Thundercrack

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Disc 1 track 10 of Tracks, 1998.

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Credits

• Tracks (1998)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
  • Clarence Clemons: saxophone, percussion, backing vocals
  • Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel, backing vocals
  • Vini Lopez: drums, backing vocals
  • David Sancious: piano
  • Garry Tallent: bass

Performances

Performed live 69 times (not including snippet performances). 2024-09-15 Beach, Surf Stage, Asbury Park, NJ 2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA 2013-07-24 First Direct Arena, Leeds, England 2012-08-24 Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON 2012-08-15 Fenway Park, Boston, MA 2012-04-24 HP Pavilion At San Jose, San Jose, CA 2012-04-09 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2012-03-29 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA 2012-03-26 TD Garden, Boston, MA 2009-11-07 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2009-10-14 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2009-04-29 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2008-06-23 Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium 2007-10-29 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 2007-10-26 Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA 2007-10-21 United Center, Chicago, IL 2007-10-18 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2007-10-17 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2007-10-15 Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON 2007-10-10 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 2007-10-09 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 2007-10-06 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA 2007-10-05 Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA 2007-10-02 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT 2007-09-28 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 2007-09-25 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2007-09-24 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2005-11-22 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ 2005-11-21 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ 2005-11-19 Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL 2005-11-17 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 2005-11-16 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 2005-11-13 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ 2005-11-09 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2003-12-08 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2003-12-07 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2003-12-05 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2001-12-08 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2001-12-07 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2001-12-06 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2001-12-04 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2001-12-03 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 1974-03-16 Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, TX 1974-03-10 Liberty Hall, Houston, TX (Late) 1974-02-01 Allen Theatre, Cleveland, OH 1974-01-29 Muther's Music Emporium, Nashville, TN 1974-01-12 Joint In The Woods (The), Parsippany, NJ 1974-01-06 Joe's Place, Cambridge, MA 1973-12-15 Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY 1973-11-25 Curry Hicks Cage, University Of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 1973-11-17 Roxy Theatre, Philadelphia, PA (Late) 1973-11-11 Kendall Hall, Trenton State College, Ewing, NJ 1973-10-31 Main Point (The), Bryn Mawr, PA (Late) 1973-10-26 Geneva Theatre, Geneva, NY 1973-10-20 Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH 1973-07-31 My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY (Late) 1973-07-27 Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CA 1973-07-23 Max's Kansas City, New York City, NY (Early) 1973-06-14 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 1973-06-13 Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton, NY 1973-05-31 Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA 1973-05-01 Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 1973-04-28 Cole Field House, University Of Maryland, College Park, MD 1973-04-24 Main Point (The), Bryn Mawr, PA (Early) 1973-03-24 Student Center, Niagara University, Lewiston, NY 1973-03-02 Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA 1973-02-14 VCU New Gym, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 1973-01-31 Max's Kansas City, New York City, NY (Early) 1972-10-29 National Guard Armory, Long Branch, 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 1 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 0 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 7 show(s) of 133 on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Performed at 3 show(s) of 83 on the Working On A Dream Tour. Performed at 12 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 0 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 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 0 show(s) of 156 on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 138 on The River Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 111 on the Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 54 on The Lawsuit Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 116 on the Born To Run Tour. Performed at 13 show(s) of 201 on The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle Tour. Performed at 14 show(s) of 166 on the Greetings From Asbury Park Tour. Performed at 8 known other show(s), plus 3 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Tracks (1998).

