Open All Night

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Track 8 of Nebraska, 1982.

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Credits

• Nebraska (1982)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, electric guitar, harmonica, mandolin, glockenspiel, tambourine, organ, synthesizer

Performances

Performed live 111 times (not including snippet performances). 2024-04-07 Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA 2014-02-08 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 2014-01-28 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa 2013-07-20 King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland 2013-07-07 Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany 2013-06-18 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland 2013-05-28 AWD-Arena, Hannover, Germany 2013-05-16 Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning, Denmark 2013-05-08 HK Areena, Turku, Finland 2013-05-04 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden 2013-04-30 Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway 2013-03-31 Hanging Rock, Mt. Macedon, Victoria, Australia 2013-03-26 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2013-03-20 Allphones Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2013-03-16 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 2012-11-15 CenturyLink Center, Omaha, NE 2012-11-11 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN 2012-11-03 KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY 2012-08-29 Vernon Downs Raceway, Vernon, NY 2012-08-18 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA 2011-11-09 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY 2010-11-03 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY 2006-11-21 Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland 2006-11-19 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-11-18 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-11-17 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-11-14 Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England 2006-11-12 Wembley Arena, London, England 2006-11-11 Wembley Arena, London, England 2006-11-09 NEC Arena, Birmingham, England 2006-11-07 Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium 2006-11-06 Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany 2006-10-30 Globen, Stockholm, Sweden 2006-10-29 Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway 2006-10-28 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 2006-10-25 Pabellón Deportivo, Santander, Spain 2006-10-24 Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain 2006-10-22 Plaza De Toros De Granada, Granada, Spain 2006-10-21 Estadi Ciutat De València, València, Spain 2006-10-19 Plaza De Toros De Las Ventas, Madrid, Spain 2006-10-13 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2006-10-12 Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany 2006-10-10 PalaLottomatica, Rome, Italy 2006-10-08 PalaMaggiò, Caserta, Italy 2006-10-07 Arena Santa Giuliana, Perugia, Italy 2006-10-05 Arena Di Verona, Verona, Italy 2006-10-04 Villa Manin, Udine, Italy 2006-10-02 PalaIsozaki, Turin, Italy 2006-10-01 PalaMalaguti, Bologna, Italy 2006-06-25 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ 2006-06-24 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ 2006-06-22 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2006-06-20 Tweeter Center At The Waterfront, Camden, NJ 2006-06-19 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY 2006-06-17 DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI 2006-06-16 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 2006-06-14 Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI 2006-06-13 First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, IL 2006-06-11 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN 2006-06-10 Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA 2006-06-06 Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord, CA 2006-06-05 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 2006-06-03 Glendale Arena, Glendale, AZ 2006-05-31 Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, IN 2006-05-30 Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, OH 2006-05-28 Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA 2006-05-27 Tweeter Center For The Performing Arts, Mansfield, MA 2006-05-21 Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden 2006-05-20 Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway 2006-05-17 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany 2006-05-16 Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2006-05-14 Pavelló Olímpic De Badalona, Barcelona, Spain 2006-05-12 DatchForum, Milan, Italy 2006-05-10 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 2006-05-08 Hammersmith Apollo, London, England 2006-05-07 Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England 2006-05-05 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-04-30 New Orleans Fairgrounds, New Orleans, LA 2006-04-26 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2006-04-25 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2006-04-24 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2006-04-20 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2005-11-13 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ 2005-11-11 Ted Constant Convocation Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 2005-11-08 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2005-10-30 TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA 2005-08-07 Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI 2005-08-01 U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH 2005-06-15 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany 2005-06-07 DatchForum, Milan, Italy 1996-11-08 St. Rose Of Lima School, Gymnasium, Freehold, NJ 1992-07-30 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-25 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1985-04-04 Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1985-03-27 Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1984-09-14 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1984-09-05 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1984-08-26 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1984-08-16 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1984-08-11 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1984-08-06 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1984-07-31 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI 1984-07-24 CNE Grandstand, Toronto, ON 1984-07-18 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL 1984-07-15 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL 1984-07-12 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI 1984-07-08 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1984-07-05 Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH 1984-07-02 St. Paul Civic Center, Saint Paul, MN 1984-07-01 St. Paul Civic Center, Saint Paul, MN 1982-10-03 Stone Pony (The), Asbury Park, NJ

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 0 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 2 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 17 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 56 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 1 show(s) of 128 on The Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. Performed at 2 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 17 show(s) of 156 on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour. Performed at 3 known other show(s), plus 4 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Nebraska (1982) and Open All Night (Single, 1982).

