Working On The Highway

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Track 4 of Born In The U.S.A., 1984.

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Credits

• Born In The U.S.A. (1984)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
  • Roy Bittan: piano, synthesizer, backing vocals
  • Clarence Clemons: saxophone, percussion, backing vocals
  • Danny Federici: organ, glockenspiel
  • Garry Tallent: bass, backing vocals
  • Steven Van Zandt: guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
  • Max Weinberg: drums, backing vocals

Performances

Performed live 419 times. 1999-06-02 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 1999-05-30 Parkbühne Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 1999-05-29 Parkbühne Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany 1999-05-27 Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium 1999-05-25 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 1999-05-23 Earls Court, London, England 1999-05-21 Earls Court, London, England 1999-05-19 Earls Court, London, England 1999-05-18 Earls Court, London, England 1999-05-16 NEC Arena, Birmingham, England 1999-05-02 Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England 1999-05-01 Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England 1999-04-28 Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon, France 1999-04-26 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland 1999-04-24 Wiener Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria 1999-04-23 Donau Arena, Regensburg, Germany 1999-04-19 FilaForum, Milan, Italy 1999-04-17 PalaMalaguti, Bologna, Italy 1999-04-15 Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany 1999-02-26 Rockefeller Center, GE Building, Studio 6A, New York City, NY 1998-12-10 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 1997-05-26 Palais Des Congrès De Paris, Paris, France 1997-05-25 Palais Des Congrès De Paris, Paris, France 1997-05-22 Teatro Augusteo, Naples, Italy 1997-05-21 Teatro Verdi, Florence, Italy 1997-05-19 Zénith Oméga, Toulon, France 1997-05-18 Palais Des Congrès Acropolis, Nice, France 1997-05-16 Opéra Berlioz, Corum (Le), Montpellier, France 1997-05-15 Auditorium Maurice-Ravel, Lyon, France 1997-05-12 Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic 1997-05-10 Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, Poland 1997-02-17 Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1997-02-12 Capitol Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1996-12-03 Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, FL 1996-11-24 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ 1996-11-21 Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN 1993-06-01 Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway 1993-05-30 Gentofte Stadion, Gentofte, Denmark 1993-05-28 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden 1993-05-25 Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy 1993-05-22 National Bowl (The), Milton Keynes, England 1993-05-20 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 1993-05-17 Maimarkthalle, Mannheim, Germany 1993-05-16 Alter Flughafen-Riem, Munich, Germany 1993-05-14 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany 1993-05-11 Estadi Olímpic De Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain 1993-05-09 Auditorio Monte Do Gozo, Santiago De Compostela, Spain 1993-05-07 Estadio Municipal El Molinón, Gijón, Spain 1993-05-05 Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain 1993-05-01 Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal 1993-04-23 Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium 1993-04-20 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1993-04-19 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1993-04-16 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England 1993-04-15 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England 1993-04-13 Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon, France 1993-04-11 Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, Verona, Italy 1993-04-08 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland 1993-04-07 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland 1993-04-04 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany 1993-04-03 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany 1993-03-31 SECC, Glasgow, Scotland 1992-12-17 Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY 1992-11-30 Omni (The), Atlanta, GA 1992-11-24 Miami Arena, Miami, FL 1992-11-18 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC 1992-11-17 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC 1992-11-15 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT 1992-11-13 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY 1992-11-10 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 1992-11-06 SkyDome, Toronto, ON 1992-10-30 Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 1992-10-22 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA 1992-10-03 America West Arena, Phoenix, AZ 1992-09-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1992-09-25 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA 1992-09-03 World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, IL 1992-09-02 World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, IL 1992-08-29 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 1992-08-26 Capital Centre, Largo, MD 1992-08-22 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH 1992-08-18 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI 1992-08-17 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI 1992-08-14 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1992-08-13 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA 1992-08-10 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-08-07 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-08-06 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-26 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-25 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-23 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ 1992-07-13 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-09 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-06 Wembley Arena, London, England 1992-07-04 Plaza Monumental, Barcelona, Spain 1992-07-03 Plaza Monumental, Barcelona, Spain 1992-06-29 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 1992-06-26 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany 1992-06-25 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany 1992-06-21 Forum Di Assago, Milan, Italy 1992-06-20 Forum Di Assago, Milan, Italy 1992-06-17 Globen, Stockholm, Sweden 1992-06-15 Globen, Stockholm, Sweden 1992-06-05 Hollywood Center Studios, Studio #4, Los Angeles, CA 1988-09-08 Stadio Comunale, Turin, Italy 1988-09-06 Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary 1988-08-03 Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain 1988-07-30 Weserstadion, Bremen, West Germany 1986-03-02 Stone Pony (The), Asbury Park, NJ 1985-10-02 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 1985-09-30 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 1985-09-29 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 1985-09-27 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 1985-09-24 Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO 1985-09-23 Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO 1985-09-19 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA 1985-09-18 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA 1985-09-14 Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX 1985-09-13 Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX 1985-09-10 Orange Bowl, Miami, FL 1985-09-09 Orange Bowl, Miami, FL 1985-09-06 Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, IN 1985-09-04 Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, MI 1985-09-01 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1985-08-31 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1985-08-27 CNE Stadium, Toronto, ON 1985-08-26 CNE Stadium, Toronto, ON 1985-08-22 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1985-08-21 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1985-08-19 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1985-08-18 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1985-08-15 Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA 1985-08-14 Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA 1985-08-11 Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA 1985-08-09 Soldier Field, Chicago, IL 1985-08-07 Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH 1985-08-05 RFK Stadium, Washington, DC 1985-07-07 Roundhay Park, Leeds, England 1985-07-06 Wembley Stadium, London, England 1985-07-04 Wembley Stadium, London, England 1985-07-03 Wembley Stadium, London, England 1985-06-30 Parc De La Courneuve, Paris, France 1985-06-29 Parc De La Courneuve, Paris, France 1985-06-25 Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France 1985-06-23 Stade Richter, Montpellier, France 1985-06-21 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy 1985-06-18 Olympiastadion, Munich, West Germany 1985-06-15 Waldstadion, Frankfurt, West Germany 1985-06-13 Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1985-06-12 Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1985-06-08 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden 1985-06-05 St. James' Park, Newcastle, England 1985-06-04 St. James' Park, Newcastle, England 1985-06-01 Slane Castle, Slane, Ireland 1985-04-23 Ōsaka-jō Hōru, Osaka, Japan 1985-04-19 Kyoto Furitsu Taiikukan, Kyoto, Japan 1985-04-16 Kokuritsu Yoyogi Kyōgi-jō, Tokyo, Japan 1985-04-15 Kokuritsu Yoyogi Kyōgi-jō, Tokyo, Japan 1985-04-10 Kokuritsu Yoyogi Kyōgi-jō, Tokyo, Japan 1985-04-04 Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1985-04-03 Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1985-03-31 QE II Jubilee Sports Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 1985-03-28 Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1985-03-27 Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1985-03-24 Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1985-01-27 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY 1985-01-24 Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI 1984-06-29 St. Paul Civic Center, Saint Paul, MN page 2 of 2« previous12

