Death To My Hometown

---

Track 5 of Wrecking Ball, 2012.

---

Credits

• Wrecking Ball (2012)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, banjo, loops
  • Ron Aniello: guitar, bass, keyboards, loops, backing vocals
  • Art Baron: euphonium, tuba, sousaphone, penny whistle
  • Kevin Buell: drums, backing vocals
  • Matt Chamberlain: drums, percussion
  • Charles Giordano: piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Rob Lebret: backing vocals
  • Clif Norrell: backing vocals
  • Ross Petersen: backing vocals
  • Soozie Tyrell: violin

Performances

Performed live 205 times. 2024-08-18 PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 2024-07-27 Wembley Stadium, London, England 2024-06-29 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 2024-04-07 Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA 2024-03-28 Chase Center, San Francisco, CA 2024-03-25 Pechanga Arena, San Diego, CA 2023-07-13 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 2023-07-08 Hyde Park, London, England 2023-07-02 Voldsløkka Stadion, Oslo, Norway 2023-06-26 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 2023-05-09 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 2023-05-07 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 2023-03-07 fiserv.forum, Milwaukee, WI 2017-02-18 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia 2017-02-09 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2017-02-04 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2017-02-02 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2017-01-30 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 2017-01-27 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 2017-01-25 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA 2016-08-28 United Center, Chicago, IL 2016-08-25 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2016-08-23 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2016-07-26 Granåsen Arena, Trondheim, Norway 2016-07-20 CASA Arena, Horsens, Denmark 2016-07-16 Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy 2016-07-11 AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France 2016-07-09 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium 2016-07-05 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy 2016-07-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy 2016-06-29 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway 2016-06-25 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden 2016-06-22 Telia Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark 2016-06-19 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany 2016-06-17 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany 2016-06-14 Malieveld, The Hague, The Netherlands 2016-06-05 Wembley Stadium, London, England 2016-06-03 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England 2016-06-01 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland 2016-05-29 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland 2016-05-27 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland 2016-03-17 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 2014-05-14 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA 2014-05-13 Times Union Center, Albany, NY 2014-05-06 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX 2014-05-03 New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA 2014-04-26 Aaron's Amphitheatre At Lakewood, Atlanta, GA 2014-04-19 Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC 2014-04-17 Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 2014-04-15 Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH 2014-04-12 Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA 2014-04-08 U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH 2014-04-06 Reunion Arena, Old Site, Dallas, TX 2014-03-02 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand 2014-03-01 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand 2014-02-23 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia 2014-02-16 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2014-02-11 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 2014-02-07 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 2014-02-05 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 2014-02-01 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa 2014-01-29 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa 2014-01-26 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa 2013-09-21 Cidade Do Rock, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 2013-09-18 Espaço Das Américas, São Paulo, Brazil 2013-09-14 Estadio G.E.B.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina 2013-09-12 Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile 2013-07-28 Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland 2013-07-27 Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland 2013-07-24 First Direct Arena, Leeds, England 2013-07-23 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales 2013-07-20 King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland 2013-07-18 Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, Ireland 2013-07-16 Thomond Park, Limerick, Ireland 2013-07-13 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium 2013-07-11 Ippodromo Delle Capannelle, Rome, Italy 2013-07-07 Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany 2013-07-05 Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany 2013-07-03 Stade De Genève, Geneva, Switzerland 2013-06-30 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, England 2013-06-29 Stade De France, Saint-Denis, France 2013-06-26 Estadio Municipal El Molinón, Gijón, Spain 2013-06-22 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 2013-06-20 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England 2013-06-18 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland 2013-06-15 Wembley Stadium, London, England 2013-06-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy 2013-05-31 Stadio Euganeo, Padua, Italy 2013-05-28 AWD-Arena, Hannover, Germany 2013-05-26 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany 2013-05-23 Piazza Del Plebiscito, Naples, Italy 2013-05-16 Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning, Denmark 2013-05-14 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 2013-05-11 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden 2013-05-08 HK Areena, Turku, Finland 2013-05-07 HK Areena, Turku, Finland 2013-05-04 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden 2013-05-03 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden 2013-04-30 Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway 