Born In The U.S.A. - Studio Sessions

disco_bornintheusa.jpg
Commercially Released: June 4, 1984
Label: Columbia
Produced by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau, Steven Van Zandt and Chuck Plotkin
Recorded by Toby Scott, Mike Batlan, Neil Dorfsman and Bill Scheniman, assisted by John Davenport, Jeff 
     Hendrickson, Bruce Lampcov, Billy Straus and Zoë Yanakis at Power Station studios, The Hit Factory and 
     Thrill Hill Recording (January 1982 - March 1984)
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain
Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk Studios
Design by Andrea Klein
Photography by Annie Leibovitz

Overview

The Born In The U.S.A. sessions spanned a two year period and produced the largest quantity of completed song recordings of any session of Bruce’s career. The sessions can be broken down into four distinct phases:

Phase One - January thru May 1982, featuring The E Street Band (with Van Zandt)
Phase Two - January thru late April 1983, featuring Springsteen alone on multiple instruments
Phase Three - May thru June 1983, featuring The E Street Band (little or no Van Zandt)
Phase Four - September 1983 thru February 1984, featuring The E Street Band (no Van Zandt)

According to comments by Max Weinberg, nearly eighty songs were recorded over the course of the entire Born In The U.S.A. sessions. Co-producer Chuck Plotkin has mentioned the number seventy. Springsteen also once stated seventy. In evaluating seventy to eighty it is not clear if these numbers include the thirteen songs from the solo Nebraska sessions that have never surfaced in any form with an E Street Band or multi-instrument backing (i.e., the ten songs issued on the Nebraska album, plus "The Big Payback", "Losin’ Kind" and "Child Bride"). Thanks to information from Sony's studio logs, we now have a far better understanding of the sheer scale of Springsteen's output at this time, as well as the layout of the sessions. Perhaps the most significant information gleaned from the logs is the final confirmation that the majority of Nebraska songs *were* recorded with the band at The Power Station, as well as songs like "Robert Ford" and "Fade To Black" which were demoed in 1981 alongside those Nebraska tracks.

Currently, thirty-two different songs have been officially released from the Born In The U.S.A. sessions, including those originally recorded for but not included on Nebraska. There are thirteen other songs that are circulating unofficially as complete takes in very good sound quality. Eight songs from Nebraska ("Atlantic City", "Johnny 99", "Used Cars", "Nebraska", "Open All Night", "Mansion On The Hill", "Highway Patrolman" and "Reason To Believe") are known to have been recorded with the band, plus another thirty-three songs that may have been worked to completion. Altogether these total eighty-six songs, fairly consistent with Weinberg, Plotkin and Springsteen's recollections.

The Born In The U.S.A. sessions began in mid-January 1982 as part of Bruce and The E Street Band’s work at The Hit Factory on the Gary US Bonds' On The Line album. The Born In The U.S.A. sessions merely flowed on from the Bonds sessions. However Springsteen alternated his own sessions between the Power Station and the nearby Hit Factory over the course of the next few months. While studio sessions did not commence until January 1982, Springsteen recorded many acoustic demos during gaps in touring during 1981. These demos formed the basis of much of the Nebraska material but he did hold band get-togethers at his house during the latter months of 1981 where early versions of songs such as "Glory Days" and "Working On The Highway were practised.

It appears Springsteen had what might best be described as three different batches of songs ready to record in January and February 1982 – firstly the group of stark story songs he recorded as solo demos in early January (the Nebraska material), secondly a group of soul-influenced songs he brought along for possible use on the US Bonds' album and… thirdly, a group of rock-orientated songs. However Springsteen was not satisfied with the way many of the Nebraska demo songs sounded with E Street Band backing and by early April he began actively exploring the possibility of releasing some of these solo demos as a solo album. The decision in May to proceed with the solo album appears to have put the band sessions on hold – for what turned out to be nearly a year.

Recording Phases

Phase One Sessions (including the 'Electric Nebraska sessions')

Recorded at Power Station studios and The Hit Factory, New York, January to May, 1982
Recording Engineer: Toby Scott

During May 1982, Springsteen made a decision to release ten of the seventeen songs from his January 1982 solo demo tape as his next official album – quite a radical decision for its time. The E Street Band sessions came to a halt and Springsteen focused his attention for the next couple of months on overseeing final preparations of Nebraska. However, mixing of the band material continued through June, alongside the Nebraska tracks. In fact, Springsteen even considered putting both albums out as a double record. "I had these two extremely different recording experiences going," he told Mark Hagen in an interview for Mojo magazine published in January 1999. "I was going to put them out at the same time as a double record. I didn't know what to do." An album sequence for the band album was compiled, as follows:

Possible Album Tracks
Side One Side Two
BORN IN THE U.S.A. WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY
MURDER INCORPORATED DARLINGTON COUNTY
DOWNBOUND TRAIN FRANKIE
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN (a.k.a. I'm Goin' Down) I'M ON FIRE
GLORY DAYS THIS HARD LAND
MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN

The May-July 1982 period also saw the effective departure of Steve Van Zandt as a member of The E Street Band (although a formal announcement wasn't made until May 1984). Van Zandt put together his band (The Disciples Of Soul) in June 1982 and the group made its live debut in July. At the same time, he changed his stage name from “Miami Steve” to “Little Steven”, to reflect his change of status to a full-time solo artist. He also spent the summer putting the finishing touches on a debut solo album that he had largely completed in the fall of 1981. Van Zandt began a U.S.A./European tour with The Disciples Of Soul that would continue for almost twelve months. Van Zandt’s involvement with the remainder of the Born In The U.S.A. sessions would be minor.

Following his decision to release Nebraska and stop recording with the band, Springsteen spent the summer of 1982 in New Jersey making numerous guest appearances, that became affectionately known as his '1982 Jersey Shore Bar Tour'. However, that came to an end in early October, soon after the release of Nebraska. Springsteen spent nearly all of the next five months (November 1982-March 1983) in Los Angeles, returning to New Jersey only for about two weeks during this period to attend Van Zandt’s wedding (December 31) and the closing night party for Clarence’s short-lived club Big Man’s West (January 8). During November-December 1982 Bruce had Mike Batlan install a home recording studio at his house in Los Angeles. Springsteen recorded more than an album's worth of songs over the early months of 1983, playing all the instruments himself (except for a drum machine). These became the second phase of the Born In The U.S.A. sessions.

Phase Two Sessions

Recorded at Thrill Hill Recording, Hollywood Hills (Springsteen’s Los Angeles home studio), mid-January to late April 1983
Recording Engineer: Mike Batlan

Springsteen has mentioned that at one point in early 1983 he gave consideration to releasing the best of these above-mentioned Los Angeles home studio recordings as a thematic follow-up to the Nebraska album. This album concept is not known to have ever been given a working title because Springsteen quickly abandoned the concept. Although none of these Los Angeles recordings ultimately ended up on the album, two of them (“Shut Out The Light” and “Johnny Bye Bye”) were issued as b-sides in 1984-5. Although still unreleased “The Klansman”, “Unsatisfied Heart” and “Richfield Whistle” are among Bruce's most compelling. Soon after abandoning the idea of the above-mentioned album brief consideration was given to combining tracks from both the Phase One and Phase Two – with a tentative album title of “Murder Incorporated”. A document exists from around March 1983 revealing Springsteen's then-selections for the so-called “Murder Incorporated” album, as well his choices for b-sides. This tracklisting appears to have been produced prior to the undertaking of the Phase Three Sessions. Springsteen's selections (all of which had been recorded at this stage) were as follows:

Possible Album Tracks Possible Single B-Sides
BORN IN THE U.S.A. SUGARLAND
MURDER INCORPORATED FOLLOW THAT DREAM
DOWNBOUND TRAIN DON'T BACK DOWN
MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN ONE LOVE
GLORY DAYS LITTLE GIRL (LIKE YOU)
THIS HARD LAND
JOHNNY BYE BYE
FRANKIE
I'M GOIN DOWN
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY
I'M ON FIRE

Springsteen didn't settle for the above-mentioned song line-up but instead opted for more sessions. Bruce began a new round of recording with The E Street Band at The Hit Factory in New York in May 1983. It appears to have been their first studio get-together in nearly a year. Steve Van Zandt, who was busy at the time recording his second solo album and touring with his own group, doesn't seem to have been present during much of these May-June 1983 E Street Band sessions.

Phase Three Sessions

Recorded at The Hit Factory (New York City), May thru June 1983
Recording Engineer: Toby Scott

Following the end of the Phase Three sessions in June 1983 major mixing sessions took place. Some in CBS were talking of a possible of a pre-Christmas release. With three sessions phases now complete there was certainly no shortage of outstanding material to pick from. On July 26-27 Springsteen compiled a twelve-song album sequence comprised of three songs carried over from the 1982 sequence, four from the early 1983 sessions and five from the recent E Street Band sessions. The July 1983 album sequence reads as follows:

Possible Album Tracks
Side One Side Two
BORN IN THE U.S.A. SUGARLAND
CYNTHIA MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN
NONE BUT THE BRAVE FOLLOW THAT DREAM
DROP ON DOWN AND COVER ME MY HOMETOWN
SHUT OUT THE LIGHT GLORY DAYS
JOHNNY BYE BYE JANEY, DON'T YOU LOSE HEART

However, as had been in the case in March, Bruce decided to hold off and continue writing more songs. He felt that his selection lacked cohesion, and the sound quality of the garage tracks jarred in comparison to the studio tracks. This resulted in yet another final phase of scattered studio sessions from autumn 1983 into the early months of 1984. Due to extremely tight security at the time little is known about this final session period and precious little unofficial audio has ever leaked out.

All too aware that Springsteen was having difficulties making the final selection, Jon Landau took the unique step of creating his own ideal album, based on what had been recorded to date. As can be seen from the above track list, Bruce had all but abandoned what Landau felt were his best songs, those recorded in the early sessions in May 1982. Landau's selection covered eleven songs with the May 1982 songs forming the backbone; "Born In The U.S.A.", "I'm Goin' Down", "Cover Me", "My Hometown" and "Bobby Jean" on side one, with "My Love Will Not Let You Down", "Follow That Dream", "Glory Days", "Protection", "Janey, Don't You Lose Heart" and "I'm On Fire" on the flip-side.

