Track 12 of Born In The U.S.A., 1984.
- Credits
- Performances
- Snippets
- Released on Album
- Released as Live Download
- On The Tracks
- Lyrics
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- Born In The U.S.A. (1984)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan: piano, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Clarence Clemons: saxophone, percussion, backing vocals
- Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel
- Ruth Jackson: backing vocals
- Garry Tallent: bass, backing vocals
- Max Weinberg: drums, backing vocals
Released on Born In The U.S.A. (1984), My Hometown (1985), and Greatest Hits (1995).
Live versions are released on Live/1975–85 (1986) (recorded September 30, 1985), Live In New York City (Promo Bonus Disc, 2001) (recorded June 29, 2000), and Springsteen On Broadway (2018) (recorded July 17/18, 2018).
Live versions are available on the following 44 official live downloads:
- 2024-11-19 Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
- 2024-11-16 Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
- 2024-07-21 Dokken, Bergen, Norway
- 2024-07-15 Strawberry Arena, Solna, Sweden
- 2024-07-12 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
- 2024-07-09 Odense Dyrskuepladsen, Odense, Denmark
- 2024-07-05 Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena, Hannover, Germany
- 2024-07-02 Werchter Park, Werchter, Belgium
- 2024-06-27 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- 2024-06-20 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
- 2024-06-17 Cívitas Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain
- 2024-06-12 Cívitas Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain
- 2024-05-19 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
- 2023-07-11 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2023-07-06 Hyde Park, London, England
- 2023-06-30 Voldsløkka Stadion, Oslo, Norway
- 2023-06-24 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 2023-06-21 Merkur Spielarena, Düsseldorf, Germany
- 2023-06-18 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium
- 2023-06-16 Villa Park, Birmingham, England
- 2023-06-13 Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland
- 2017-02-21 AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
- 2017-01-22 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- 2016-08-23 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
- 2016-06-25 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 2016-06-19 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
- 2016-06-17 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
- 2014-03-01 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
- 2014-02-15 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- 2009-10-20 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
- 2005-06-25 Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden
- 2003-06-16 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
- 1996-11-08 St. Rose Of Lima School, Gymnasium, Freehold, NJ
- 1993-06-24 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1993-05-14 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
- 1992-07-25 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1990-11-17 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1990-11-16 Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1985-09-27 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
- 1985-08-22 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1984-08-20 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1984-08-19 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1984-08-06 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1984-08-05 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
One of these recordings is also available on the playlists The Live Series: Songs Of Location (2022), The Live Series: Songs Of New Jersey (2023), and The Born In The U.S.A. Tour '84-'85 (2024).
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V1 | 3:30 | LM-17 / MT1 |
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V2 | 3:14 | LM-17 |
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V3 | 3:23 | LM-17 / GS#1 |
| YOUR HOMETOWN - V4 | 3:16 | LM-17 / GS#2 |
| MY HOMETOWN - V5 take 1 | 6:47 | uncirculating |
| MY HOMETOWN - V6 take 2 | 6:22 | uncirculating |
| MY HOMETOWN - V7 take 3 | 4:25 | BITUSA / GREATEST |
| MY HOMETOWN - V8 take 4 | 4:54 | LM-19 |
Note: Written in late 1982 as a rockabilly song called "Your Hometown", with many of the album version lyrics finished by late January 1983. The second verse tells the real-life story of events in Springsteen's hometown of Freehold in May 1969, when a shoot-out between cars of white and black kids turned almost fatal, and the racial tensions and violence in the aftermath. V1–V4 were early takes recorded by Bruce and Toby Scott at his new home, at 7965 Fareholm Drive, Los Angeles, California 90046, on January 29 and 30, and February 9 and 17, 1983. The demos are of good quality, probably prepared to aid in teaching the song to the band. Instead, Bruce set it aside for a few months, and came back with a new title, "My Hometown", and an arrangement for the band. On June 29, 1983 at The Hit Factory, four complete takes were recorded, but the first two were discarded because they both exceeded six minutes. Takes 3 and 4, which both featuring Ruth Jackson (wife of sound engineer Bruce Jackson) on background vocals, were the final result, with take 3 (V7) chosen for Born In The U.S.A..
Studio Sessions: Born In The U.S.A.
My Hometown |
I was eight years old and running with a dime in my hand
Into the bus stop to pick up a paper for my old man
I'd sit on his lap in that big old Buick and steer as we drove through town
He'd tousle my hair and say son take a good look around
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
In '65 tension was running high at my high school
There was a lot of fights between the black and white, there was nothing you could do
Two cars at a light on a Saturday night, in the back seat there was a gun
Words were passed in a shotgun blast, troubled times had come
To my hometown
My hometown
My hometown
My hometown
Now Main Street's whitewashed windows and vacant stores
Seems like there ain't nobody wants to come down here no more
They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back
To your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown
Last night me and Kate we laid in bed talking about getting out
Packing up our bags maybe heading south
I'm thirty-five, we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel and said son take a good look around
This is your hometown
| Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song. |
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