Outlaw Pete

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Track 1 of Working On A Dream, 2009.

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Credits

• Working On A Dream (2009)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards, percussion, glockenspiel
  • Roy Bittan: piano, organ[?]
  • Clarence Clemons: saxophone, backing vocals[?]
  • Danny Federici: organ[?]
  • Nils Lofgren: guitar, backing vocals
  • Patti Scialfa: backing vocals[?]
  • Garry Tallent: bass
  • Soozie Tyrell: violin, backing vocals[?]
  • Steven Van Zandt: guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
  • Patrick Warren: keyboards
  • Max Weinberg: drums
    • String and horn arrangements by Eddie Horst

Performances

Performed live 73 times (not including snippet performances). 2014-05-23 Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, Pittsburgh, PA 2009-11-02 Verizon Center, Washington, DC 2009-10-13 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2009-10-09 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-10-08 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-10-03 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-10-02 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-09-30 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-09-21 Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA 2009-09-20 United Center, Chicago, IL 2009-09-16 BI-LO Center, Greenville, SC 2009-09-13 BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, FL 2009-09-12 Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL 2009-08-25 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY 2009-08-23 Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA 2009-08-22 Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA 2009-08-19 Comcast Theatre, Hartford, CT 2009-08-02 Auditorio Monte Do Gozo, Santiago De Compostela, Spain 2009-08-01 Estadio José Zorrilla, Valladolid, Spain 2009-07-30 Estadio Municipal De Foietes, Benidorm, Spain 2009-07-28 Estadio Olimpico De La Cartuja, Seville, Spain 2009-07-26 Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain 2009-07-23 Stadio Friuli, Udine, Italy 2009-07-21 Stadio Olimpico, Turin, Italy 2009-07-19 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy 2009-07-16 Les Vieilles Charrues, Carhaix, France 2009-07-14 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland 2009-07-12 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 2009-07-11 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 2009-07-08 MCH Arena, Herning, Denmark 2009-07-05 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 2009-07-03 Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany 2009-07-02 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany 2009-06-30 Stade De Suisse, Bern, Switzerland 2009-06-28 Hyde Park, London, England (Evening) 2009-06-27 Worthy Farm, Pilton, England (Evening) 2009-06-13 Great Stage Park, Manchester, TN 2009-06-10 Koengen, Bergen, Norway 2009-06-09 Koengen, Bergen, Norway 2009-06-07 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 2009-06-05 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 2009-06-04 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 2009-06-02 Ratinan Stadion, Tampere, Finland 2009-05-30 Megaland, Landgraaf, The Netherlands 2009-05-23 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-05-21 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ 2009-05-19 Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 2009-05-18 Verizon Center, Washington, DC 2009-05-15 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA 2009-05-14 Times Union Center, Albany, NY 2009-05-12 United Center, Chicago, IL 2009-05-11 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN 2009-05-08 Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State University, University Park, PA 2009-05-07 Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON 2009-05-05 John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA 2009-05-04 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 2009-05-02 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC 2009-04-29 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2009-04-28 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2009-04-26 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA 2009-04-24 XL Center, Hartford, CT 2009-04-22 TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA 2009-04-21 TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA 2009-04-16 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 2009-04-15 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 2009-04-10 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO 2009-04-08 Toyota Center, Houston, TX 2009-04-07 BOK Center, Tulsa, OK 2009-04-05 Frank Erwin Center, University Of Texas, Austin, TX 2009-04-03 Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ 2009-04-01 HP Pavilion At San Jose, San Jose, CA 2009-03-24 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2009-03-23 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, 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 70 show(s) of 83 on the Working On A Dream Tour. Performed at 1 known other show(s), plus 2 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Working On A Dream (2009).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 1 official live downloads:

• 2009-05-04 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

On The Tracks

OUTLAW PETE

8:00

DREAM

Note: "Outlaw Pete" was written some time between summer 2007 and fall 2008 and recorded in several parts, most likely at Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta. Features Soozie Tyrell on violin, Patrick Warren on keyboards, and strings and horns arranged by Eddie Horst. The song was later adapted into a book by Springsteen and illustrator Frank Caruso, published on November 4, 2014.

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^{Studio Sessions: Working On A Dream}

Media

Lyrics

Outlaw Pete

He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail
At six months old he'd done three months in jail
He robbed a bank in his diapers and his little bare baby feet
All he said was "Folks my name is Outlaw Pete."
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

At twenty-five a Mustang pony he did steal
And he rode her 'round and 'round on heaven's wheel
Father Jesus I'm an outlaw, killer and a thief
And I slow down only to sow my grief
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

He cut his trail of tears across the countryside
And where he went women wept and men died

One night he woke from a vision of his own death
Saddled his pony and rode her deep into the West
Married a Navajo girl and settled down on the res
And as the snow fell he held their beautiful daughter to his chest
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Out of the East on an Irish stallion came bounty hunter Dan
His heart quickened and burned by the need to get his man
He found Pete peacefully fishing by the river, pulled his gun and got the drop
He said, "Pete you think you've changed but you have not."

He cocked his pistol, pulled the trigger and shouted "let it start"
Pete drew a knife from his boot, threw it, and pierced Dan through the heart
Dan smiled as he lay in his own blood dying in the sun
And whispered in Pete's ear, "We cannot undo these things we've done."
You're Outlaw Pete, you're Outlaw Pete, Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

For forty days and nights Pete rode and did not stop
Till he sat high upon an icy mountaintop
He watched the hawk on a desert updraft, slip and slide
Moved to the edge and dug his spurs deep into his pony's side

Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge
And some say they remain frozen high up on that icy ledge
The young Navajo girl washes in the river, skin so fair
And braids a piece of Pete's buckskin chaps into her hair
Outlaw Pete, Outlaw Pete, Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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