Phase Four Sessions (Final Born In the U.S.A. sessions)

Recorded at The Hit Factory (New York City), September 1983 thru February 1984
Recording Engineer: Toby Scott

Suffering from writer's block, Bruce finally listened to Jon Landau, and figured out his sequence. "…in the end, I circled back to my original group of songs, he wrote in Born To Run, "there I found a naturalism and aliveness that couldn't be argued with. They weren't exactly what I'd been looking for, but they were what I had."

Unfortunately, precious little studio material has leaked out from this period, but it did produce perhaps Springsteen's best known song, "Dancing In The Dark", the last track recorded in February 1984. In the months before that he was still writing new material, even after all this time in the studio, with curious titles like "Refrigerator Blues", "Ida Rose (No One Knows)" and "Swoop Man" all of which were cut at the Hit Factory but remain in the vaults.

Bruce said in Born To Run, "My Born in the USA songs were direct and fun and stealthily carried the undercurrents of Nebraska. With my record greatly enhanced by the explosiveness of Bob Clearmountain’s mixes, I was ready for my close-up. Onstage, this music swept over my audience with joyous abandon. We had hit after hit and in 1985, along with Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson and the stars of disco, I was a bona fide mainstream radio superstar".

Released

# Song Title Running Time Release
1. BORN IN THE U.S.A. 4:36 BITUSA / 1984 single
2. COVER ME 3:22 BITUSA / 1984 single
3. DARLINGTON COUNTY 4:44 BITUSA
4. WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY 3:10 BITUSA
5. DOWNBOUND TRAIN 3:29 BITUSA
6. I'M ON FIRE 2:32 BITUSA / 1985 single
7. NO SURRENDER 3:57 BITUSA
8. BOBBY JEAN 3:41 BITUSA
9. I'M GOIN' DOWN 3:25 BITUSA / 1985 single
10. GLORY DAYS 4:11 BITUSA / 1985 single
11. DANCING IN THE DARK 3:57 BITUSA / 1984 single
12. MY HOMETOWN 4:27 BITUSA / 1985 single

Total Running Time: 46:56

Additional Recordings

Details

Song Title Running Time Release

100 MILES FROM JACKSON uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track, recorded October 26, 1983 at The Hit Factory.

A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND (PITTSBURGH) - V1 3:43 circulating
A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND (PITTSBURGH) - V2 3:12 TRACKS

Note: V1 is a Colts Neck band rehearsal from April 15, 1982. Very similar to the final take, slightly slower with some lyrical variation. V2 is the result of two days at the Power Station on May 5 and 6, 1982.

FIST FULL OF DOLLARS - V1 3:44 FFOD / HNWB / MT2
FIST FULL OF DOLLARS - V2 2:24 FFOD / HNWB
ATLANTIC CITY - V3 1:40 FFOD / HNWB
ATLANTIC CITY - V4 take 1 uncirculating
ATLANTIC CITY - V5 - take 4 4:00 LM-1
ATLANTIC CITY - V6a - take 3 3:56 NEBRASKA / GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / BESTOF
ATLANTIC CITY - V6b - take 3 - stereo mix 3:43 NEBRASKA
ATLANTIC CITY - V7 4:46 NEBRASKA82: ELECTRIC

Note: Two demos (V1 and V2) were recorded in April 1981, under the title "Fist Full Of Dollars", but they also had quite a few verses written, all about Atlantic City. You can hear him turning pages of his notebook as he worked on them. Some lyrics would remain for "Atlantic City", including the opening lines "Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night / Now that town sets in for a fight."

The story continues in late 1981, at Springsteen's Colts Neck home with V3. The lyrics are getting into shape; the rest is Bruce trying variations of the chorus. V4, V5, and V6 were recorded on his Portastudio at Colts Neck during a two-week period, December 17 to January 3, 1982, with V6 take 3 chosen for Nebraska. Take 1, V4 is the only known outtake from this session. In a letter to Jon Landau, Springsteen noted that "this song should probably be done with the whole band really rockin' out." And indeed, Bruce went into the studio for two weeks from late April 1982 and spent the first day working on "Atlantic City", and a number of takes were cut at the Power Station over three days on April 26–28, 1982. The result is officially released in October 2025 on Electric Nebraska in an arrangement very similar to that played live for many years with some lyrical variation, particularly in the closing verses. The released take was recorded on April 27.

BABY I'M SO COLD (TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW) - V1 3:46 LM-10
BABY I'M SO COLD - V2 4:02 circulating
BABY I'M SO COLD - V3 uncirculating

Note: V1 is a solo acoustic demo recorded between September 1981 and April 1982 at Bruce's house at Colts Neck. He used the same melody he composed for "Follow That Dream", with lyrics lifted from "Loose Ends", and some that would end up in "Janey Don't You Lose Heart". V2 is a fascinating band rehearsal from Colts Neck from April 15, 1982, still using the borrowed melody from "Follow That Dream" and lyrics from "Loose Ends". Even though "Loose Ends" was finished in 1979, it's clear Springsteen was keen to scavenge most of the lyrics for "Baby I'm So Cold", but then again, the latter was never released, and sometimes we have little idea what Bruce is doing with his vast empire of songs. According to studio logs, V3 was later recorded at Power Station on May 11, 1982, perhaps the "Loose Ends" lyrics were just a placeholder, and by then it had its own identity.

BAD BOY uncirculating

Note: Recorded at The Hit Factory on June 2, 1983.

BELLS OF SAN SALVADOR - V1 1:28 LM-10
BELLS OF SAN SALVADOR - V2 1:17 LM-10
BELLS OF SAN SALVADOR - V3 0:32 LM-10
BELLS OF SAN SALVADOR - V4 2:18 LM-10
BELLS OF SAN SALVADOR - V5 3:09 LM-10
BELLS OF SAN SALVADOR - V6 0:24 circulating
BELLS OF SAN SALVADOR - V7 3:15 circulating

Note: V1-5 are acoustic demos that were recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ between September and December 1981. V1-V4 are merely vocalisations over a guitar backing, while V5 has Springsteen tentatively adding primitive vocals. V1 can be found, incorrectly titled as 'Ruled By The Gun #2', on Lost Masters X. V2 is track 11 on the same CD, 'Untitled Riff', which ends with Springsteen speaking the words "Bells Of San Salvador", which links all these recordings under that title. V3 and V5 are tracks 22 and 23 on the same CD, titled 'They Killed Him In The Street', while V4 is erroneously titled 'Wages Of Sin #3', track 13. A careful listen shows V1 and V4 were mistakenly grouped with other outtakes on the disc.

V7 is a full-band rehearsal performance recorded at Colts Neck on April 15, 1982. V6 is a brief false start/bit of riffing apparently from the same session. A sinister and oppressive song, it describes a May 1979 massacre that took place on the steps of San Salvador Cathedral in El Salvador. Despite being well developed, it was not cut at Power Station in April-May 1982 like many of the other songs known to have been rehearsed during this period, and session logs indicate it was never recorded in the studio. The opening line of the song, "They took him from his house and killed him in the street," can also be found in the lyrics of Springsteen's adaptation of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Run Through The Jungle", which was performed live three times during the European leg of the River Tour.

BETTY JEAN 2:17 LM-16 / GS

Note: Only one known take of this rockabilly song found in the logs, recorded at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles on January 20, 1983. The cut on 'Lost Masters 16' may be the very same take from the logs, but we can't be certain. Bruce lifted aspects of the second verse (specifically the street fight in a "halo of light," and the girl calling out "Go, Bobby, Go") from "Preacher's Daughter", which was recorded during the Darkness On The Edge Of Town sessions. Similar lines were also incorporated into the introduction to "She's The One" during the later dates of the 1978 tour. No relation to "Bobby Jean", or to Chuck Berry's "Betty Jean".

BLACK MOUNTAIN BALLAD 4:11 TRACKSII

Note: Essentially another re-arrangement of "Don't Back Down On Our Love", slowed down and lacking that title in the lyrics. "Black Mountain Ballad" was officially released, treated as a separate song, on Tracks II in 2025.

BOBBY JEAN - V1a 3:44 BUERM / 1984AC
BOBBY JEAN - V1b 3:47 BITUSA

Note: After working on a final album sequence for two days, Bruce called the band in to the Hit Factory on July 28, 1983 to record a new song, "Bobby Jean". After playing into the wee hours of the next morning, eight takes had been recorded. Overdubs and mixing completed the track on October 10, 1983. Though it was not known at the time, this was the tenth track that would eventually comprise the Born In The U.S.A. album, with "No Surrender" and "Dancing In the Dark" still to come. Bruce said, ""Bobby Jean" and "No Surrender" were great tributes to the bonding power of rock and my friendship with Steve." Just the one outtake of "Bobby Jean" circulates, said to be from a March 1984 rough mix of the album. Seemingly identical to the final album cut, it however includes the full "ah-1-2-3-4" count-in that was shortened to "2-3-4" on the album.

BODY AND SOUL - V1 uncirculating
BODY AND SOUL - V2 uncirculating
BODY AND SOUL - V3 uncirculating

Note: V1 is an uncirculated demo recorded on January 20, 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles. V2 later recorded with the band at The Hit Factory on May 25 and June 2, 1983. Springsteen returned to the song on November 29, 1983. Despite this attention, it remains in the vaults.

BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V1 2:22 FFOD / HNWB / MT2
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V2 0:30 FFOD / HNWB
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V3 4:45 FFOD / HNWB
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V4 3:10 FFOD / HNWB
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V5 2:55 FFOD / HNWB
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V6 4:00 FFOD / HNWB
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V7a (take 1) 3:06 LM-1 / HNWB
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V7b (take 1 mix 2) 3:06 TRACKS / NEBRASKA82: OUTTAKES
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V8 (take 2) 3:32 NEBRASKA82: ELECTRIC
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V9 (take 3) private
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V10 (take 4) private
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V11 (takes 5-8) uncirculating
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V12a (take 9) 8:09 THLBB / UH / GS / BUERM / MI
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V12b (take 9 edit 1) 4:34 BITUSA / GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / GREATEST: 2009 / CHAPTER / BESTOF
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V12c (take 9 edit 2) 4:52 LM-19 / THLBP
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V13 (take 10) uncirculating
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V14a freedom mix 7:20 1984 EP
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V14b radio mix 6:10 1984 EP
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - V14c dub mix 7:36 1984 EP

Note: Writing and recording began at Springsteen's house in Colts Neck, NJ during the fall of 1981 with a set of acoustic demos. V1 evolved, both musically and lyrically, from the bluesy demo "Vietnam". V1 includes the chorus "born in the USA" that Springsteen lifted from the title of a script of a Paul Schrader movie given to him by Jon Landau, as well as many lyrical elements that would remain in the final released version. The demo begins its transition with V2, a brief snippet of the "Born In The U.S.A." riff, the opening verse, and then the sardonic chorus "Born baby in the USA / I believe in the American way". V3-V6 were all recorded soon after, and see Springsteen developing the lyrics with every take. V7 was recorded between December 17, 1981 and January 3, 1982 on the TEAC Portastudio that Mike Batlan had set up in Bruce's home, and was included on the demo cassette tape sent to Jon Landau. In his notes to Landau, Bruce described the song as "a little ditty. should be done very hard rockin." A copy leaked to bootleggers via Batlan and was pressed on 'Lost Masters I' in 1996, before V7b was mixed in 1998 and officially released on Tracks.

When Bruce and the E Street Band entered Power Station on April 26, 1982, the aim was to re-record the songs on his demo tape in a professional studio environment. Logs indicate that work on "Born In The U.S.A." began on the second day, and continued on April 28 and May 3. What work was done on what day is unclear, but it appears that the bulk of the song was recorded across ten takes on a single night, most likely May 3. A Power Station mixsheet dated to May 3 exists, which supports this position. We know that Springsteen initially attempted to re-record his demo tape alone, which may have occurred on April 27 and 28.

On April 27, 1982, Springsteen and the band cut a number of takes of a rocking electric reimagining of that original acoustic demo. In take 2 Bruce sung the first verse over his electric guitar, before bass and drum joined in. This take was officially released to streaming services on September 4, 2025 as the opening single for the Nebraska '82 box set. Take 3 sees Max accompanying Bruce right from the opening, yet the famous organ riff is nowhere to be found. Take 4 begins with Springsteen singing the first verse a cappella, before the band and his guitar join in. We now skip ahead a few days to May 3 and take 9, where the riff is now in place alongside other new elements, some of which did not make the final track. Brief audio of the opening verse of takes 2, 3, 4, and the multitracks of take 9 first emerged in April 2022, played by Toby Scott at a public event in Mexico City.

Recollections vary as to the origin of the iconic organ riff; Roy Bittan remembers Springsteen demonstrating the song on acoustic guitar before he improvised the riff on a new Yamaha CS-80 synth, and the first take evolved from there. Max Weinberg, however, recalls the first recording was as "a country trio" with a country beat (Max may have been referring to the arrangement found in takes 2-4 above), and the main riff came from Springsteen's guitar. Weinberg doesn't dispute Bittan's memories though.

The eight minute V12a is the full length of take 9. With some edits, including using all or parts of take 10 (V13) for the ending, this take eventually became the first song on side one of Born In The U.S.A (V12b). V12c continues where V12b fades out with an extended synthesizer ending. Toby Scott recalls a total of eight to ten takes, with take six (or nine, recollections seem to vary) as the master. V14a-V14c are 12" dance remixes by Arthur Baker that were recorded at Shakedown Studios in New York City in September 1984. Toby Scott was the recording engineer for the remixes (which include additional vocals by The Latin Rascals), and all were mixed by Bob Clearmountain. The remixes were first released in December 1984. Baker utilized several aspects of the original mixes that were removed for the final album take.

BROTHERS UNDER THE BRIDGES 5:02 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on September 14, 15, and 16 and October 10, 1983 at The Hit Factory in New York, with a take from September 14 chosen for Tracks.

SMALL TOWN GIRL (CAR WASH) - V1 2:04 TRACKS
CAR WASH - V2 uncirculating

Note: V1 recorded on May 31, 1983 at The Hit Factory, and logged under the title "Small Town Girl". Six months after it was in the can, Springsteen returns for another go on November 30, 1983 (V2). V1 was later selected for Tracks, now titled "Car Wash".

COMMON GROUND (STAY HUNGRY) uncirculating

Note: Recorded at the Power Station on May 11, 1982. Uncirculated song cut with the band during the so-called "Electric Nebraska Sessions".

COUNTY FAIR - V1 4:58 LM-17
COUNTY FAIR - V2a 5:02 LM-19 / UH
COUNTY FAIR - V2b 4:50 ESSENTIAL: BONUS
COUNTY FAIR - V2c 4:50 TRACKSII

Note: V1 was recorded at Springsteen's home studio on March 24, 1983 by Springsteen alone on all instruments. V2 was recorded two months later on May 23, 1983 at The Hit Factory, and uses Springsteen's original vocal and guitar track over a new band backing. The November 9, 1983 date given in the Lost Masters liner notes appears to be incorrect, and may be a mixing or overdub date, or merely the date that the recording was dubbed to the original tape used for the bootleg. V2 also features Ruth Jackson (wife of Bruce Jackson) on backing vocals - presumably these are the ethereal vocals over the closing coda. This overdub was likely recorded at the same session as "My Hometown" (possibly June 29, 1983 at the Hit Factory), which also features Jackson. V2a and b are very similar, and in fact may be identical, with the only differences in flaws and variations in the bootleg source. V2c from Tracks II is again, fundamentally identical, but appears to be a fresh mix of the same source.

COVER ME - V1a 3:15 THLBB / RTT
COVER ME - V1b 3:36 1984AC / BUERM
COVER ME - V1c 3:28 BITUSA
COVER ME - V2 uncirculating
COVER ME (Undercover Mix) - V3a 6:11 1984 EP
COVER ME (Radio) - V3b 3:46 1984 EP
COVER ME (Dub I) - V3c 4:11 1984 EP
COVER ME (Dub II) - V3d 4:14 1984 EP

Note: "Cover Me" was recorded at The Hit Factory on January 25, 1982. Earlier that month, David Geffen had approached Jon Landau to ask if Springsteen would write a song for Donna Summer. In response, Bruce wrote "Cover Me", but after Landau heard the January 25 tape, he told Bruce to come up with another song, because "we're keeping this one". In response, Bruce wrote "Protection". The January 25 session was recorded by Neil Dorfsman, who was also working on the Gary U.S. Bonds On the Line sessions. A copyright was filed on February 8, 1982.

The two circulating outtakes appear to be the same vocal. V1a is an alternative mix that lacks Springsteen's lead guitar overdubs, but has the count-in and full ending chopped off the released track. Note that the take found on the 'This Hard Land' vinyl bootleg runs very fast. V1b is believed to date from a March 1984 rough mix of the album, and includes Springsteen's lead guitar overdubs, the full ending and no fade-out. V1c, the final album track, cuts the ending short with a fade-out, and features background vocals by Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg. On May 12, 1982, Springsteen cut nine additional takes (V2) at the Power Station, but those recordings remain in the vault. It is possible that these takes relate to the guitar overdubs.

V3a thru V3d are dance/disco remixes cut at The Hit Factory in July 1984 by Arthur Baker. The recording engineer was Toby Scott, and they were released in early September 1984. Baker was requested to remix "Cover Me" following the success of his "Dancing In The Dark" remixes. A far more radical remix than "Dancing In The Dark" was, Baker's Undercover Mix added a new bassline from Moja Nya bassist Brian Rock, replaced much of the guitar with organ and keyboards by Gary Henry, and added percussion by session legend Bashiri Johnson. The backing vocals are courtesy of Jocelyn Brown, which were previously unused tracks recorded before Baker started work. According to Baker, Springsteen took influence from his mix for the intro and bassline in live performances.

CYNTHIA - V1 3:24 LM-18 / GS
CYNTHIA - V2a 4:01 SO / MAT / UH
CYNTHIA - V2b 4:10 TRACKS
CYNTHIA - V3 uncirculating

Note: V1 was recorded April 20–21, 1983 at Thrill Hill West, Bruce's Hollywood Hills home, in rockabilly style for a set of home demos. V2 was Bruce re-recording this with The E Street Band on June 15, 1983, not April 20 as the Tracks notes claim, at The Hit Factory, New York in a much more rocking arrangement. "Cynthia" was resurrected over a decade later on May 23, 1995 (V3); studio logs show takes were recorded at Thrill Hill West with a four-man backing band of Danny Federici (keyboards), Garry Tallent (bass), Marty Rifkin (pedal steel, dobro) and Gary Mallaber (drums), the same day as "The Ghost Of Tom Joad". Both 1983 and 1995 versions were on early Tracks listings, but the latter was eventually dropped for the final release.

DANCING IN THE DARK - V1a 4:31 BUERM / 1984AC
DANCING IN THE DARK - V1b 3:57 BITUSA / GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / GREATEST: 2009 / BESTOF
DANCING IN THE DARK - V2a blaster mix 6:09 1984 EP
DANCING IN THE DARK - V2b radio mix 4:50 1984 EP
DANCING IN THE DARK - V2c dub mix 5:30 1984 EP

Note: The last song on Born In The U.S.A. to be recorded. Written after Jon Landau convinced Bruce that the album needed a single. According to Dave Marsh in Glory Days, Bruce was not impressed with Landau's approach. "Look," he snarled, "I've written seventy songs. You want another one, you write it." Despite this reaction, Bruce sat in his hotel room and wrote the song in a single night, essentially writing about his frustrations, sick of "trying to write this book." Six takes were cut on February 14, 1984 at The Hit Factory, utilizing a new Yamaha synthesizer, but the track was not completed until March 8, after 58 mixes. Just the one outtake of "Dancing In The Dark" circulates, V1a, that contains a longer sax solo and a hard-ending (no fade-out) at the end that was cut short for the official album version. Curiously, the final synthesizer note is held for a few seconds at the conclusion of the song. This take is sourced from a March 1984 rough cut of the album. The 7" and 12" singles were released on May 9, 1984, and the 12" finished as the biggest seller in the U.S.A. that year.

