Henry Boy

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Track 5 of Chapter And Verse, 2016. Recorded in 1972.

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Credits

• Chapter And Verse (2016)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar

Performances

Performed live 1 times (not including snippet performances). 1972-08-10 Max's Kansas City, New York City, NY (Early)

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 1 known other show(s), plus 0 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Chapter And Verse (2016).

On The Tracks

HENRY BOY

3:13

CHAPTER / US4 / DT / EY

Note: "Henry Boy" was recorded as a publishing demo at MediaSound Studios, 311 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 in June 1972. It has been described as an "early version of what would evolve into 'Blinded By The Light'", which would maybe explain why it vanished from Springsteen's live repertoire after being played live in August 1972. "Henry Boy" was officially released on September 23, 2016 on Chapter And Verse, the companion to Springsteen's autobiography Born To Run. It was dated only as "June 1972" in the liner notes, confirming the well-known idea the studio logs from the time are not complete.

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^{Studio Sessions: Demo}

Lyrics

Henry Boy

They broke your toys this morning, Henry, rode your board right into dust
Surrounded you with strangers who you could not trust
And then they had the gall
To write your name up on the girl's room wall
And send you out to Maria who spoke of babies and all
And wanted to shoot your joy
It's a hard world when you're the new kid in town, ain't it, Henry Boy

Well the North side is for diamond-studded women subtly selling their wares
And the West side is for debutantes and would be millionaires
Oh the East side is for lost boys who know their moves too well
The South side is for gamblers, Henry, the train stops once for hell
It's a hard world when they're forcing you to live your life out on Broadway
But Henry I'm sure you're gonna like it well

Whoa the constellation she points to gate eleven, that's where you got your connections
Let me take a look inside my magic book, I don't think you're beyond my inventions
Whoa these doctor's appendages I'm giving you for wings, I'm sure they will meet the occasion
I'm gonna mix you some magic, you'll be spitting sparks and ready for the invasion

Oh and the Milky Way's a trip for dippers, they saw you coming a mile away
In the amusement park you'll get clipped by rippers hiding behind candy canes
In the alleyway you'll get ripped by strippers all who know your name
In the stalls sit the soldier-boy kissers on leave for just a day
And Henry couldn't take it, he's gonna be a submariner riding underground for the Pope
Gonna stand on the corner of Broadway, and scream "Up 'scope"

Whoaoaoa

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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