Mansion On The Hill

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Track 3 of Nebraska, 1982.

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Credits

• Nebraska (1982)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin

Performances

Performed live 138 times (not including snippet performances). 2023-02-07 Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL 2016-08-23 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2016-07-09 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium 2012-09-19 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2012-03-09 Apollo Theater, New York City, NY 2006-11-21 Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland 2005-11-22 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ 2003-09-20 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien, NY 2000-07-01 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2000-06-29 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2000-06-26 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2000-06-03 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA 2000-05-29 Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT 2000-05-21 Arrowhead Pond Of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA 2000-05-07 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT 2000-05-03 Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON 2000-04-30 Firstar Center, Cincinnati, OH 2000-04-25 Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 2000-04-17 Frank Erwin Center, University Of Texas, Austin, TX 2000-04-12 Nashville Arena, Nashville, TN 2000-04-08 Kiel Center, St. Louis, MO 2000-03-30 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 2000-03-18 Pyramid Arena, Memphis, TN 2000-03-13 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX 2000-03-09 National Car Rental Center, Sunrise, FL 2000-03-06 Ice Palace, Tampa, FL 2000-03-04 Orlando Arena, Orlando, FL 2000-02-28 Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State University, University Park, PA 1999-11-28 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN 1999-11-21 Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY 1999-10-28 Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA 1999-10-25 Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA 1999-10-21 Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA 1999-10-17 Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA 1999-10-15 America West Arena, Phoenix, AZ 1999-09-30 United Center, Chicago, IL 1999-09-27 United Center, Chicago, IL 1999-09-24 First Union Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1999-09-20 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA 1999-09-13 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA 1999-09-08 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI 1999-09-03 MCI Center, Washington, DC 1999-08-31 MCI Center, Washington, DC 1999-08-27 FleetCenter, Boston, MA 1999-08-24 FleetCenter, Boston, MA 1999-08-21 FleetCenter, Boston, MA 1999-08-11 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1999-08-09 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1999-08-06 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1999-08-01 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1999-07-26 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1999-07-20 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1999-07-15 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1999-06-27 Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway 1999-06-23 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 1999-06-19 Gelredome, Arnhem, The Netherlands 1999-06-15 Stadion Am Bieberer Berg, Offenbach, Germany 1999-06-11 Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, Italy 1999-06-05 Estadio La Romareda, Zaragoza, Spain 1999-06-02 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 1999-05-30 Parkbühne Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 1999-05-27 Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium 1999-05-25 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 1999-05-23 Earls Court, London, England 1999-05-21 Earls Court, London, England 1999-05-19 Earls Court, London, England 1999-05-02 Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England 1999-04-24 Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria 1999-04-19 FilaForum, Milan, Italy 1999-04-17 PalaMalaguti, Bologna, Italy 1999-04-15 Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany 1999-04-13 Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany 1999-04-11 Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain 1999-04-09 Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain 1999-03-19 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 1997-02-08 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1997-01-27 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1996-12-12 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN 1996-12-10 Music Hall, Cincinnati, OH 1996-12-05 Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC 1996-12-02 Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, FL 1996-11-24 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ 1996-11-21 Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN 1996-11-20 Louisville Palace (The), Louisville, KY 1996-11-08 St. Rose Of Lima School, Gymnasium, Freehold, NJ 1996-10-28 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR 1996-10-26 Event Center Arena, San Jose, CA 1996-10-23 William Saroyan Theatre, Fresno, CA 1996-05-07 Teatro Tívoli, Barcelona, Spain 1996-04-24 Brixton Academy, London, England 1996-04-20 Koningin Elisabethzaal, Antwerp, Belgium 1996-04-17 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-11 Teatro Smeraldo, Milan, Italy 1996-03-20 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 1996-03-02 City Hall, Newcastle, England 1996-02-28 Apollo Theatre, Manchester, England 1996-02-26 Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 1996-02-22 Zénith De Paris (Le), Paris, France 1996-02-17 Congress Centrum Hamburg, Halle 1, Hamburg, Germany 1996-01-26 Bronco Bowl (The), Dallas, TX 1996-01-16 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH 1996-01-12 Stambaugh Auditorium, Youngstown, OH 1996-01-11 Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI 1995-12-16 Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA 1995-12-13 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY 1995-12-09 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA 1995-12-06 DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC 1993-06-26 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1993-04-24 Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium 1993-04-20 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1993-04-16 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England 1993-04-07 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland 1993-04-03 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany 1993-03-31 SECC, Glasgow, Scotland 1990-11-17 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA 1990-11-16 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA 1986-10-13 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1985-01-24 Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI 1985-01-04 Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, VA 1984-12-14 Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN 1984-12-07 Leon County Civic Center, Tallahassee, FL 1984-11-29 Summit (The), Houston, TX 1984-11-26 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX 1984-11-23 Frank Erwin Center, University Of Texas, Austin, TX 1984-11-15 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO 1984-11-11 McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO 1984-11-08 ASU Activity Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 1984-10-29 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1984-10-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1984-10-25 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1984-10-21 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA 1984-10-17 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA 1984-10-15 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC 1984-09-24 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY 1984-09-21 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 1984-07-05 Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH 1984-07-01 St. Paul Civic Center, Saint Paul, MN 1984-06-29 St. Paul Civic Center, Saint Paul, MN