V2a thru V2c are extended, radio friendly dance/disco remixes cut at the Power Station in April or early May 1984 by Arthur Baker, at the request of Columbia Records. The recording engineer for the remixes was Chris Lord-Alge. Providing the backing female vocals are Cindy Mizelle, Jocelyn Brown, and Baker's then-wife Tina B. Mizelle would later join the Sessions Band in 2006, and then become an E Street regular as a member of the E Street Choir between 2009 and 2014. These remixes were released on June 29, 1984.

DARLINGTON COUNTY - V1 uncirculating
DARLINGTON COUNTY - V2 5:17 circulating
DARLINGTON COUNTY - V3a 5:20 LM-19 / THLRR
DARLINGTON COUNTY - V3b 4:44 BITUSA

Note: The title "Darlington County" is first known from the early days of the Darkness On The Edge Of Town sessions, where it can be found on a worksheet that is believed to date from late June 1977. The worksheet is reproduced in the facsimile book included in the Darkness box set, and "Darlington County" is the first item on the list, with the note "notice structure of tape." That suggests "Darlington County" was worked on during the sessions, but it does not appear in any session logs, and aside from the title it is unknown how it relates to the Born In The U.S.A. cut. Also found in the book is the familiar couplet "My eyes have seen the glory of the comin' of the Lord / He was peelin' down the alley in a black and yellow Ford," not too dissimilar than what could be found in the version that was recorded some five years later during the Born In The U.S.A. sessions.

At some point, it was set aside and not picked up again until 1982. V2 is a band rehearsal from Colts Neck, New Jersey, recorded on April 15, 1982; a rather pedestrian take, as noted by both Max and Bruce at the conclusion of the song. V3 was recorded in a single take at Power Station, New York on May 13, 1982. V3a, which appears to be a slightly longer, slower take on 'Lost Masters XIX' is actually the released version V4b, before vocal overdubs, fixed-up intro, and the use of varispeed to speed the track up. Track 8 on 'Lost Masters Volume 7', titled "Untitled Harmonies #1", is a short clip from January 1980 of Springsteen singing a tune that bears some resemblance to "Darlington County".

DELIVERY MAN - V1 2:17 LM-17 / GS
DELIVERY MAN - V2 2:50 LM-17 / UH / GS
DELIVERY MAN - V3 2:47 TRACKSII

Note: Initially known from two different recordings from around January 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in the Hollywood Hills. V1 is more rocking and has a quick fade-out. V2 is the definitive version and features an extra verse not found in V1. "Delivery Man" is missing from studio logs, suggesting it was recorded at a standalone session, separate from other songs cut around the same time. Bruce returned to the song in the summer of 1995 when he recorded a new version with a small band at his residence in Beverly Hills. This new cut (V3) was issued on Somewhere North Of Nashville, album four of Tracks II: The Lost Albums in 2025.

DON'T BACK DOWN - V1 0:55 CAST
DON'T BACK DOWN - V2a 3:12 LM-16
DON'T BACK DOWN - V2b 3:04 TRACKSII

Note: V1 was recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ between mid-September 1981 and May 1982, a brief acoustic demo of the V11 arrangement of "Don't Back Down", track four of 'The Lost Masters XVI'. From that songwriting origin, both this song and its cousin "Don't Back Down On Our Love" were born. Initially conceived as two versions, the two have been released as separate songs. Recording sessions for that song or this one are known to have taken place on January 4, 18 and 20, February 8–10 and 14–15, and March 10 and 12, 1983, all at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles. V2, presumably recorded during one of those sessions, utilizes double tracked vocals; V2b was officially released on Tracks II, and appears to be identical to V2a, although the count-in has been removed. The bootleg recording also runs slightly fast. In March 1983, "Don't Back Down" was considered for use as a b-side for Springsteen's Murder Incorporated album that was ultimately rejected.

DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V1 3:03 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V2 3:01 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V3 3:02 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V4 2:29 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V5 0.43 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V6 2:23 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V7 2:28 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V8 2:52 LM-18
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V9 2:52 LM-16
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V10 3:34 LM-16 / UH
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V11 uncirculating
DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE - V12 2:57 TRACKSII

Note: "Don't Back Down On Our Love" is intimately connected to, but released as a distinct song from, its cousin "Don't Back Down", with which it shares a chorus and significant composition history. Recording sessions for that song or this one (considered at the time a "rock arrangement" of "Don't Back Down") are known to have taken place on January 4, 18 and 20, February 8–10 and 14–15, and March 10 and 12, 1983, all at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles. All circulating recordings are complete takes, except for V5, which is abandoned. V1–V3, V9, and V12 are rock-flavored and appear to share the same vocal take. Indeed, the differences between the takes are slight, and may only be found in the backing music or the mix. V12 was officially released on Tracks II and is fundamentally identical to the other takes. The count-in has been removed, and the track runs at the correct speed compared to the bootlegs, explaining the variation in run-time.

V4–V7 are acoustic-flavored, and once again seem to share the same vocal take; V8 has a similar arrangement but a different key. V10 is the slowest and arguably the definitive version, using the same backing music as "The Klansman". According to the 'Lost Masters' liner notes it was recorded on January 4, 1983. V11 was recorded June 15, 1983 at The Hit Factory, New York. The arrangement used for this studio recording is unknown, and indeed, it's possible that this was in fact a version of "Don't Back Down". In March 1983, "Don't Back Down On Our Love" was considered for use as a b-side for Springsteen's Murder Incorporated album that was ultimately rejected, listed as "Don't Back Down (rock)". See also the related song "Black Mountain Ballad", which is arguably a version of this song but does not include the titular chorus.

DOWNBOUND TRAIN - V1 1:11 FFOD / HNWB
DOWNBOUND TRAIN - V2 0.34 LM-10
DOWNBOUND TRAIN - V3 take 3 2:33 NEBRASKA82: OUTTAKES / LM-1 / HNWB / MT2 / ESR
DOWNBOUND TRAIN - V4 2:22 NEBRASKA82: ELECTRIC
DOWNBOUND TRAIN - V5a 3:17 THLRR / BUERM / TDB / LM-19 / GS
DOWNBOUND TRAIN - V5b 3:29 BITUSA
DOWNBOUND TRAIN - V6 uncirculating

Note: V1 and V2 are brief acoustic demos that were recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ in late 1981. V1 includes the closing line used in both the Nebraska take and the final Born In The U.S.A. album version: "don't it feel like you're a rider [baby], on a downbound train." V2 is just harmonies, with no lyrical content. A demo was recorded and dubbed to a cassette tape on December 2, 1981 - nothing else is known about this particular recording, but it may be related to V3, a full acoustic run-through of the song recorded at some point between mid-December 1981 and January 3, 1982, with the patented Nebraska ending. Described by Springsteen in his notes to Jon Landau as an "uptempo rocker for full effect / needs band / could be exciting."

Power Station logs show sessions took place on April 27 and 28 and May 3, 5 and 6, 1982. On April 27 and 28 the band attempted a new arrangement of the acoustic recording, but it's a recording from May 3, 1982 that is officially released on the Electric Nebraska CD of Nebraska '82: Expanded Edition in an outrageous arrangement that could perhaps be described as manic punk. Apparently unsatisfied, Springsteen re-arranged the song and returned to the studio on May 5 and 6, sessions that provided the base track of the album version, V5. V5a features Springsteen's count-in, a small lyrical variation in the first verse left over from the acoustic demo ("laid off down at the auto yard" rather than "lumber yard"), some vocal howls in the mid-section, more up-front acoustic guitar over the final verse, and a shorter fade-out. Nearly a year later Bruce returned to "Downbound Train" on February 3, 1983 (V6) at Thrill Hill West, his Hollywood Hills garage studio. However, it was the 1982 cut that was issued on Born In The U.S.A. in 1984.

DROP ON DOWN AND COVER ME - V1a 7:?? uncirculating
DROP ON DOWN AND COVER ME - V1b 4:37 SO / GS / BUERM / 1984AC / UH

Note: At least eleven takes of "Drop On Down And Cover Me" (or "Drop (On) Down And Cover Me") were recorded between May 31 and June 2, 1983 at The Hit Factory. Long believed to have evolved into "Cover Me" but the studio documentation proves otherwise, with its precursor recorded some eighteen months earlier. This reworking uses some lyrics from "Cover Me" in the opening verses, as well as the melody of "Janey, Don't You Lose Heart". V1a was edited down to 4:37 from the original seven minutes. Springsteen included it on a July 1983 album track listing between "None But The Brave" and "Shut Out The Light" at the expense of his 1982 songs, which were eventually restored. Though it was included (see the Tracks-sampler) in early Tracks listings, with takes 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11 all pulled for evaluation in June 1998, it was dropped before the final cut.

FADE TO BLACK - V1 4:15 LM-7 / HNWB
FADE TO BLACK - V2 0.50 LM-7
FADE TO BLACK - V3 0:45 LM-10
FADE TO BLACK - V4 3:01 FFOD / HNWB
FADE TO BLACK - V5 2:57 FFOD / HNWB
FADE TO BLACK - V6 uncirculating

Note: V1–V5 are all acoustic demos recorded at Springsteen's home. V1 is an early demo with basic lyrics while V2 is merely harmonies, both were probably recorded in late June 1981. V3 (which consists of the title repeated over a basic melody) was possibly recorded later in the year. The Lost Masters artwork claims that the contents of 'Lost Masters X' were recorded in early 1983, but this is doubtful, given that the likes of "Glory Days" and "Wages Of Sin" were recorded at Power Station in April and May of 1982, respectively. V4 and V5 are identical performances combined into a single track on both 'How Nebraska Was Born' and 'Fistfull Of Dollars'. Both are listed here for completeness. This performance (probably from late 1981) is much more developed, and includes the line "you're crying in the corner, makeup running down your face," which is similar to a line found in "Wages Of Sin". According to logs, V6 was recorded at Power Station on May 11, 1982 - this take could be solo or with the band.

