It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City

Track 9 of Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., 1973.

^{Graph accurate to the end of the Wrecking Ball Tour, December 2012.}

Credits
Performances
Snippets
Multiples
Released on Album
Released as Live Download
Lyrics

Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. (1973)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Vini Lopez: drums
- David Sancious: piano
- Garry Tallent: electric bass

Tracks (1998)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar

^{Performed live 193 times (not including snippet performances).}

2017-02-21 Ami Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
2017-01-27 Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
2016-09-14 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
2016-09-11 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
2016-09-09 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2016-09-05 Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA
2016-09-01 Nationals Park, Washington, DC
2016-08-30 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2016-06-19 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
2016-05-29 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
2016-05-27 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
2016-02-25 First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY
2014-02-26 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2013-06-18 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
2012-11-11 Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
2012-11-01 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA
2012-09-22 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2012-09-03 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2012-08-29 Vernon Downs Raceway, Vernon, NY
2012-07-28 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
2012-05-02 Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
2009-11-22 HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
2009-10-19 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
2009-10-08 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2009-08-23 Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA
2009-04-08 Toyota Center, Houston, TX
2008-07-28 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2008-05-28 Old Trafford, Manchester, England
2008-04-28 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
2008-03-17 Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
2007-11-04 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
2005-11-22 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ
2005-11-21 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ
2005-08-03 Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
2003-08-11 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
2003-07-27 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2003-03-07 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
2002-11-24 Ice Palace, Tampa, FL
2002-11-21 TD Waterhouse Centre, Orlando, FL
2000-06-20 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
2000-05-29 Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
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
1996-11-26 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
1996-11-25 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
1981-09-14 Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH
1981-09-11 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL
1979-01-01 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH
1978-12-28 Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
1978-12-16 Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
1978-12-13 Tucson Community Center Arena, Tucson, AZ
1978-12-08 Summit (The), Houston, TX
1978-12-01 Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK
1978-11-20 Assembly Hall, Champaign, IL
1978-09-15 Palladium, New York City, NY
1978-09-13 Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA
1978-09-12 Onondaga County War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, NY
1978-08-29 Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
1978-08-23 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
1978-07-21 Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN
1978-07-07 Roxy Theatre (The), West Hollywood, CA
1978-06-03 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
1978-05-31 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1978-05-30 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1978-05-29 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1978-05-27 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1978-05-26 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1977-03-25 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1977-03-24 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1976-05-28 Halsey Field House, Annapolis, MD
1976-05-27 Eisenhower Hall Auditorium, West Point, NY
1976-05-13 Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, LA
1976-05-11 Memorial Coliseum, Auburn, AL
1976-05-10 Municipal Auditorium Theater, Mobile, AL
1976-05-03 Joseph Taylor Robinson Municipal Auditorium, Little Rock, AR
1976-04-29 Ellis Auditorium, Memphis, TN
1976-04-22 Burruss Auditorium, Blacksburg, VA
1976-04-17 Louis A. Alexander Palestra, Rochester, NY
1976-04-15 Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA
1976-04-13 Rec Hall, University Park, PA
1976-04-10 Paul Mellon Arts Center, Wallingford, CT
1976-04-09 Reid Athletic Center, Hamilton, NY
1976-04-08 Allen Theatre, Cleveland, OH
1976-04-07 Allen Theatre, Cleveland, OH
1976-04-05 Ohio Theatre, Columbus, OH
1976-04-04 MSU Auditorium, East Lansing, MI
1976-03-26 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
1976-03-25 Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC
1975-12-31 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
1975-12-30 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
1975-12-28 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
1975-12-27 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
1975-12-21 Seneca Field House, Toronto, ON
1975-12-20 National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON
1975-12-19 Théâtre Maisonneuve, Montreal, QC
1975-12-17 Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY
1975-12-16 Laker Hall Gym, Oswego, NY
1975-12-12 Post Dome, Greenvale, NY
1975-12-11 Walsh Auditorium, South Orange, NJ
1975-12-06 McDonough Arena, Washington, DC
1975-12-05 McDonough Arena, Washington, DC
1975-12-03 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1975-12-02 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1975-11-24 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
1975-11-21 Stockholms Konserthuset, Stockholm, Sweden
1975-11-18 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
1975-11-10 Jai Alai Fronton, Tampa, FL
1975-11-06 Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, Tempe, AZ
1975-11-01 Robertson Gymnasium, Santa Barbara, CA
1975-10-02 Uptown Theatre, Milwaukee, WI
1975-09-30 Civic Auditorium Music Hall, Omaha, NE
1975-09-28 Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS
1975-09-27 Ambassador Theatre, St. Louis, MO
1975-09-26 Hancher Auditorium, Iowa City, IA
1975-09-25 Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
1975-09-23 Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI
1975-09-21 Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN
1975-09-20 Darby Gymnasium, Grinnell, IA
1975-09-16 Dallas Convention Center Theater, Dallas, TX
1975-09-14 Music Hall, Houston, TX
1975-09-13 Music Hall, Houston, TX
1975-09-12 Municipal Auditorium, Austin, TX
1975-09-06 Theatre Of Performing Arts, New Orleans, LA
1975-08-23 Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom, Atlanta, GA
1975-08-17 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Late)
1975-08-17 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Early)
1975-08-16 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Early)
1975-08-15 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Late)
1975-08-15 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Early)
1975-08-14 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Early)
1975-08-13 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Late)
1975-08-10 Allen Theatre, Cleveland, OH
1975-08-08 Akron Civic Theatre, Akron, OH
1975-08-02 Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, VA
1975-08-01 Mosque (The), Richmond, VA
1975-07-30 Carter Barron Amphitheatre, Washington, DC
1975-07-28 Carter Barron Amphitheatre, Washington, DC
1975-07-26 Keystone Hall, Kutztown, PA
1975-07-25 Keystone Hall, Kutztown, PA
1975-07-23 Music Inn, Lenox, MA
1975-07-22 Geneva Theatre, Geneva, NY
1975-07-20 Palace Concert Theater, Providence, RI
1975-02-23 Westbury Music Fair, Westbury, NY
1975-02-19 University Auditorium, University Park, PA
1975-02-06 Widener Field House, Chester, PA
1975-02-05 Main Point (The), Bryn Mawr, PA
1974-12-08 Burlington Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, VT
1974-12-07 Geneva Theatre, Geneva, NY
1974-12-06 State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ
1974-11-29 War Memorial, Trenton, NJ
1974-11-23 Mainstage Auditorium, Salem, MA
1974-11-16 Leonard Gym, Washington, DC
1974-11-08 Ritz Music Hall, Corpus Christi, TX
1974-11-01 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
1974-10-29 Music Hall, Boston, MA
1974-10-26 Julia Sanderson Theater, Springfield, MA
1974-10-19 Memorial Chapel Concert Hall, Schenectady, NY
1974-10-18 Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
1974-10-12 Alexander Hall, Princeton, NJ (Late)
1974-10-11 Shady Grove Music Fair, Gaithersburg, MD
1974-10-05 Bollman Center, Reading, PA
1974-10-04 Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, NY
1974-09-22 Student Center, Union, NJ
1974-08-14 Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ (Late)
1974-07-13 Bottom Line (The), New York City, NY (Late)
1974-06-02 Agora (The), Toledo, OH
1974-05-09 Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA (Late)
1974-05-09 Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA (Early)
1974-05-04 Panzer Gym, Montclair, NJ
1974-04-26 Alumnae Hall, Providence, RI
1974-04-06 Burlington County College, Pemberton, NJ
1974-03-24 Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
1974-03-10 Liberty Hall, Houston, TX (Late)
1974-03-09 Liberty Hall, Houston, TX (Late)
1974-03-03 Gaston Hall, Washington, DC (Late)
1974-01-12 Joint In The Woods (The), Parsippany, NJ
1974-01-06 Joe's Place, Cambridge, MA
1973-11-17 Roxy Theatre, Philadelphia, PA (Late)
1973-10-31 Main Point (The), Bryn Mawr, PA (Late)
1973-10-30 Main Point (The), Bryn Mawr, PA (Late)
1973-10-20 Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH
1973-09-08 Flagstaff Hill, Pittsburgh, PA
1973-07-31 My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY (Late)
1973-07-27 Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CA
1973-01-03 Main Point (The), Bryn Mawr, PA (Early)
1972-05-02 Gaslight Au Go Go, New York City, NY
1972-05-02 CBS Building, New York City, NY
1972-02-14 Pocketful Of Tunes Inc., New York City, NY

