Western Stars

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Track 4 of Western Stars, 2019.

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Credits

• Western Stars (2019)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitars, keyboards
  • Ron Aniello: bass, keyboards, guitars, loops
  • Alden Banta: bassoon
  • Jon Brion: electric guitar, Moog
  • Lenny Castro: conga, tambourine
  • Matt Chamberlain: drums
  • Barry Danielian: trumpet
  • Rachel Drehmann: french horn
  • Curtis King: backing vocals
  • Rob Lebret: electric guitar, baritone guitar
  • Dan Levine: trombone
  • Cindy Mizelle: backing vocals
  • Michelle Moore: backing vocals
  • Marc Muller: lap steel
  • Charles Pillow: oboe
  • Curt Ramm: trumpet
  • Matt Rollings: piano
  • Andrew Sterman: flute
  • Leelanee Sterrett: french horn
  • Stone Hill Strings
    • • Scott Tibbs (string arrangement, conductor); Lisa Kim, Hyunju Lee, Joanna Maurer (violins); Shmuel Katz, Rebecca Young (viola); Alan Stepansky (cello)

Performances

Performed live 1 times (not including snippet performances). 2019-04-00 Stone Hill Farm, Colts Neck, NJ

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 1 known other show(s), plus 0 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on Western Stars (2019).

A live version is released on Western Stars (Songs From The Film) (recorded April 2019).

On The Tracks

WESTERN STARS - V1		uncirculating
WESTERN STARS - V2	4:41	WESTERN / 2019 single

Note: A demo of "Western Stars" was recorded most likely in 2010 at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, New Jersey. Completed by Ron Aniello and Springsteen over a period of several years, ending early 2019, as stated by Ron Aniello on his Instagram: "started in 2010… finished in 2014… finished again in 2018. Sometimes it takes a minute…" Various additional parts were recorded separately and overdubbed as part of this process; Lenny Castro's percussion was recorded at Ocean Way Recording in Los Angeles.

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^{Studio Sessions: Western Stars}

Media

Lyrics

Western Stars

I wake up in the morning, just glad my boots are on
Instead of empty in the whispering grasses
Down the Five at Forest Lawn
On the set, the makeup girl brings me two raw eggs and a shot of gin
Then I give it all up for that little blue pill
That promises to bring it all back to you again

Ride me down easy, ride me down easy, friend
Tonight the western stars are shining bright again

Here in the canyons above Sunset, the desert don't give up the fight
A coyote with someone's Chihuahua in its teeth skitters 'cross my veranda in the night
Some lost sheep from Oklahoma sips her Mojito down at the Whiskey Bar
Smiles and says she thinks she remembers me from that commercial with the credit card

Hell, these days there ain't no more, now there's just again
Tonight the western stars are shining bright again

Sundays I take my El Camino, throw my saddle in and go
East to the desert where the charros, they still ride and rope
Our American brothers cross the wire and bring the old ways with them
Tonight the western stars are shining bright again

Once I was shot by John Wayne, yeah, it was towards the end
That one scene's bought me a thousand drinks, set me up and tell it for you, friend

Here's to the cowboys, and the riders in the whirlwind
Tonight the western stars are shining bright again
And the western stars are shining bright again

Tonight the riders on Sunset are smothered in the Santa Ana winds
The western stars are shining bright again
C'mon and ride me down easy, ride me down easy, friend
'Cause tonight the western stars are shining bright again

I woke up this morning just glad my boots were on

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

Links

• MusicBrainz

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