FOLLOW THAT DREAM - V1a 0:14 LM-17
FOLLOW THAT DREAM - V1b 3:50 LM-17
FOLLOW THAT DREAM - V1c 3:52 LM-17
FOLLOW THAT DREAM - V1d 3:42 SO / LM-18 / UH / MILM
FOLLOW THAT DREAM - V1e 3:44 LM-18
FOLLOW THAT DREAM - V1f 3:53 TRACKSII

Note: Haunting rewrite of the Elvis Presley classic which was considered at one point for Born In The U.S.A.. V1a is a false start. Vocally, all five full length takes seem to be identical and any differences may only be in the mix. Studio logs say "Follow That Dream" was recorded January 29–30 and February 7–8 and 17, 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in the Hollywood Hills. 'Lost Masters' liner notes say the above tracks were all recorded January 30, which suggests more takes remain in the vaults. Shares a melody with "Baby I'm So Cold". An early Tracks six-CD sample set from June 1998 indicates that "Follow That Dream" was considered for Tracks, but ultimately rejected. The officially released take (V1f) could be the exact same take as any of the full-length recordings listed above.

FRANKIE - V1 uncirculating
FRANKIE - V2 4:46 LM-3 / DDO / DO-2 / AM / UP / DDOC
FRANKIE - V3 5:46 private tape
FRANKIE - V4a take 10 7:23 private cdr
FRANKIE - V4b 7:41 THLRR / MI / THLBP / UH
FRANKIE - V4c 7:39 LM-19
FRANKIE - V4d 7:22 TRACKS

Note: "Frankie" was composed by Springsteen in early 1976, just after the 1975 Born To Run Tour. According to Christopher Sandford's Point Blank, a demo of "Frankie" was recorded in January 1976, along with a completed recording of "Darkness On The Edge Of Town". However the accuracy of this information is doubted, as early recordings of "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" from June 1977 indicate most of the words were still unwritten. It is perhaps more likely that both these recordings were made in January 1978, not 1976. Possible sessions have also been linked to April 1976; these potential early takes are listed here as V1. At any rate, "Frankie" was near completion when it was debuted live on the Chicken Scratch Tour in late March 1976.

When Springsteen returned to the studio after the litigation with Mike Appel was resolved, "Frankie" was recorded on June 3, 1977, and again on July 12, both at Atlantic Studios. V2 and V3 may be from those sessions. Apparently, "Frankie" did not fit Bruce's concept for the album, and it was set aside, not to be recorded again during the Darkness sessions. When writing "Candy's Room" a few months later, Bruce lifted some lyrics from "Frankie", specifically, "In the darkness, there'll be hidden worlds that shine." However, a take of "Frankie" was dubbed to a reel dated February 1, 1978 alongside "Rendezvous", indicating that the song hadn't entirely slipped Bruce's mind. Just over four years later, "Frankie" was recorded again on May 14, 1982 at the Power Station, New York, on the last day of three weeks of sessions for the Born In The U.S.A. album. Take 10 was chosen, and completed with several overdubs. Though it was not included on Born In The U.S.A., V4d was considered for Greatest Hits, again missing the cut, before being selected for the Tracks compilation in 1998. One other mix, V4a, has the same saxophone overdub during the instrumental outro as V4d. V4b and V4c were alternative mixes without sax. It is not known if the takes from 1977 were ever considered for Tracks.

FUGITIVE'S DREAM (BALLAD) 3:59 TRACKSII / LM-16 / UH / BUOR
FUGITIVE'S DREAM 3:48 TRACKSII

Note: Two known takes for "Fugitive's Dream" can be found in the logs, recorded January 20 and March 24, 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles. It can be assumed that "Fugitive's Dream (Ballad)" was recorded first, on January 20, before Springsteen re-wrote the story and music and cut "Fugitive's Dream" on March 24, the same day as "Unsatisfied Heart" that re-uses the majority of the lyrics. The re-write was a completely unknown composition before the release of Tracks II, and was never bootlegged. The ending is very reminiscent of "Downbound Train", and even re-uses some lyrics.

GLORY DAYS - V1 1:59 LM-10
GLORY DAYS - V2 4:28 circulating
GLORY DAYS - V3a 4:54 THLBP / THLBB
GLORY DAYS - V3b 5:18 LM-19 / UH / GS / MI / BUERM / TDB / RTT
GLORY DAYS - V3c 5:05 private cdr
GLORY DAYS - V3d 4:11 BITUSA / GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / GREATEST: 2009 / BESTOF

Note: V1 is a very early solo acoustic demo recorded sometime between September 1981 and April 1982. It includes an early version of the verse about Springsteen's father that was cut from the final album version but appears in most circulating bootlegs. V2 is a Colts Neck band rehearsal that was recorded April 15, 1982, after V1. The verse about his father is there, Bruce can be heard calling out instructions occasionally, there are minor lyrical variations throughout, and it lacks the entire call-and-response ending. V3 is recorded at Power Station on May 5, 1982; four different mixes are known. V3a only appears on 'This Hard Land' issues and 'Roll The Tapes', and is unique because of the serious audio distortion that runs throughout. V3b is unedited and contains the extra verse cut from the officially released version. The wild variations in track length appear to be due to tape speed, and there are two variations in the count-in. An alternative source of V3b includes an engineer identifying the take as #11.

GLORY OF LOVE uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track from The Hit Factory, recorded September 16, 1983. Included on a Tracks concept compilation in 1993.

GONE, GONE, GONE uncirculating

Note: According to studio documentation, "Gone, Gone, Gone" was recorded at The Hit Factory on May 25, 27, and 31, 1983. One take was recorded on the 25th, and three takes on both May 27 and 31. A rough mix was created on the final day, but there is no information beyond that and the song remains in the vault, and was never bootlegged. The phrase "gone, gone, gone" can also be found in "Seeds", but there is no relation to that song. Springsteen will often re-use lyrics, and indeed "gone, gone, gone" is used in at least four other Born In The U.S.A. session outtakes: "Fugitive's Dream", "Don't Back Down", "Sugarland", and "Seven Tears".

GUN IN EVERY HOME - V1 (false start) uncirculating
GUN IN EVERY HOME - V2 2:30 NEBRASKA82: OUTTAKES
GUN IN EVERY HOME - V3 uncirculating

Note: According to studio logs recorded at Power Station on April 30 and May 6, 1982. The song opened the April 30 session, with two takes cut (one complete take and one false start). V2, the complete version from this date is officially released in October 2025 as the final track of Nebraska Outtakes. It is not known if the May 6 recording (listed here as V3) is solo or with the E Street Band.

DEPUTY - V1 uncirculating
DEPUTY - V2 uncirculating
DEPUTY - V3 uncirculating
DEPUTY - V4a 5:30 LM-1 / HNWB
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN - V4b 5:36 NEBRASKA
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN - V4c stereo mix 5:37 NEBRASKA
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN - V5 uncirculating

Note: Four different takes were recorded - the three variants of V4 are merely alternate mixes. The original title was "Deputy". In a letter to Jon Landau, Bruce said he "worked very long on this and always had the feeling I was comin up short. Not really finished but is about as good as I can get it at the time. Don't think the ending was quite strong enough." Logs show one single take at the Power Station on April 30, 1982, performed by Springsteen alone, designated V5. If any band takes were attempted, presumably they were either incomplete or unsatisfactory.

HOLD ON (TO WHAT YOU GOT) uncirculating

Note: Recorded at The Hit Factory in January or February 1982. Probably the same core recording as found on the U.S. Bonds album (i.e. the E Street Band) – but with the Springsteen lead vocal.

I DON'T CARE uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track recorded at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles on February 15, 1983. This track appears on a 24-track mix tape from February 1983 alongside "The Money We Didn't Make", a solo cut of "This Hard Land", and "Seven Tears".

I'M GOIN' DOWN - V1 3:47 THLBB / CAST / THLBP
I'M GOIN' DOWN - V2a take 9 4:54 LM-19 / UH / GS
I'M GOIN' DOWN - V2b take 9 3:57 BUERM / TDB / THLRR / MI
I'M GOIN' DOWN - V3 take 10 3:25 BITUSA

Note: Original title was "Down, Down, Down". All the above were recorded at the Power Station on May 12–13, 1982, with over ten takes on the latter date, including the album cut. V1 is often timed at 3:29, due to a circulating ultra-fast version (Castaway and This Hard Land vinyl boots). V2a, which 'Lost Masters' says was recorded November 9, 1983, was also from the 13th - November 9 may have been the date it was mixed. V2 lacks the extra guitar over the introduction and the saxophone solo. V2 is take #9.

I'M ON FIRE - V1a 2:42 private cdr
I'M ON FIRE - V1b 2:50 LM-20 / THLRR / UH
I'M ON FIRE - V1c 2:58 1984AC / BUERM
I'M ON FIRE - V1d 2:32 BITUSA / 1985 single / GREATEST: 2009

Note: "I'm On Fire" evolved lyrically and thematically from 1977's "Spanish Eyes", with which it shares opening lines of the first and second verses. Rumored to have been initially recorded at The Hit Factory in January 1982, but the Born In The U.S.A. track was completed on May 11, 1982 at the Power Station. V1a and 1b have slightly different vocals and arrangements, and longer fade-outs than the officially released V1d. V1c, believed to be a track from a March 1984 rough mix of the album, has the complete ending to a hard-stop (i.e. no fade-out), as well as some small changes to the vocals over the closing coda.

IDA ROSE (NO ONE KNOWS) uncirculating

Note: Recorded late in the sessions, on February 20, 1984 at The Hit Factory. "Ida Rose" was included on a Tracks concept compilation in 1993, but remains in the vaults.

INVITATION TO YOUR PARTY uncirculating

Note: Two takes recorded at The Hit Factory on May 31, 1983, one labelled as "fast."

