Highway 29

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Track 3 of The Ghost Of Tom Joad, 1995.

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Credits

• The Ghost Of Tom Joad (1995)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, keyboard

Performances

Performed live 135 times (not including snippet performances). 2005-11-08 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2005-10-15 Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI 2005-08-11 KeyArena At Seattle Center, Seattle, WA 2005-07-20 Arena At Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT 2005-07-14 Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON 2005-06-27 Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany 2005-06-23 Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden 2005-06-16 Philipshalle, Düsseldorf, Germany 1997-05-26 Palais Des Congrès De Paris, Paris, France 1997-05-25 Palais Des Congrès De Paris, Paris, France 1997-05-22 Teatro Augusteo, Naples, Italy 1997-05-21 Teatro Verdi, Florence, Italy 1997-05-19 Zénith Oméga, Toulon, France 1997-05-18 Palais Des Congrès Acropolis, Nice, France 1997-05-16 Opéra Berlioz, Corum (Le), Montpellier, France 1997-05-15 Auditorium Maurice-Ravel, Lyon, France 1997-05-12 Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic 1997-05-10 Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, Poland 1997-05-09 Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, Poland 1997-05-07 Austria Center Vienna, Vienna, Austria 1997-05-06 Austria Center Vienna, Vienna, Austria 1997-02-17 Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1997-02-16 Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1997-02-15 Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1997-02-12 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1997-02-11 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1997-02-10 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1997-02-08 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1997-02-07 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1997-02-05 Concert Hall (The), QPAC, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 1997-02-04 Concert Hall (The), QPAC, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 1997-01-31 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1997-01-30 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1997-01-29 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1997-01-27 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1996-12-14 Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, NC 1996-12-12 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 1996-12-11 Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH 1996-12-10 Music Hall, Cincinnati, OH 1996-12-06 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Concert Hall, Birmingham, AL 1996-12-05 Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC 1996-12-03 Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, FL 1996-12-02 Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, FL 1996-11-25 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ 1996-11-21 Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN 1996-11-20 Louisville Palace (The), Louisville, KY 1996-11-19 Ellis Auditorium, Memphis, TN 1996-11-14 Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA 1996-11-13 Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY 1996-11-12 Shea's Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY 1996-11-08 St. Rose Of Lima School, Gymnasium, Freehold, NJ 1996-10-29 Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA 1996-10-28 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR 1996-10-26 Event Center Arena, San Jose, CA 1996-10-25 Arlington Theater, Santa Barbara, CA 1996-10-23 William Saroyan Theatre, Fresno, CA 1996-10-22 San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA 1996-10-21 Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 1996-10-19 Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM 1996-10-17 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO 1996-10-16 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO 1996-10-15 Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City, UT 1996-10-03 Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN 1996-10-02 Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI 1996-10-01 Braden Auditorium, Normal, IL 1996-09-26 Hill Auditorium, University Of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 1996-09-25 E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Akron, OH 1996-09-24 James W. Miller Auditorium, Kalamazoo, MI 1996-09-19 Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI 1996-09-18 Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT 1996-09-16 Benedum Center For The Performing Arts, Pittsburgh, PA 1996-05-08 Palacio De Congresos Y Exposiciones, Madrid, Spain 1996-05-07 Teatro Tívoli, Barcelona, Spain 1996-05-06 Teatro Tívoli, Barcelona, Spain 1996-05-02 Zürich Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland 1996-05-01 Palais Des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium 1996-04-30 Salle Erasme, Strasbourg, France 1996-04-27 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-25 Brixton Academy, London, England 1996-04-24 Brixton Academy, London, England 1996-04-22 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-20 Koningin Elisabethzaal, Antwerp, Belgium 1996-04-19 ICC Berlin, Saal 1, Berlin, Germany 1996-04-17 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-16 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-13 Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa, Italy 1996-04-11 Teatro Smeraldo, Milan, Italy 1996-04-10 Auditorium Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy 1996-03-20 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 1996-03-19 King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland 1996-03-16 Falkonersalen, Copenhagen, Denmark 1996-03-14 Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway 1996-03-13 Cirkus, Stockholm, Sweden 1996-03-03 Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland 1996-03-02 City Hall, Newcastle, England 1996-02-29 Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England 1996-02-28 Apollo Theatre, Manchester, England 1996-02-26 Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 1996-02-25 Doelen (De), Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1996-02-22 Zénith De Paris (Le), Paris, France 1996-02-21 Zénith De Paris (Le), Paris, France 1996-02-18 Philipshalle, Düsseldorf, Germany 1996-02-17 Congress Centrum Hamburg, Halle 1, Hamburg, Germany 1996-02-15 Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Munich, Germany 1996-02-14 Kulturpalast, Dresden, Germany 1996-02-12 Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany 1996-01-28 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 1996-01-26 Bronco Bowl (The), Dallas, TX 1996-01-25 Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX 1996-01-23 Jesse H. Jones Hall For The Performing Arts, Houston, TX 1996-01-22 Saenger Performing Arts Center, New Orleans, LA 1996-01-18 Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO 1996-01-17 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH 1996-01-16 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH 1996-01-12 Stambaugh Auditorium, Youngstown, OH 1996-01-11 Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI 1996-01-10 Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI 1996-01-08 Massey Hall, Toronto, ON 1996-01-07 Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Montreal, QC 1995-12-17 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY 1995-12-16 Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA 1995-12-15 Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA 1995-12-13 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY 1995-12-12 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY 1995-12-09 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA 1995-12-08 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA 1995-12-06 DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC 1995-12-05 DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC 1995-12-03 Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont, IL 1995-11-30 Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA 1995-11-29 Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA 1995-11-27 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 1995-11-26 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 1995-11-22 Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ 1995-11-21 State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ

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 0 show(s) of 14 on the Summer '17 Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 0 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 133 on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 83 on the Working On A Dream Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 99 on the Magic Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 56 on The Seeger Sessions Tour. Performed at 8 show(s) of 72 on the Devils & Dust Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 7 on the Vote For Change Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 120 on The Rising Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 132 on The Reunion Tour. Performed at 126 show(s) of 128 on The Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. Performed at 0 known other show(s), plus 1 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on The Ghost Of Tom Joad (1995).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 5 official live downloads:

• 1997-05-18 Palais Des Congrès Acropolis, Nice, France
• 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

One of these recordings is also available on the playlist The Live Series Collection: Songs Of The Road (2018).

On The Tracks

HIGHWAY 29

3:34

JOAD

Note: Recorded sometime March–August 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, California. Springsteen solo.

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^{Studio Sessions: The Ghost Of Tom Joad}

Lyrics

Highway 29

I slipped on her shoe, she was a perfect size seven
I said "there's no smoking in the store ma'am"
She crossed her legs and then
We made some small talk, that's where it should have stopped
She slipped me a number, I put it in my pocket
My hand slipped up her skirt, everything slipped my mind
In that little roadhouse on highway 29

It was a small town bank, it was a mess
Well I had a gun, you know the rest
Money on the floorboards, shirt was covered in blood and she was crying
Her and me we headed south on highway 29

In a little desert motel, the air was hot and clean
I slept the sleep of the dead, I didn't dream
I woke in the morning, washed my face in the sink
We headed into the Sierra Madres 'cross the borderline
The winter sun, shot through the black trees
I told myself it was all something in her
But as we drove I knew it was something in me
Something had been coming for a long long time
And something that was here with me now on highway 29

The road was filled with broken glass and gasoline
She wasn't saying nothing, it was just a dream
Wind come silent through the windshield
All I could see was snow and sky and pines
I closed my eyes and I was running
And I was running then I was flying

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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