Disc 2 track 6 of The River, 1980.
- The River (1980)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
- Roy Bittan: piano, backing vocals
- Clarence Clemons: saxophone, percussion, backing vocals
- Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel
- Garry Tallent: bass
- Steven Van Zandt: guitar, backing vocals
- Max Weinberg: drums, percussion
Released on The River (1980), Point Blank (Single, 1980), and The Ties That Bind: The River Collection (2015).
A live version is released on Live In New York City (2001) (recorded July 1, 2000).
Live versions are available on the following 82 official live downloads:
- 2023-05-27 Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 2023-04-30 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
- 2023-02-07 Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL
- 2017-01-27 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- 2016-07-31 Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland
- 2016-07-28 Frognerparken, Oslo, Norway
- 2016-07-26 Granåsen Arena, Trondheim, Norway
- 2016-07-23 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 2016-07-20 CASA Arena, Horsens, Denmark
- 2016-07-16 Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy
- 2016-07-13 AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France
- 2016-07-11 AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France
- 2016-07-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
- 2016-06-29 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
- 2016-06-27 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 2016-05-17 Estadio Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- 2016-05-14 Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
- 2016-04-25 Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
- 2016-04-23 Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
- 2016-04-20 Royal Farms Arena, Baltimore, MD
- 2016-04-18 Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State University, University Park, PA
- 2016-04-14 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI
- 2016-04-12 Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH
- 2016-04-07 Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
- 2016-04-05 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
- 2016-04-03 Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
- 2016-03-31 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
- 2016-03-28 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
- 2016-03-24 KeyArena At Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
- 2016-03-22 Moda Center, Portland, OR
- 2016-03-19 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- 2016-03-17 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- 2016-03-15 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- 2016-03-13 Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
- 2016-03-10 Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, AZ
- 2016-03-06 Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, MO
- 2016-03-03 BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
- 2016-02-29 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN
- 2016-02-27 Blue Cross Arena At The War Memorial, Rochester, NY
- 2016-02-25 First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY
- 2016-02-23 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
- 2016-02-21 KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY
- 2016-02-18 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
- 2016-02-16 BB&T Center, Sunrise, FL
- 2016-02-12 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
- 2016-02-10 XL Center, Hartford, CT
- 2016-02-08 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
- 2016-02-04 TD Garden, Boston, MA
- 2016-02-02 Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
- 2016-01-31 Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
- 2016-01-29 Verizon Center, Washington, DC
- 2016-01-27 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
- 2016-01-19 United Center, Chicago, IL
- 2016-01-16 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
- 2014-05-18 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
- 2014-05-13 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
- 2014-04-26 Aaron's Amphitheatre At Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
- 2014-02-23 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
- 2014-02-11 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- 2014-02-05 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- 2013-07-23 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
- 2012-07-28 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 2009-11-08 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
- 2009-10-14 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
- 2008-04-28 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
- 2006-10-10 PalaLottomatica, Rome, Italy
- 2005-07-31 Value City Theatre, Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH
- 2005-06-25 Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden
- 2005-05-17 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
- 2003-06-16 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
- 2000-07-01 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
- 2000-05-22 Arrowhead Pond Of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
- 1999-10-23 Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
- 1999-09-30 United Center, Chicago, IL
- 1985-09-27 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
- 1985-08-22 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1981-07-09 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
- 1981-06-05 Wembley Arena, London, England
- 1981-06-04 Wembley Arena, London, England
- 1980-12-31 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
- 1980-12-29 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
- 1980-12-28 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
RAMROD - V1 | 3:58 | DO-1 / AM / UP |
RAMROD - V2a | 3:51 | DROC1 / ATMF / RRR / RO / PYP |
RAMROD - V2b | 3:41 | DROC2 |
RAMROD - V2c | 0:28 | DROC2 / RO |
RAMROD - V2d | 3:46 | RO |
RAMROD - V2e | 3:44 | RO |
RAMROD - V2f | 4:20 | LM-5 |
RAMROD - V2g | 4:20 | LM-5 |
RAMROD - V2h | 4:23 | LM-5 |
RAMROD - V2i | 2.53 | LM-5 |
RAMROD - V2j | 3:57 | RIVER / 1980 b-side |
RAMROD - V2k | 3:57 | TTTB: RIVER |
Note: Written during sessions for Darkness On The Edge Of Town, and at least four takes were recorded at Record Plant studios on September 12, 1977. The V1 lyrics are far from complete; after the first verse and chorus, the rest of the song is bluffed. Note that the car had a "Pontiac engine in a '32 Ford." It was played once on the Darkness Tour, on December 28, 1978 in Pittsburgh, PA. Bruce finished writing the song before resuming work at Power Station studios on June 12, 1979. Several complete takes were again recorded, though it was decided the base track recorded in 1977 would remain. V2a through V2j consist of these tracks, and are a collection of overdubbed guitars and vocals, trying to find the right combination. Studio talk between engineer Neil Dorfsman and Springsteen can be heard on several of the tracks describing the setup. The next two sessions were with Bruce, Dorfsman, and Bob Clearmountain on August 27, 1979 and September 5, 1979, trying to get the final mix for the Ties That Bind album. Unfortunately, "Ramrod" was taken out of the track list at the last minute, and then Springsteen cancelled the album, going back to recording. V2a through V2e were mixed on these two dates. All are complete takes with varying overdubs added. V2c is a thirty second guitar part for overdubbing. When it came time for mixing for The River, two more sessions were held with Dorfsman on April 4 and 19, 1980. V2f through V2i are likely from these dates. The increased length of some of the tracks is due to reduction of the tape speed. V2j is the track chosen for the album, mixed by Toby Scott at Clover Recorders in Los Angeles.
In January 2011, a song titled "Rocker" was registered with the US Copyright Office, but information on the copyright claim suggests this is actually "Ramrod". It was registered because a short audio snippet was included in Thom Zimny's The Promise: The Making Of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, the documentary included on the box set. It can be heard at exactly 1:00:00. A remastered and remixed version of "Ramrod" was included in The Ties That Bind: The River Collection, released on December 4, 2015.
Studio Sessions: Darkness On the Edge of Town
Ramrod |
Hey!
Well hey little dolly with the blue jeans on
I wanna ramrod with you, honey, till half-past dawn
Let your hair down, mama, and pick up this beat
Come on and meet me tonight down on Bluebird Street
I've been working all week, I'm up to my neck in hock
Hey, come Saturday night I let my ramrod rock
Well she's a hot stepping hemi with a four on the floor
And she's a roadrunner engine in a '32 Ford
Yeah late at night when I'm dead on the line
I swear I think of your pretty face when I let her unwind
Well look over yonder see them city lights
Well come on little dolly and go ramrodding tonight
Alright!
Well I said come on, come on, come on little baby
Come on, come on let's shake it tonight
Come on, come, come on little sugar
Dance with your daddy and we'll go ramrodding tonight
Alright!
Big Man!
Well hey little dolly won't you say you will
Meet me tonight up on top of the hill
Well just a few miles 'cross the county line
There's a cute little chapel nestled down in the pines
Say you'll be mine little girl, I'll put my foot to the floor
Give me the word now, sugar, we'll go ramrodding forever more
Alright!
Yeah!
Hey!
Let's go!
Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song. |
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