JANEY, DON'T YOU LOSE HEART - V1a 4:31 UH / GS / MI / 1984AC
JANEY, DON'T YOU LOSE HEART - V1b 3:24 TRACKS / 1985 single / BACK
JANEY DON'T YOU LOSE HEART - V2a uncirculating
JANEY DON'T YOU LOSE HEART - V2b 3:32 TRACKSII

Note: "Janey, Don't You Lose Heart" was originally recorded on June 16, 1983 at The Hit Factory, New York, with a melody borrowed from earlier outtakes "Everyday And Every Night" and "Drop On Down And Cover Me". The heavily bootlegged V1a features Steve Van Zandt on background vocals and guitar, and an extended wistful organ coda closes out the track. V1b is the same base recording, except Nils Lofgren's new vocal and guitar parts replace Van Zandt's. Lofgren's overdubs were recorded on July 14, 1985. The organ coda was also removed, reducing the length by over a minute. V1b was released September 7, 1985, as the b-side of "I'm Goin' Down" and then re-released in 1998, on Tracks. On June 16, 1995, the twelve year anniversary of the 1983 recording date, V2 was recorded at Springsteen's home studio in Beverly Hills with a line-up of Bruce, Gary Mallaber (drums), Jim Hanson (bass), Marty Rifkin (pedal steel), Chuck Plotkin (keyboards), and Soozie Tyrell (violin). Both variants were considered for Tracks, but the 1995 recording was dropped in favor of the 1983 cut. The 1995 version was finally released in 2025 on Somewhere North Of Nashville, one of the albums found on Tracks II: The Lost Albums. Some elements of that released version, including Charlie Giordano's piano, were overdubbed later, likely around 2018.

JAMES LINCOLN DEER - V1 4:14 LMEC2 / HNWB
JIM DEER - V2 3:10 TRACKSII

Note: "Jim Deer" aka "James Lincoln Deer(e)" or "James Lincoln Dear" was worked on at four sessions over the period of twelve months. V1 is an acoustic demo first recorded around March 1982 at Colts Neck. Contains lyrics later used in "My Hometown": "Man said, "These jobs are goin' boys / And they ain't comin' back." Springsteen returned to the song on January 20, 1983, with more work following on February 15 and 17, and March 12, 1983, all at Thrill Hill Recording, Hollywood Hills, California. It is likely one of these 1983 dates that is officially released on Tracks II, now re-arranged and re-written with new lyrics. By late April however, Springsteen renamed his protagonist and re-worked the lyrics once again before recording "Richfield Whistle".

JOHNNY 99 - V1 3:50 FFOD / HNWB
JOHNNY 99 - V2 3:26 FFOD / HNWB
JOHNNY 99 - V3 uncirculating
JOHNNY 99 - V4 take 1 uncirculating
JOHNNY 99 - V5a take 2 3:30 LM-1
JOHNNY 99 - V5b take 2 3:36 NEBRASKA / ESSENTIAL: 2015
JOHNNY 99 - V5c take 2 stereo mix 3:36 NEBRASKA
JOHNNY 99 - V6 take 3 uncirculating
JOHNNY 99 - V7 4:09 NEBRASKA82: ELECTRIC

Note: V1 is similar to the released version, with some lyrical variations. V2 is closer still. Both are acoustic demos recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September to December 1981. Three different, complete, recordings were made during the Portastudio sessions (December 17, 1981–January 3, 1982), but only one has surfaced (V5), in three alternative mixes. One of the recordings has a different ending verse. In late April 1982 Bruce recorded takes at the Power Station on April 27–28 and May 3, 1982. These cuts are probably all with the band. A recording from April 27 is officially released in October 2025 on Electric Nebraska.

COME ON (LET'S GO TONIGHT) - V1 2:32 FFOD / HNWB
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V2 uncirculating
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V3a 1:45 LM-16 trk 10 / UH / GS
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V3b 1:45 LM-18 trk 13
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V3c 1:39 LM-18 trk 10
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V3d 1:51 1985 b-side / BACK
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V3e 1:49 TRACKS
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V4a 2:55 LM-16 trk 11 / MT2 / ESR
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V4b 2:43 TRACKSII
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V5 2:58 LM-17 trk 12 / GS
JOHNNY BYE-BYE - V6 3:41 LM-17 trk 13 / GS

Note: In 1962, Chuck Berry wrote "Bye Bye Johnny", a sequel to "Johnny B. Goode", where a mother sent her musician son off to Hollywood to be a star: "She drew out all her money from the Southern Trust, and put her little boy aboard the Greyhound Bus." Bruce decided to use those lines in 1981 in the opening verse of a new song that used most of the lyrics from Darkness On The Edge Of Town outtake "Come On (Let's Go Tonight)", calling it "Johnny Bye-Bye".

The story begins between legs of the River Tour in March 1981 when Springsteen recorded an acoustic demo (V1) at his home, combining lyrics from "Come On (Let's Go Tonight)" with some newly written lyrics over a new dark and foreboding arrangement. This recording can be found on bootlegs 'Fistfull Of Dollars' and 'How Nebraska Was Born' under the title "Bye Bye Johnny". The Elvis Presley references already contained within "Come On (Let's Go Tonight)" made a perfect match with Berry's classic, keeping the lines about the death of Elvis and adding lines about Memphis. This early arrangement with instrumentation similar to "Preacher's Daughter" (including the Bo Diddley beat) was soundchecked on April 16, 1981 in Munich, West Germany.

After working on the song on the road, Springsteen premiered a re-arranged "Johnny Bye-Bye" on May 13, 1981 in Manchester, UK with a short spoken introduction: "I think everybody remembers where they were when they heard that Elvis died, it is a hard thing to understand." The refrain "come on, come on, let's go tonight" remained in place at the end of the first and second verses, and "bye-bye Johnny, oh Johnny bye-bye" was now added at the close, solidifying the connection to Berry's original. Despite performing the song regularly on the River Tour, Bruce did not record it as part of the January 1982 Nebraska demos at Colts Neck; the legendary Nebraska version of "Johnny Bye-Bye" does not exist. The version on the tape he sent Landau was almost certainly a live July 1981 recording. When the Nebraska tape was backed up in June 1982 in its entirety, alternate takes and all, there was still no "Johnny Bye-Bye".

The first studio take of "Johnny Bye-Bye" was recorded on April 27, 1982, at Power Station, New York. This audio does not circulate, but is listed above as V2. In all likelihood, this is a solo take. An image printed in the Tracks II book indicates that at least six takes (three complete and three false starts) were recorded on May 11, 1982 at the Power Station. These takes could be with the E Street Band, but could also be mixes or overdubs related to the April 27 recordings. Studio documentation shows that Springsteen returned to the song in the winter of 1983, with sessions on January 4, March 9, and March 24 at Bruce's Hollywood Hills converted studio at his home in Los Angeles, now arranged with a bouncy hillbilly blues rhythm and a re-written third verse. According to the Tracks liner notes, the official V3 was recorded in January, and five different mixes circulate. V3d, released February 6, 1985 as the b-side to "I'm On Fire", features new drum and keys overdubs from Max Weinberg and Roy Bittan respectively. The mix chosen for Tracks in 1998 removes Max and Roy and utilizes Springsteen's original drum machine backing, for reasons unknown. V3b and V3c have slight but noticeable variations in their mixes.

V4 and V5 were recorded on March 9 at Thrill Hill West and are different takes of a slower acoustic arrangement with a gentle synthesizer backing, slight lyrical differences and overdubbed with chirping crickets at the start and end. The most obvious difference between the two is V4 placing the short instrumental after the second verse, while V5 has it after the first verse. The official release selected for Tracks II (V4b) appears to be identical to V4a, but removes the crickets over the intro, reducing the run-time by around fifteen seconds. By far the definitive performance is V6, from March 24, 1983, which includes a poignant extra verse at the end not found on the other versions. "Johnny Bye-Bye" was included on the July 1983 sequence for Born In The U.S.A., but did not make the final cut. After the lawyers met, Bruce and Chuck became composing partners, the song now registered as Springsteen-Berry.

JOHNNY GO DOWN uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track initially titled "Johnny Cool Down", recorded March 9 and 12, 1983 at Thrill Hill West and marked as "new idea" on the March 9 reel. Included on a 24-track mix tape alongside "Don't Back Down", "James Lincoln Deer", and "Losin' Kind", and later on a 1993 in-house Tracks "concept album".

JUST AROUND THE CORNER TO THE LIGHT OF DAY uncirculating

Note: A studio take of "Light Of Day" was recorded at The Hit Factory on May 25, 1983 under the title "Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day" but never considered for Born In The U.S.A. and never bootlegged

The story of this song has its genesis in 1981, when screenwriter/director Paul Schrader asked Springsteen to write a song for his upcoming film about struggling rock musicians, titled Born In The U.S.A. Bruce declined and instead took Schrader's title, transforming a song he had in the pipeline, "Vietnam", into perhaps his biggest hit, "Born In The U.S.A.". Fast forward four years – in 1985, when Schrader received the go-ahead to make the film, he couldn't use his working title because by that point it had become too closely associated with Springsteen. Schrader again asked Bruce for a song and Bruce donated "Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day" – which Schrader loved so much that he re-copyrighted his screenplay in 1985 under the new title Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day. In 1986 when the film was being shot, both the movie and song titles were shortened to "Light Of Day". It had never been intended that Springsteen's recording would be used in the film. The song was recorded by the film's stars, Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox ("The Barbusters"), and released concurrently with the movie in February 1987. The Barbusters first performed the song live at a nightclub appearance in mid-1986, while Springsteen first performed the song live on April 12, 1987. A 1992 live version was officially released on MTV Unplugged. In 2001 Springsteen said of the song: "It's so basic that you can do anything with it. Start it. Stop It. Do all kinds of routines inside it. It's one of those all-purpose pieces of music." For this reason "Light Of Day" was the main set closer across three tours - the 1988 Tunnel Of Love Express Tour, the 1992/93 World Tour, and the 1999/2000 Reunion Tour.

KING'S HIGHWAY uncirculating

Note: Seven takes of "King's Highway" were recorded over two days on May 23 and 24, 1983 at The Hit Factory in New York. Uncirculated song from the sessions, it was later included on two in-house rarities compilations, the 1993 concept list and another from November 1997, but failed to make the cut.