^{Performed live 1 times as a snippet.}

1972-09-02 Huddy Park, Highlands, NJ

Performed multiple times during the following shows:

1972-02-14 Pocketful Of Tunes Inc., New York City, NY

Live versions are released on Live/1975-85 and Hammersmith Odeon, London '75.

Live versions are available on the following official live downloads:

2017-02-21 Ami Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
2017-01-27 Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
2016-09-14 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
2016-09-11 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
2016-09-09 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2016-09-05 Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA
2016-09-01 Nationals Park, Washington, DC
2016-08-30 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2016-06-19 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
2016-05-29 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
2016-05-27 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
2016-02-25 First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY
2014-02-26 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2012-09-22 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2009-11-22 HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
2005-11-22 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ
2005-08-03 Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
1978-12-08 Summit (The), Houston, TX
1978-07-07 Roxy Theatre (The), West Hollywood, CA
1975-12-31 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA

It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City

I had skin like leather and the diamond-hard look of a cobra
I was born blue and weathered but I burst just like a supernova
I could walk like Brando right into the sun
Dance just like a Casanova
With my blackjack and jacket and hair slicked sweet
Silver star studs on my duds like a Harley in heat
When I strut down the street I could feel its heartbeat
The sisters fell back, said, "Don't that man look pretty"
The cripple on the corner cried out, "Nickels for your pity"
Them gasoline boys downtown sure talk gritty
It's so hard to be a saint in the city

I was the king of the alley, mama, I could talk some trash
I was the prince of the paupers crowned downtown at the beggar's bash
I was the pimp's main prophet, I kept everything cool
Just a backstreet gambler with the luck to lose
And when the heat came down and it was left on the ground
Devil appeared like Jesus through the steam in the street
Showin' me a hand I knew even the cops couldn't beat
I felt his hot breath on my neck as I dove into the heat
It's so hard to be a saint when you're just a boy out on the street

And the sages of the subway sit just like the living dead
As the tracks clack out the rhythm, their eyes fixed straight ahead
They ride the line of balance and hold on by just a thread
But it's too hot in these tunnels, you can get hit up by the heat
You get up to get out at your next stop but they push you back down in your seat
Your heart starts beatin' faster as you struggle to your feet
And you're out of that hole, back up on the street

And them south side sisters sure look pretty
The cripple on the corner cries out, "Nickels for your pity"
Them downtown boys, they sure talk gritty
It's so hard to be a saint in the city
So hard
Whoa, yeah, oh
Walking down some side street
With your back flat jacked up against some wall

^{Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.}