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 19 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 7 show(s) of 14 on the Summer '17 Tour. Performed at 26 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 7 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 52 show(s) of 133 on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Performed at 16 show(s) of 83 on the Working On A Dream Tour. Performed at 28 show(s) of 99 on the Magic Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 56 on The Seeger Sessions Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 72 on the Devils & Dust Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 7 on the Vote For Change Tour. Performed at 12 show(s) of 120 on The Rising Tour. Performed at 83 show(s) of 132 on The Reunion Tour. Performed at 15 show(s) of 128 on The Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. Performed at 67 show(s) of 102 on the World Tour 1992-93. Performed at 2 show(s) of 20 on the Human Rights Now! Tour. Performed at 2 show(s) of 67 on the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. Performed at 59 show(s) of 156 on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour. Performed at 22 known other show(s), plus 1 public tour rehearsal(s).

Multiples

Performed multiple times during the following shows:

• 2014-02-01 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa

Released on Album

Released on Born In The U.S.A. (1984).

Live versions are released on Live/1975–85 (1986)/Live Collection II (EP, 1986) (recorded August 19, 1985) and ¡Released! The Human Rights Concerts: The Struggle Continues (Compilation, 2013) (recorded December 10, 1998). Also available on the playlists The Live Series Collection: Songs Of The Road (2018) and The Born In The U.S.A. Tour '84-'85 (2024).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 73 official live downloads:

• 2024-08-21 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
• 2024-07-21 Dokken, Bergen, Norway
• 2024-07-15 Strawberry Arena, Solna, Sweden
• 2024-07-12 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
• 2024-07-09 Odense Dyrskuepladsen, Odense, Denmark
• 2024-07-05 Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena, Hannover, Germany
• 2024-07-02 Werchter Park, Werchter, Belgium
• 2024-06-27 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
• 2024-06-22 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
• 2024-06-17 Cívitas Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain
• 2023-07-21 Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Germany
• 2023-07-18 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria
• 2023-07-15 Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany
• 2023-07-11 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2023-07-08 Hyde Park, London, England
• 2023-07-06 Hyde Park, London, England
• 2023-07-02 Voldsløkka Stadion, Oslo, Norway
• 2023-06-13 Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland
• 2023-03-05 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN
• 2017-02-25 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
• 2017-02-21 AMI Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand
• 2017-02-18 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
• 2017-02-11 Hanging Rock, Mt. Macedon, Victoria, Australia
• 2017-02-09 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• 2017-02-02 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• 2017-01-22 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
• 2016-09-01 Nationals Park, Washington, DC
• 2016-08-30 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• 2016-08-23 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• 2016-07-28 Frognerparken, Oslo, Norway
• 2016-07-26 Granåsen Arena, Trondheim, Norway
• 2016-07-20 CASA Arena, Horsens, Denmark
• 2016-07-16 Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy
• 2016-07-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
• 2016-06-29 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
• 2016-06-27 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
• 2016-06-25 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
• 2016-06-22 Telia Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 2016-06-19 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
• 2016-06-17 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
• 2016-06-14 Malieveld, The Hague, The Netherlands
• 2016-06-03 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England
• 2016-06-01 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
• 2016-05-29 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
• 2016-05-27 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
• 2016-05-25 Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
• 2016-05-21 Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
• 2016-05-19 Bela Vista Park, Lisbon, Portugal
• 2016-05-17 Estadio Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
• 2016-03-06 Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, MO
• 2016-01-31 Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• 2014-04-24 PNC Arena, Raleigh, NC
• 2014-03-01 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
• 2014-02-22 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
• 2014-02-15 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• 2014-02-05 Perth Arena, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 2014-02-01 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
• 2014-01-29 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
• 2013-07-11 Ippodromo Delle Capannelle, Rome, Italy
• 2012-09-22 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
• 2012-08-15 Fenway Park, Boston, MA
• 2012-07-05 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
• 2009-10-20 Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
• 2007-11-19 TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
• 1999-07-18 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
• 1999-07-15 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
• 1997-05-18 Palais Des Congrès Acropolis, Nice, France
• 1996-11-24 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
• 1993-05-14 Waldbühne, Berlin, Germany
• 1992-07-25 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
• 1985-09-27 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
• 1985-08-22 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

On The Tracks

WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V1	3:25	private
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V2	3:18	MI / THLRR / BUERM / TDB
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V3	3:35	private cdr
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V4a	3:09	LM-19 / UH / GS
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V4b	3:10	BITUSA

Note: Springsteen took the lyrics of January 1982's "Child Bride" and wrote an entirely new rock melody to create "Working On The Highway". V1 is a Colts Neck full band performance that appears to predate the "Child Bride" recording, since it has a completely different final verse from both "Child Bride" and the final studio take of "Working On The Highway". This song lacks the "We lit out down to Florida" verse entirely, and replaces it with the protagonist suggesting that he wants to see her father to say "my love is pure and true," but first he must "drop a two lane blacktop from here to Timbuktu." There are also a few minor lyrical elements closer to "Child Bride", for example parts of lines three and four are reversed, as they are in the Nebraska outtake. V2–V4 recorded at Power Station on April 30 and May 6, 1982.

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^{Studio Sessions: Born In The U.S.A.}

Lyrics

Working On The Highway

Friday night's pay night guys fresh out of work
Talking about the weekend scrubbing off the dirt
Some heading home to their families, some are looking to get hurt
Some going down to Stovell wearing trouble on their shirts

I work for the county out on 95
All day I hold a red flag and watch the traffic pass me by
In my head I keep a picture of a pretty little miss
Someday mister I'm gonna lead a better life than this

Working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway

Woo!

I met her at a dance down at the union hall
She was standing with her brothers back up against the wall
Sometimes we'd go walking down the union tracks
One day I looked straight at her and she looked straight back

So I'm working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway

Woo!

I saved up my money and I put it all away
I went to see her daddy but we didn't have much to say
"Son can't you see that she's just a little girl
She don't know nothing about this cruel cruel world"

We lit out down to Florida and we got along all right
One day her brothers came and got her and they took me in a black and white
The prosecutor kept the promise that he made on that day
And the judge got mad and he put me straight away
I wake up every morning to the work bell clang
Me and the warden go swinging on the Charlotte County road gang

I'm working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway

Working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway

Woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo
Alright! Come on!

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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