LION'S DEN - V1 0:55 FFOD / HNWB
LION'S DEN - V2 2:18 uncirculating
LION'S DEN - V3 2:18 TRACKS

Note: "Lion's Den" was first recorded as a solo acoustic demo (V1) in late March to early April 1981 at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ, and consists of the chorus, repeated. It was bootlegged under the title "Daniel In The Lion's Den". V2 is a base track recorded at The Hit Factory on January 25, 1982, during the Gary U.S. Bonds sessions. V3 overdubs the 1998 horn section (Cruz-Manion-Pender-Rosenberg-Spengler) for Tracks over the V2 base track. The original 1982 element was not recorded by Toby Scott but rather by Neil Dorfsman, the engineer for the Bonds LP.

LITTLE GIRL LIKE YOU - V1 1:20 LM-16 / UH / GS
LITTLE GIRL LIKE YOU - V2 1:24 LM-17
LITTLE GIRL LIKE YOU - V3 1:17 TRACKSII

Note: "Little Girl Like You" was recorded January 20, 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in the Hollywood Hills. Also known as "Little Girl" and "Little Girl (Like You)". We've listed the three known recordings as separate takes but they seem to be fundamentally identical. The officially released V3 removes Springsteen's count-in. Short, but sweet and considered for use as a b-side in March 1983.

THE ANSWER - V1 1:56 FFOD / HNWB / MT2
THE ANSWER - V2 3:17 FFOD / HNWB / MT2
LOSIN' KIND - V3 (take 1) uncirculating
LOSIN' KIND - V4 (take 2) 5:00 NEBRASKA82: OUTTAKES / LM-1 / HNWB / MTQ / MT2
LOSIN' KIND - V5 (take 3) uncirculating
LOSIN' KIND - V6 uncirculating
LOSIN' KIND - V7 uncirculating

Note: "The Answer" is an early work-in-progress version of "Losin' Kind". Two (unusually polished) incomplete takes circulate (V1 and V2) that were recorded consecutively between September and December, 1981. V1 is just the fourth (final) verse, while V2 consists of the third and fourth verses. Both demos are combined into the same track on the bootlegs 'Fistfull Of Dollars', 'How Nebraska Was Born', and 'Missing Tracks Vol. Two'.

At least three takes of "Losin' Kind" were recorded during the December 17, 1981–January 3, 1982 Portastudio sessions, one of the fifteen demos that Springsteen put on a tape and sent to Jon Landau. He wrote to Landau, "Searched and searched for a better title, spent many hours on this task but no good. I like the verses but I can't seem to find a better punchline. Kind of like a James M. Cain story. Could be done with more of a band arrangement." Springsteen's hunt for an ending can be seen in the development between "The Answer" and "Losin' Kind" - Frank barely survives in the former, while his escape in the latter adds an ironic punch. Three takes were included on this tape, each with slight lyrical changes in the first and last verses; take two is the commonly circulated recording, officially released on Nebraska '82: Nebraska Outtakes in 2025 and first heard on Volume 1 of the 'Lost Masters' in 1998. "Losin' Kind" shares DNA with several other songs, most notably "Highway Patrolman" and "Highway 29", which is essentially a re-write of this song.

V6 was a solo take recorded at the Power Station on April 30, 1982; in the Nebraska '82 liner notes, Erik Flannigan calls this version "solid, but without the unique elements that made the home recording so compelling." A total of three takes were attempted; two false starts and a single complete take. Subsequently a take of "Losin' Kind" (with "Pink Cadillac") was transferred to four-track half-inch tape on June 10, 1982 - presumably this was the original demo, not the re-recording. A year later Bruce would make one more attempt to record "Losin' Kind", this time at Thrill Hill West, his Hollywood Hills studio, on March 12, 1983 (V7). This potential re-work was copied to a 24-track "mix" reel alongside "Don't Back Down", "James Lincoln Deer" (as "Jim Deer") and "Johnny Go Down". Evidently all this effort was without reward, because it's the original take 2 that was selected for official release in 2025 on Nebraska Outtakes, notably a substantial audio upgrade over anything heard previously.

Note that the Nebraska Outtakes liner notes state that "Losin' Kind" was recorded by Toby Scott, assisted by Jeff Hendrickson. If accurate, this would mean that the track was recorded at the Power Station, not at Springsteen's home. But given Flannigan's statement in his essay and the sound of the track itself, this is certainly an error.

LOVE'S ON THE LINE V1 uncirculating
LOVE'S ON THE LINE V2 3:38 GUEST: LINE

Note: Recorded at The Hit Factory in January or February 1982 (V1). Probably the same core recording as V2 found on the U.S. Bonds album (i.e. the E Street Band, including Bruce's backing vocals) – but with the Springsteen lead vocal.

MAN AT THE TOP - V1a 4:08 uncirculating
MAN AT THE TOP - V1b 3:16 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on January 12, 1984 at The Hit Factory, New York, NY, take 2, slow acoustic version. Springsteen premiered the song live on July 12, 1984 on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour. Thanks to the Panda for providing track length of full cut with hard stop, before it was downsized and faded out for Tracks.

MANSION ON THE HILL - V1a (mix 1) uncirculating
MANSION ON THE HILL - V1b (mix 2) 4:00 LM-1
MANSION ON THE HILL - V1c (mix 3) 4:01 NEBRASKA
MANSION ON THE HILL - V1c stereo mix 3:55 NEBRASKA
MANSION ON THE HILL - V2 4:13 NEBRASKA82: ELECTRIC
MANSION ON THE HILL - V3 uncirculating

Note: Written by Springsteen during the River Tour, although the themes found in the song were explored prior to this, during the Darkness sessions. For example, the lyric "there's a palace on the edge of town / risin' from the factories and railroad shacks" can be found in the Darkness box set facsimile book, which is very similar to a lyric found in "Mansion On The Hill". The first song completed for Nebraska, and only one recording was made - the four variants above are merely alternate mixes. Bruce's demo tape included three mixes, two described as "a little dirty", and the third as "best recording quality". It can be assumed that the third mix was selected for the album. Springsteen recorded multiple takes at Power Station on April 27, 28, and 30, 1982 either solo (Springsteen would re-record the Nebraska tracks around this time in a failed attempt to reproduce his demos in a professional environment) or with the band. In all likelihood, the takes from April 27 and 28 are with the band, and April 30 are solo. A band rendition recorded on April 27 is officially released in 2025 on Electric Nebraska, in an arrangement very similar to that played live on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour.

MURDER INCORPORATED - V1a 4:03 MI / GS / MILM / LM-19 / TDB / UH
MURDER INCORPORATED - V1b 4:27 RTT
MURDER INCORPORATED - V1c 4:22 RTT / THLBP / THLBB
MURDER INCORPORATED - V1d 4:13 private cdr
MURDER INCORPORATED - V1e 3:59 MI / GS / MILM / UH
MURDER INCORPORATED - V1f 3:52 GREATEST / ESSENTIAL: 2015 / 1995 single

Note: Recorded at Power Station by Toby Scott on May 3–4, 1982 and considered for an early album track listing as the second song, to follow "Born In The U.S.A". According to Brian Hiatt in The Stories Behind The Songs, "Murder Incorporated" was rehearsed in Roy Bittan's living room, and a tape of that rehearsal is highly admired by Max Weinberg: "the best version I've ever heard," he told Hiatt. All of the above are different mixes of the same core recording. V1a has been in circulation for many years, and is the most commonly bootlegged version. V1b is the full recording, with hard stop ending. When compensated for speed and empty space, the recording found on track 3 of the LP 'This Hard Land' (Boss Productions) is V1c, found at correct pitch on 'Roll the Tracks', with no backing vocals in the first verse. V1d deletes the saxophone solo after the second verse, and V1e is an alternate mix, featuring Roy Bittan on piano. The officially released V1f was remixed by Bob Clearmountain in 1994 for the Greatest Hits album. It includes the saxophone solo, but fades out earlier than the outtakes, explaining the ten second difference in track length. Inclusion on a six-CD sampler dated from June 1998 indicates that the song was considered for Tracks. This is peculiar, since the original 1982 recording had already been issued at this point, and no further recordings are known.

YOUR HOMETOWN - V1a 3:30 LM-17 / MT1
YOUR HOMETOWN - V1b 3:14 LM-17
YOUR HOMETOWN - V1c 3:23 LM-17 / GS#1
YOUR HOMETOWN - V1d 3:16 LM-17 / GS#2
MY HOMETOWN - V2 4:54 LM-19
MY HOMETOWN - V3 (Jun-29-1983 take 1) 6:?? uncirculating
MY HOMETOWN - V4 (Jun-29-1983 take 2) 6:?? uncirculating
MY HOMETOWN - V5 (Jun-29-1983 take 3) 4:25 BITUSA / GREATEST
MY HOMETOWN - V6 (Jun-29-1983 take 4) uncirculating
MY HOMETOWN - V7 4:44 TRACKSII

Note: Written in late 1982 as a rockabilly song called "Your Hometown", with many of the album version lyrics finished by late January 1983. The second verse tells the real-life story of events in Springsteen's hometown of Freehold in May 1969, when a shoot-out between cars of white and black kids turned almost fatal, and the racial tensions and violence in the aftermath. The core of V1 is an early base take recorded by Bruce at his new home, at 7965 Fareholm Drive, Los Angeles, California 90046. Studio logs indicate that recordings were cut on January 29 and 30, and February 9 and 17, 1983, and since all four takes on Lost Masters 17 were on a cassette of eight-track mixes dated January 30, they must have been recorded at some point that month. All four takes are very similar, but V1a has a unique final verse that begins "now there's a hill outside of town", instead of "now last night in bed me and Jane" found in V1b, V1c, and V1d. In addition, V1a, V1b and V1c feature double-track vocals in the final verse, absent in V1d. The demos are of good quality, probably prepared to aid in teaching the song to the band. Instead, Bruce set it aside for a short while before changing the title to "My Hometown", and altering the arrangement for the band.

A revised arrangement of the track, V2, was recorded prior to May 10, 1983 at Bruce's residence in Los Angeles. This version was first released on Lost Masters 19, with the accompanying liner notes indicating that it was sourced from a rough mix cassette dated May 10, 1983. This date is significant, as the earliest documented sessions at the Hit Factory did not occur until May 23, 1983, thereby confirming that V2 was recorded at Springsteen’s home rather than in a professional studio setting. A close listen to the recording reveals the tell-tale signs of the drum machine backing. The "female background vocals" referenced in the Lost Masters artwork are believed to be either synthesized or performed by Springsteen himself.