A live version is released on Live In Dublin (2007) (recorded November 18, 2006).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 9 official live downloads:

• 2024-04-07 Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA
• 2014-02-08 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 2014-01-28 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
• 2006-11-11 Wembley Arena, London, England
• 2006-10-10 PalaLottomatica, Rome, Italy
• 2006-04-30 New Orleans Fairgrounds, New Orleans, LA
• 1996-11-08 St. Rose Of Lima School, Gymnasium, Freehold, NJ
• 1992-07-25 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
• 1984-08-06 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

One of these recordings is also available on the playlists The Live Series Collection: Songs Of The Road (2018), and The Live Series: Songs Of New Jersey (2023).

On The Tracks

OPEN ALL NIGHT - V1	1:24	FFOD / HNWB
WANDA (OPEN ALL NIGHT) - V2 take 1		uncirculating
WANDA (OPEN ALL NIGHT) - V3a take 2 mix 1	2:50	LM-1
OPEN ALL NIGHT - V3b take 2 mix 2	2:51	NEBRASKA
OPEN ALL NIGHT - V3c take 2 mix 3 stereo mix	2:48	NEBRASKA
OPEN ALL NIGHT - V4		uncirculating

Note: In early 1981 Springsteen took the storyline and lyrics from 1979 River outtake "Living On The Edge Of The World" to create a new composition, "Open All Night". The first audio we have is a curious solo acoustic demo that was recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ during a gap in the River Tour in late March or early April 1981. The opening verses of this demo are lifted from "Living On The Edge Of The World", while the third is from another Born In The U.S.A. outtake, "This Hard Land". Two takes were included on Springsteen's demo tape, V2 and V3. Both were recorded between December 17, 1981 and January 3, 1982, also at Colts Neck; only V3 has surfaced in three different mixes. The only song on Nebraska with electric guitar accompaniment. Springsteen used the title "Wanda (Open All Night)" in an early song line-up. A number of takes were recorded by Springsteen at the Power Station on April 27, 1982. It is unknown if these are with the band or solo, and any completed recordings remain in the vault.

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

Lyrics

Open All Night

Well I had the carburetor, baby, cleaned and checked
With her line blown out she's humming like a turbojet
Propped her up in the backyard on concrete blocks
For a new clutch plate and a new set of shocks
Took her down to the carwash, checked the plugs and points
Well I'm going out tonight, I'm gonna rock that joint

Early North Jersey industrial skyline
I'm a all-set cobra jet creeping through the night time
Gotta find a gas station, gotta find a pay phone
This turnpike sure is spooky at night when you're all alone
Gotta hit the gas, baby, I'm running late
This New Jersey in the morning like a lunar landscape

Now the boss don't dig me, so he put me on the night shift
It takes me two hours to get back to where my baby lives
In the wee wee hours your mind gets hazy
Radio relays towers, won't you lead me to my baby
Underneath the overpass, trooper hits his party light switch
Good night good luck, one two power shift

I met Wanda when she was employed
Behind the counter at Route 60 Bob's Big Boy Fried Chicken
On the front seat, she's sitting in my lap
We're wiping our fingers on a Texaco road map
I remember Wanda up on scrap metal hill
With them big brown eyes that make your heart stand still

Hoo hoo, whoa!
Ha!
Oh, hey

Well at 5 a.m. oil pressure's sinking fast
I make a pit stop, wipe the windshield, check the gas
Gotta call my baby on the telephone
Let her know that her daddy's coming on home
Sit tight, little mama, I'm a-coming around
I got three more hours but I'm covering ground

Your eyes get itchy in the wee wee hours
Sun's just a red ball rising over them refinery towers
Radio's jammed up with gospel stations
Lost souls calling long distance salvation
Hey mister deejay won't you hear my last prayer
Hey ho rock 'n roll deliver me from nowhere

Hey da da di da, di da da
Oh hey da da di da, di da da
Oh hey da da di da, di da da
Oh hey da da di da, di da da
…..

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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