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 1 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 2 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 0 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 1 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 1 show(s) of 56 on The Seeger Sessions Tour. Performed at 1 show(s) of 72 on the Devils & Dust Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 7 on the Vote For Change Tour. Performed at 1 show(s) of 120 on The Rising Tour. Performed at 66 show(s) of 132 on The Reunion Tour. Performed at 32 show(s) of 128 on The Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. Performed at 6 show(s) of 102 on the World Tour 1992-93. Performed at 0 show(s) of 20 on the Human Rights Now! Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 67 on the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. Performed at 21 show(s) of 156 on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour. Performed at 5 known other show(s), plus 1 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Nebraska (1982) and Atlantic City (Single, 1982).

A live version is released on Live In New York City (2001) (recorded July 1, 2000).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 14 official live downloads:

• 2023-02-07 Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL
• 2016-08-23 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• 2016-07-09 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium
• 2012-03-09 Apollo Theater, New York City, NY
• 2005-11-22 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ
• 2000-07-01 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 1999-09-30 United Center, Chicago, IL
• 1999-07-15 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
• 1996-11-24 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
• 1996-11-08 St. Rose Of Lima School, Gymnasium, Freehold, NJ
• 1995-12-09 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
• 1990-11-17 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
• 1990-11-16 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
• 1986-10-13 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA

On The Tracks

MANSION ON THE HILL - V1a		uncirculating
MANSION ON THE HILL - V1b	4:00	LM-1
MANSION ON THE HILL - V1c	4:01	NEBRASKA
MANSION ON THE HILL - V1c stereo mix	3:55	NEBRASKA
MANSION ON THE HILL - V2		uncirculating

Note: Written by Springsteen during the River Tour, although the themes found in the song were explored prior to this, during the Darkness sessions. For example, the lyric "there's a palace on the edge of town / risin' from the factories and railroad shacks" can be found in the Darkness box set facsimile book, which is very similar to a lyric found in "Mansion On The Hill". The first song completed for Nebraska, and only one recording was made - the four variants above are merely alternate mixes. Springsteen recorded multiple takes at Power Station on April 27, 28, and 30, 1982 either solo (Springsteen would re-record the Nebraska tracks around this time in a failed attempt to reproduce his demos in a professional environment) or with the band.

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^{Studio Sessions: Nebraska / Born In The U.S.A.}

Lyrics

Mansion On The Hill

There's a place out on the edge of town, sir
Rising above the factories and the fields
Now ever since I was a child I can remember
That mansion on the hill

In the day you can see the children playing
On the road that leads to those gates of hardened steel
Steel gates that completely surround, sir
The mansion on the hill

At night my daddy'd take me and we'd ride
Through the streets of a town so silent and still
Park on a back road along the highway side
Look up at that mansion on the hill

In the summer all the lights would shine
There'd be music playing, people laughing all the time
Me and my sister we'd hide out in the tall corn fields
Sit and listen to the mansion on the hill

Tonight down here in Linden Town
I watch the cars rushing by home from the mill
There's a beautiful full moon rising
Above the mansion on the hill

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

Media

Gallery

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