Released as Live Download

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

• 2024-09-15 Beach, Surf Stage, Asbury Park, NJ
• 2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
• 2013-07-24 First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
• 2012-08-15 Fenway Park, Boston, MA
• 2009-11-07 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 2009-10-14 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
• 2005-11-22 Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ

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

On The Tracks

THUNDERCRACK - V1		uncirculating
THUNDERCRACK - V2		uncirculating
THUNDERCRACK - V3		uncirculating
THUNDERCRACK - V4		uncirculating
THUNDERCRACK - V5	8:23	TRACKS

Note: Written in mid-1972. This was performed live regularly, usually as the big show closer, from October 1972 right up until Vini Lopez's departure from the band in February 1974. "It ended three or four different times - you didn't know where it was going to go. It was just a big, epic show-ender that was meant to leave the audience gasping a little bit for their breath - "Hey, who was that guy? That was pretty good…," Bruce said at a 1999 interview for Mojo. On the first known day of Wild & Innocent sessions, May 14, 1973, at 914 Sound Studios, the band recorded V1 of "Thundercrack" before moving on to 8 takes of "Circus Song". Work was resumed with V2, on June 22, 1973, then additional takes, overdubs or mixing took place on August 7 V3, and August 9, V4, but later comments by Springsteen indicate the song was not completed to his satisfaction, or perhaps a completed version could not be found for 1998's Tracks. V5 added background vocals by Vini Lopez, cut in 1997, to approximate the sound of live performances. "I found a version which was actually pretty good, called up Vini Lopez and I said, "Vini, I have some singing for you to do" and Vini - he's a caddy master at a golf course - he just comes by and I said, "Remember this song?" He came in and sang all his parts completely unprompted, like he remembered it exactly from 25 years ago," Bruce added at the Mojo interview. Regarding its omission from his second album, Springsteen said there just wasn't room enough for "Thundercrack" and "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)." Whether he meant his two biggest show-closers ever on the same record, or lack of disc space, is unknown.

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^{Studio Sessions: The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle}

Lyrics

Thundercrack

Her brains they rattle and her bones they shake
Oh she's an angel from the Innerlake
Her brains they rattle and her bones they shake
Oh she's an angel from the Innerlake
Don't dance with her Henry, don't you dance with her Jake (her brains they rattle and her bones they shake)
Oh she's an angel from the Innerlake
She gives me all the loving that a good man can take (her brains they rattle and her bones they shake)
Oh she's an angel from the Innerlake

(Sha-na, na-na, na na, oh oh)
(Sha-na, na-na, na na, oh oh)
(Sha-na, na-na, na na, oh oh)
(Sha-na, na-na, na na, oh oh)
Thundercrack, baby's back
This time she'll tell me how she really feels
Bring me down to her lightning shack
You can watch my partner reeling
She moves up, she moves back
Out on the floor there just is no one cleaner
She does this thing she calls the "jump back jack"
She's got the heart of a ballerina

Straight from the Bronx, hung off the line
Still she slides, she slops, she bops, she bumps, she grinds
Even them dance hall hacks from the west side of the track move in close to catch her timing
She moves up, she moves back
Out on the floor there just is no one cleaner
She does this thing she calls the "jump back jack"
She's got the heart of a ballerina

Oh, she ain't no little girl, no, she ain't got no curls
Her hair ain't brown and her eyes ain't either
Round and round and round
(Round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round)
(Round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round)

My heart's wood, she's a carpenter
She's an angel in the night, what she does is alright
Dance with me, partner
Dance with me, partner
Dance with me, partner, 'til the dawn
Baby, all night long

(Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-ohhh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-ohhh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-ohhh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-ohhh oh-oh oh-oh)

Thundercrack, (baby's back)
This time she'll tell me how she really feels
Brings me down to her lightning shack
You can watch my partner reeling
She moves up, she moves back
Out on the floor there just is no one cleaner
She does this thing she calls the "jump back jack"
She's got the heart of a ballerina

Oh, she ain't no little girl, no, she ain't got no curls
Her hair ain't brown and her eyes ain't either
Round and round and round
(Round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round)
(Round and round and round and round and round and round and round and round)

My heart's wood, she's a carpenter
She's an angel in the night, what she does is alright
Dance with me, partner
Dance with me, partner
Dance with me, partner
All night, (all night)
All night, (all night)
All night, (all night)
All night, (all night)
All night, (all night)
(All night), (all night)
All night, (all night)
(All night), (all night)
All night, (all night, all night, all night)
All night, (all night, all night, all night, all night, all night, all night, all night, all night)

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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