The Wall

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Track 11 of High Hopes, 2014.

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Credits

• High Hopes (2014)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, drums
  • Ron Aniello: synthesizer, accordion
  • Roy Bittan: piano
  • Danny Federici: organ
  • Nils Lofgren: guitar
  • Curt Ramm: cornet
  • Patti Scialfa: backing vocals
  • Garry Tallent: bass
  • Max Weinberg: percussion

Performances

Performed live 12 times (not including snippet performances). 2014-05-22 Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, Pittsburgh, PA 2014-05-14 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA 2014-05-13 Times Union Center, Albany, NY 2014-04-29 BB&T Center, Sunrise, FL 2014-04-22 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA 2014-04-19 Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC 2014-04-17 Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN 2014-04-12 Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA 2005-11-16 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 2005-11-11 Ted Constant Convocation Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 2003-02-20 Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA 2003-02-19 Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 0 show(s) of 118 on the 2023-24 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 7 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 2 show(s) of 72 on the Devils & Dust Tour. Performed at 3 known other show(s), plus 0 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on High Hopes (2014).

Released as Live Download

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

• 2014-05-14 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
• 2014-05-13 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
• 2014-04-29 BB&T Center, Sunrise, FL
• 2014-04-22 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2014-04-19 Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
• 2014-04-17 Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
• 2014-04-12 Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA

On The Tracks

THE WALL - V1		uncirculating
THE WALL - V2		HOPES

Note: Written December 1997–January 1998. The title and idea came from Joe Grushecky and the rest was written by Springsteen after he and Patti Scialfa visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. Bruce premiered the song live on February 19, 2003 at Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, and prefaced the performance by mentioning that he'd visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington in December 1997 and that several days later Grushecky (in advance of their songwriting sessions) sent Bruce a newspaper clipping about the Vietnam Memorial. Grushecky subsequently wrote a different, but similarly themed, song called "On The Wall" that appeared on his 2002 Fingerprints album. Recorded in the late '90s (perhaps during sessions for Tracks) with the E Street Band, including Danny Federici. Played twice during 2005's Devils & Dust Tour. V2 issued on 2014's High Hopes, produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen.

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^{Studio Sessions: The Rising}

Lyrics

The Wall

Cigarettes and a bottle of beer, this poem that I wrote for you
This black stone and these hard tears are all I got left now of you
I remember you in your Marine uniform laughing, laughing at your ship out party
I read Robert McNamara says he's sorry

Your high boots and striped t-shirt, ah, Billy you looked so bad
Yeah you and your rock and roll band, you were the best thing this shit town ever had
Now the men that put you here eat with their families in rich dining halls
And apology and forgiveness got no place here at all, here at the wall

Well I'm sorry I missed you last year, I couldn't find no one to drive me
If your eyes could cut through that black stone, tell me would they recognize me
For the living time it must be served as the day goes on
Cigarettes and a bottle of beer, skin on black stone

On the ground dog tags and wreaths of flowers, with the ribbons red as the blood
Red as the blood you spilled in the Central Highlands mud
Limousines rush down Pennsylvania Avenue, rustling the leaves as they fall
And apology and forgiveness got no place here at all, here at the wall

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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