Spare Parts

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Track 4 of Tunnel Of Love, 1987.

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Credits

• Tunnel Of Love (1987)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, drum machine programming
  • Danny Federici: organ
  • Garry Tallent: bass
  • Max Weinberg: percussion
  • Jimmie Wood: harmonica

Performances

Performed live 132 times (not including snippet performances). 2005-11-21 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ 2005-11-09 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2005-07-20 Arena At Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT 2005-07-16 Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY 2005-07-13 Corel Centre, Ottawa, ON 2005-06-28 ICC Berlin, Berlin, Germany 2005-06-27 Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany 1997-02-08 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1997-01-31 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1997-01-30 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1997-01-29 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1997-01-27 Tōkyō Kokusai Fōramu, Forum Hall A, Tokyo, Japan 1996-10-15 Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City, UT 1996-10-02 Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI 1996-10-01 Braden Auditorium, Normal, IL 1996-09-24 James W. Miller Auditorium, Kalamazoo, MI 1996-09-19 Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI 1996-09-18 Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT 1996-09-16 Benedum Center For The Performing Arts, Pittsburgh, PA 1996-05-08 Palacio De Congresos Y Exposiciones, Madrid, Spain 1996-05-07 Teatro Tívoli, Barcelona, Spain 1996-05-06 Teatro Tívoli, Barcelona, Spain 1996-05-02 Zürich Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland 1996-05-01 Palais Des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium 1996-04-30 Salle Erasme, Strasbourg, France 1996-04-27 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-25 Brixton Academy, London, England 1996-04-22 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-20 Koningin Elisabethzaal, Antwerp, Belgium 1996-04-19 ICC Berlin, Saal 1, Berlin, Germany 1996-04-17 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-16 Royal Albert Hall, London, England 1996-04-13 Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa, Italy 1996-04-11 Teatro Smeraldo, Milan, Italy 1996-04-10 Auditorium Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy 1996-03-20 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 1996-03-16 Falkonersalen, Copenhagen, Denmark 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 1996-02-15 Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Munich, Germany 1996-02-14 Kulturpalast, Dresden, Germany 1996-02-12 Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany 1996-01-28 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA 1996-01-26 Bronco Bowl (The), Dallas, TX 1996-01-25 Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX 1996-01-23 Jesse H. Jones Hall For The Performing Arts, Houston, TX 1996-01-16 Music Hall, Cleveland, OH 1996-01-12 Stambaugh Auditorium, Youngstown, OH 1996-01-11 Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI 1996-01-10 Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI 1996-01-08 Massey Hall, Toronto, ON 1996-01-07 Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Montreal, QC 1995-12-17 Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY 1995-12-16 Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA 1995-12-09 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA 1995-12-05 DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC 1995-12-03 Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont, IL 1995-11-30 Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA 1995-11-29 Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA 1995-11-27 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 1995-11-26 Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 1995-11-22 Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ 1995-11-21 State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ 1988-09-02 Wembley Stadium, London, England 1988-08-03 Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain 1988-08-02 Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain 1988-07-30 Weserstadion, Bremen, West Germany 1988-07-27 Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway 1988-07-25 Københavns Idrætspark, Copenhagen, Denmark 1988-07-22 Waldbühne, West Berlin, West Germany 1988-07-19 Radrennbahn Weissensee, East Berlin, East Germany 1988-07-17 Olympia-Reitstadion Riem, Munich, West Germany 1988-07-14 St. Jakob Stadion, Basel, Switzerland 1988-07-12 Waldstadion, Frankfurt, West Germany 1988-07-10 Bramall Lane, Sheffield, England 1988-07-09 Bramall Lane, Sheffield, England 1988-07-07 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 1988-07-03 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 1988-07-02 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 1988-06-29 Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1988-06-28 Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1988-06-25 Wembley Stadium, London, England 1988-06-22 Villa Park, Birmingham, England 1988-06-21 Villa Park, Birmingham, England 1988-06-19 Hippodrome De Vincennes, Paris, France 1988-06-16 Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy 1988-06-15 Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy 1988-06-11 Stadio Comunale, Turin, Italy 1988-05-23 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-22 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-19 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-18 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-16 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1988-05-13 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN 1988-05-10 Met Center, Bloomington, MN 1988-05-09 Met Center, Bloomington, MN 1988-05-06 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA 1988-05-05 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA 1988-05-03 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1988-05-02 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1988-04-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-27 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-25 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-23 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-22 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1988-04-20 McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO 1988-04-17 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO 1988-04-15 Frank Erwin Center, University Of Texas, Austin, TX 1988-04-13 Summit (The), Houston, TX 1988-04-12 Summit (The), Houston, TX 1988-04-05 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1988-04-04 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1988-04-02 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 1988-04-01 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 1988-03-29 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI 1988-03-28 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI 1988-03-26 Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY 1988-03-23 Omni (The), Atlanta, GA 1988-03-22 Omni (The), Atlanta, GA 1988-03-20 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 1988-03-17 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL 1988-03-16 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL 1988-03-14 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1988-03-13 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1988-03-09 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1988-03-08 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1988-03-04 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC 1988-03-03 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC 1988-02-29 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1988-02-28 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1988-02-25 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA

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 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 0 show(s) of 56 on The Seeger Sessions Tour. Performed at 7 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 55 show(s) of 127 on The Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 102 on the World Tour 1992-93. Performed at 1 show(s) of 20 on the Human Rights Now! Tour. Performed at 67 show(s) of 67 on the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. Performed at 0 known other show(s), plus 2 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Tunnel Of Love (1987) and Spare Parts (Single, 1988).

Live versions are released on Spare Parts (Single, 1988) (recorded July 9, 1988) and Missing (EP, 1996) (recorded April 19, 1996).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 7 official live downloads:

• 1995-12-09 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Philadelphia, PA
• 1988-07-03 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
• 1988-05-23 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 1988-05-16 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 1988-04-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• 1988-04-23 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• 1988-03-28 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI

One of these recordings is also available on the playlist The Live Series: Songs From Around The World (2019).

On The Tracks

SPARE PARTS - v1a	3:36	uncirculating
SPARE PARTS - v1b	3:36	TUNNEL / 1988 single

Note: Recorded January 20, 1987 at Thrill Hill Recording, the first day of sessions at the Carousel House on Bruce's Rumson, New Jersey property. The second take was chosen for the album, after Garry Tallent (bass), Danny Federici (organ), and Max Weinberg (percussion) recorded their parts in April, and Toby Scott dubbed them to his base track. In June, Bruce was at Kren Studio in Hollywood, jamming with three country sidemen. One of them was James "Jimmie" Wood, who must have played a mean harmonica, because Bruce liked it so much, he taught Jimmie "Spare Parts" and had him dubbed onto the tape. Released as a single in Europe on October 18, 1988.

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^{Studio Sessions: Tunnel Of Love}

Lyrics

Spare Parts

Booby said he'd pull out, Bobby stayed in
Janey had a baby wasn't any sin
They were set to marry on a summer day
Bobby got scared and he ran away
Jane moved in with here ma out on Shawnee Lake
She sighed, "Ma, sometimes my whole life feels like one big mistake"
She settled in in a back room, time passed on
Later that winter a son came along

Spare parts and broken hearts keep the world turning around

Now Janey walked that baby across the floor night after night
But she was a young girl and she missed the party lights
Meanwhile in South Texas in a dirty oil patch
Bobby heard 'bout his son being born and swore he wasn't ever going back

Spare parts and broken hearts keep the world turning around, around

Janey heard about a woman over in Calverton
Put her baby in the river let the river roll on
She looked at her boy in the crib where he lay
Got down on her knees cried till she prayed
Mist was on the water low run the tide
Janey held her son down at the riverside
Waist deep in the water how bright the sun shone
She lifted him in her arms and carried him home
As he lay sleeping in her bed Janey took a look around at everything
Went to a drawer in her bureau and got out her old engagement ring
Took out her wedding dress tied that ring up in its sash
Went straight down to the pawn shop man and walked out with some good cold cash

Spare parts and broken hearts keep the world turning around
Spare parts and broken hearts keep the world turning around

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

Media

Links

• MusicBrainz

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