2013-04-29 Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway 2013-03-31 Hanging Rock, Mt. Macedon, Victoria, Australia 2013-03-30 Hanging Rock, Mt. Macedon, Victoria, Australia 2013-03-27 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2013-03-26 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2013-03-24 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2013-03-22 Allphones Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2013-03-20 Allphones Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2013-03-18 Allphones Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2013-03-16 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 2013-03-14 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 2013-02-08 Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA 2012-12-10 Palacio De Los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico 2012-12-06 Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ 2012-12-04 Honda Center, Anaheim, CA 2012-11-30 Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA 2012-11-28 Rose Garden, Portland, OR 2012-11-26 Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC 2012-11-19 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 2012-11-17 Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO 2012-11-15 CenturyLink Center, Omaha, NE 2012-11-12 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN 2012-11-11 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN 2012-11-03 KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY 2012-11-01 Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State University, University Park, PA 2012-10-31 Blue Cross Arena At The War Memorial, Rochester, NY 2012-10-27 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA 2012-10-25 XL Center, Hartford, CT 2012-10-23 John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA 2012-10-21 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON 2012-10-19 Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, ON 2012-09-22 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2012-09-21 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2012-09-19 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2012-09-14 Nationals Park, Washington, DC 2012-09-08 Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL 2012-09-07 Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL 2012-09-03 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA 2012-09-02 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA 2012-08-29 Vernon Downs Raceway, Vernon, NY 2012-08-26 Magnetic Hill, Moncton, NB 2012-08-24 Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON 2012-08-18 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA 2012-08-15 Fenway Park, Boston, MA 2012-08-14 Fenway Park, Boston, MA 2012-07-31 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland 2012-07-28 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden 2012-07-27 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden 2012-07-24 Koengen, Bergen, Norway 2012-07-23 Koengen, Bergen, Norway 2012-07-21 Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway 2012-07-18 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 2012-07-17 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 2012-07-14 Hyde Park, London, England (Evening) 2012-07-12 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 2012-07-11 Synot Tip Arena, Prague, Czech Republic 2012-07-09 Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland 2012-07-07 Festivalpladsen, Roskilde, Denmark 2012-07-05 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 2012-07-04 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 2012-06-24 Seaclose Park, Isle Of Wight, England 2012-06-22 Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England 2012-06-21 Stadium Of Light, Sunderland, England 2012-06-19 Park & Suites Arena, Montpellier, France 2012-06-17 Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain 2012-06-11 Stadio Nereo Rocco, Trieste, Italy 2012-06-10 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy 2012-06-07 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy 2012-06-03 Bela Vista Park, Lisbon, Portugal 2012-06-02 Estadio Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain 2012-05-30 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany 2012-05-28 Megaland, Landgraaf, The Netherlands 2012-05-27 Rheinenergiestadion, Cologne, Germany 2012-05-25 Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany 2012-05-18 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain 2012-05-17 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain 2012-05-15 Estadio De Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain 2012-05-13 Estadio Olimpico De La Cartuja, Seville, Spain 2012-05-02 Prudential Center, Newark, NJ 2012-04-29 New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA 2012-04-27 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 2012-04-26 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 2012-04-24 HP Pavilion At San Jose, San Jose, CA 2012-04-17 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH 2012-04-16 Times Union Center, Albany, NY 2012-04-13 First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY 2012-04-12 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI 2012-04-09 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2012-04-06 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2012-04-04 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ 2012-04-03 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ 2012-04-01 Verizon Center, Washington, DC 2012-03-29 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA 2012-03-28 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA 2012-03-26 TD Garden, Boston, MA 2012-03-23 Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa, FL 2012-03-19 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC 2012-03-18 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA 2012-03-15 Moody Theater, Austin, TX 2012-03-09 Apollo Theater, New York City, NY 2012-03-02 Rockefeller Center, GE Building, Studio 6B, New York City, NY

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 17 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 7 show(s) of 14 on the Summer '17 Tour. Performed at 23 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 20 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 133 show(s) of 133 on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Performed at 5 known other show(s), plus 0 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Wrecking Ball (2012).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 77 official live downloads:

• 2024-08-18 PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2024-07-27 Wembley Stadium, London, England
• 2024-06-29 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
• 2024-04-07 Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
• 2024-03-28 Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
• 2024-03-25 Pechanga Arena, San Diego, CA
• 2023-07-13 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2023-07-08 Hyde Park, London, England
• 2023-07-02 Voldsløkka Stadion, Oslo, Norway
• 2023-06-26 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
• 2023-05-09 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
• 2023-05-07 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
• 2023-03-07 fiserv.forum, Milwaukee, WI
• 2017-02-18 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
• 2017-02-09 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• 2017-02-04 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• 2017-02-02 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• 2017-01-30 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• 2017-01-27 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 2017-01-25 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
• 2016-08-28 United Center, Chicago, IL
• 2016-08-25 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• 2016-08-23 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• 2016-07-26 Granåsen Arena, Trondheim, Norway
• 2016-07-20 CASA Arena, Horsens, Denmark
• 2016-07-16 Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy
• 2016-07-11 AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France
• 2016-07-09 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium
• 2016-07-05 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
• 2016-07-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
• 2016-06-29 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
• 2016-06-25 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
• 2016-06-22 Telia Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2016-06-19 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
• 2016-06-17 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
• 2016-06-14 Malieveld, The Hague, The Netherlands
• 2016-06-05 Wembley Stadium, London, England
• 2016-06-03 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England
• 2016-06-01 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
• 2016-05-29 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
• 2016-05-27 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
• 2016-03-17 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• 2014-05-14 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
• 2014-05-13 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
• 2014-05-06 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX
• 2014-04-26 Aaron's Amphitheatre At Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
• 2014-04-19 Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
• 2014-04-17 Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
• 2014-04-15 Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
• 2014-04-12 Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA
• 2014-04-08 U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH
• 2014-03-02 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
• 2014-03-01 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
• 2014-02-23 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
• 2014-02-11 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• 2014-02-07 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 2014-02-05 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 2014-02-01 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 2014-01-29 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
• 2014-01-26 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
• 2013-07-24 First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
• 2013-07-23 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
• 2013-07-11 Ippodromo Delle Capannelle, Rome, Italy
• 2012-11-15 CenturyLink Center, Omaha, NE
• 2012-11-12 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN
• 2012-09-22 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• 2012-08-15 Fenway Park, Boston, MA
• 2012-07-31 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
• 2012-07-28 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
• 2012-07-05 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
• 2012-07-04 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
• 2012-03-09 Apollo Theater, New York City, NY

On The Tracks

DEATH TO MY HOMETOWN

3:28

WRECKING

Note: Features Springsteen, Ron Aniello (some combination of bass, keyboards, drums, percussion and /or loops, plus backing vocals), Matt Chamberlain (drums & percussion), Kevin Buell (drums & backing vocal), Charlie Giordano (piano, B-3 organ), Rob Lebret (backing vocals), Art Baron (euphonium, tuba, sousaphone, penny whistle), Soozie Tyrell (violin) and backing vocals from Ross Peterson and Clif Norrell (backing vocal).The recording includes excerpts of "The Last Words Of Copernicus", an old folk poem performed by The Sacred Harp Singers and recorded by Alan Lomax in 1959.

---

^{Studio Sessions: Wrecking Ball}

Lyrics

Death To My Hometown

[sample from THE LAST WORDS OF COPERNICUS]

Well, no cannonballs did fly, no rifles cut us down
No bombs fell from the sky, no blood soaked the ground
No powder flash blinded the eye, no deathly thunder sounded
But just as sure as the hand of God, they brought death to my hometown
They brought death to my hometown, boys

[sample from THE LAST WORDS OF COPERNICUS]

No shells ripped the evening sky, no cities burning down
No army stormed the shores for which we'd die, no dictators were crowned
I awoke from a quiet night, I never heard a sound
The marauders raided in the dark and brought death to my hometown, boys
Death to my hometown

[sample from THE LAST WORDS OF COPERNICUS]

They destroyed our families, factories, and they took our homes
They left our bodies on the plains, the vultures picked our bones

So listen up, my sonny boy, be ready for when they come
For they'll be returning sure as the rising sun
Now get yourself a song to sing and sing it 'til you're done
Yeah, sing it hard and sing it well
Send the robber barons straight to hell
The greedy thieves who came around
And ate the flesh of everything they found
Whose crimes have gone unpunished now
Who walk the streets as free men now

Ah, they brought death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, whoa!

[sample from THE LAST WORDS OF COPERNICUS]

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

---

Disclaimer | © 1996 - 2025 | Brucebase