
Them things don't seem to matter much to me now
Tonight I'll be on that hill 'cause I can't stop
I'll be on that hill with everything I've got
Well, lives on the line where dreams are found and lost
I'll be there on time and I'll pay the cost
For wanting things that can only be found
In the darkness on the edge of town
In the darkness on the edge of town
| Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song. |
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