Following May 23, 1983, a new instrumental backing for the song was recorded by the E Street Band at the Hit Factory, layered beneath the original vocal track from V2. On June 29, 1983, four complete takes were documented at the Hit Factory; however, the first two were ultimately discarded due to excessive duration, each exceeding six minutes. It remains uncertain whether the new backing track was recorded during this particular session, or if the work consisted solely of overdubs, or perhaps mixing. At some stage, Ruth Jackson (the wife of sound engineer Bruce Jackson) recorded background vocals for the final verse. Since Jackson also recorded backing vocals for "County Fair", it's is possible that her contributions to both tracks were made on the same day. Ultimately, take three (designated V5) was selected for inclusion as the final track of Born in the U.S.A.

V7, selected for Tracks II, is an oddity - a previously unheard backing combined with an unusual Springsteen vocal that may involve modern overdubs, which would be unique for the L.A. Garage Sessions '83 album. "My Hometown" is the only track on the album to be mixed by Rob Lebret, who currently performs multiple roles for Springsteen as producer, engineer, and mixer. This, alongside a recording location credit for Stone Hill Studio, indicates that work has been done on the track in the recent years.

MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN - V1a 3:12 private cdr
MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN - V1b 4:20 LM-19 / THLRR / UH / GS / THLBP
MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN - V1c 4:32 MI / UH / GS
MY LOVE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN - V1d 4:20 TRACKS

Note: Recorded at the Power Station over three days on May 5, 6 and 7, 1982. The studio venue listed in Tracks is incorrect. All of the above four mixes are very similar, but V1b has Springsteen adding a count-in, vocalizations over the first thirty seconds of the song, and a complete ending. V1a cuts early. V1c and V1d fade out, and the V1d mix (used for Tracks) has slightly different vocals at the end of the song, maybe a 1998 vocal. Bruce Springsteen said in 2001 of the song: "I don't know why it got left off. It was one of those things we pulled out in the first rehearsal and went, Whoa!"

STARKWEATHER - V1 1:09 LM-1(17) / HNWB
STARKWEATHER - V2 1:05 LM-1(18) / HNWB
STARKWEATHER - V3 take 1 uncirculating
STARKWEATHER - V4 take 2 uncirculating
STARKWEATHER - V5 take 3 uncirculating
STARKWEATHER - V6a take 4 m 4:25 LM-1(1)
NEBRASKA - V6b take 4 mix 1 4:25 NEBRASKA / ESSENTIAL: 2003
NEBRASKA - V6c take 4 mix 2 early fade 4:25 uncirculating
NEBRASKA - V6d take 4 mix 3 bad harp 4:25 uncirculating
NEBRASKA - V6e take 4 mix 4 glock 4:25 uncirculating
NEBRASKA - V6f stereo mix 4:16 NEBRASKA
NEBRASKA - V7 4:45 NEBRASKA82: ELECTRIC

Note: The first song recorded, and the first song in the final running order, for Nebraska. Listed as "Starkweather" in an early song line-up, the song is about the Charles Starkweather murder spree in the 1950s. V1 and V2 are takes of the introduction and first two lines, recorded in late 1981 at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ. Six takes were recorded during the Portastudio sessions December 17, 1981–January 3, 1982, including V6b take 4, the title track of the album. V6 above are alternate mixes. Mix #1 is complete, with a 12-string guitar. #2 fades early, #3 is noted as "bad harp no good". Take #4 is with glock. "Nebraska" was later recorded over three days at Power Station on April 27, 28 and 30, 1982; at least some of these recordings feature E Street Band accompaniment. V7 was recorded with the band on April 27, 1982 and officially released on Electric Nebraska.

NO SURRENDER - V1 3:57 BITUSA
NO SURRENDER - V2 uncirculating

Note: Near the end of the Born In the U.S.A. sessions, Bruce brings in a new composition, "No Surrender", and the band goes to work on it for three days, October 25–27, 1983, with the album arrangement (V1) recorded October 27 at The Hit Factory. Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg contributes background vocals. Springsteen would return on November 29, 1983 to cut an acoustic version (V2). The song almost didn't make the album, and was only added after Steve Van Zandt convinced Springsteen that it should be included. At the time CBS had an eleven-song album without "No Surrender" ready to go. Van Zandt argued that "Dancing In The Dark" should be cut in favor of "No Surrender", but in the end there was space on the album for both.

NONE BUT THE BRAVE - V1a 5:24 BUERM / UH / MAT / MILM / RTT
NONE BUT THE BRAVE - V1b 5:12 SO / GT
NONE BUT THE BRAVE - V2 5:29 ESSENTIAL: BONUS

Note: "None But The Brave" was cut on June 6, 1983 at The Hit Factory, with follow-up sessions on June 13 and 27. V1a and V1b appear to be almost finished recordings with double-track vocals. They are said to be different mixes but are very similar, and any differences may be down to tape speed and recording source. V2 was a fresh vocal on June 27, and Miami Steve Van Zandt cutting loose on guitar that was probably added as a subsequent overdub. The lyrics are the same as V1a/b, aside from a small change in the third verse, replacing 'Something that ain't there no more' with 'Just waitin' to see you come walkin' through that door'. This alternate take was released on the bonus third CD of The Essential Bruce Springsteen in November 2003, and then played live for the first time at the 2003 Christmas shows in Asbury Park the following month.

NOW AND FOREVER - V1 uncirculating
SUMMER ON SIGNAL HILL - V2 uncirculating

Note: "Summer On Signal Hill" was recorded as an instrumental by Clarence Clemons & The Red Bank Rockers at the Record Plant, New York, in 1983, the same sessions that produced "Savin' Up". Both tracks were produced by Bruce Springsteen, and released as a UK single, with "Summer On Signal Hill" the b-side. Springsteen's music publisher in Australia was accidentally sent the wrong information, so Clarence's instrumental was published and released there in 1983 as "Now And Forever", which was its original title. It was composed by Springsteen, with lyrics, and played during band rehearsals in April 1982, at his home studio in Colts Neck, New Jersey. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band may have recorded it in the spring of 1983 at The Hit Factory in New York City, but it does not appear in Sony's database of Springsteen recording sessions. It was also recorded and released by Killer Joe on their 1991 album Scene Of The Crime. Moreover, Max Weinberg stated that "the E Street Band played the song but never recorded it" in the liner notes for that album.

ON THE PROWL 2:58 NEBRASKA82: OUTTAKES

Note: A solo acoustic recording from the Power Station on April 30, 1982, recorded, engineered, and mixed by Toby Scott from a single take and officially released in October 2025 on Nebraska Outtakes. Described by Springsteen as a "psycho-gothic Jerry Lee Lewis tune". Bruce performed part of the song (mixing it into Little Richard's "Lucille") at the Stone Pony in August 1982. However the only known complete, stand-alone performance of the song (i.e. with all its verses) was during a guest appearance at the same venue with Cats On A Smooth Surface on October 3, 1982. Recorded prior to the live performances, not after, as once thought.

ONE LOVE - V1a 4:40 LM-16 / UH / GS
ONE LOVE - V1b 3:34 TRACKSII

Note: Three known takes of this simple, bouncy number, all dubbed to a cassette at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles on January 19, 1983. Just one of these takes has circulated as a bootleg, on Lost Masters 16. Considered for use as a b-side in March 1983 - perhaps it was worked on a little more at the Hit Factory, but it doesn't appear in the logs. The officially released V1b is the same base take as V1a, but has been on a diet - over a minute has been trimmed from the intro and ending.

OPEN ALL NIGHT - V1 1:24 FFOD / HNWB
WANDA (OPEN ALL NIGHT) - V2 take 1 uncirculating
WANDA (OPEN ALL NIGHT) - V3a take 2 mix 1 2:50 LM-1
OPEN ALL NIGHT - V3b take 2 mix 2 2:51 NEBRASKA
OPEN ALL NIGHT - V3c take 2 mix 3 stereo mix 2:48 NEBRASKA
OPEN ALL NIGHT - V4 3:17 NEBRASKA 82: ELECTRIC

Note: In early 1981, Springsteen took the storyline and lyrics from 1979 River outtake "Living On The Edge Of The World" to create a new composition, "Open All Night". The first audio we have is a curious solo acoustic demo that was recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ during a gap in the River Tour in late March or early April 1981. The opening verses of this demo are lifted from "Living On The Edge Of The World", while the third is from another Born In The U.S.A. outtake, "This Hard Land". Two takes were included on Springsteen's demo tape, V2 and V3. Both were recorded between December 17, 1981 and January 3, 1982, also at Colts Neck; only V3 has surfaced, in three different mixes. The only song on Nebraska with electric guitar accompaniment. Springsteen used the title "Wanda (Open All Night)" in an early song line-up. A number of takes were recorded by Springsteen at the Power Station on April 27, 1982. These takes are all likely with the band, and one result is officially released on Electric Nebraska in October 2025.

OUT OF WORK V1 uncirculating
OUT OF WORK V2 2:53 GUEST: LINE / 1982 single

Note: Recorded at The Hit Factory in January or February 1982 (V1). Probably the same core recording as V2 found on the U.S. Bonds album (i.e. the E Street Band, including Bruce's guitar) – but with the Springsteen lead vocal. Springsteen filed a copyright on April 27, 1982.

PINK CADILLAC - V1 (take 1) uncirculating
PINK CADILLAC - V2a (take 2) 5:21 LM-1 / HNWB / MT2
PINK CADILLAC - V2b (take 2) 4:34 NEBRASKA82: OUTTAKES
PINK CADILLAC - V3a 3:45 BUERM / 1984AC
PINK CADILLAC - V3b 4:21 private cdr
PINK CADILLAC - V3c 3:33 1984 b-side
PINK CADILLAC - V3d 3:33 TRACKS / 1984 b-side / CAST
PINK CADILLAC - V4 3:55 GUEST: STANDING

Note: Two acoustic takes of "Pink Cadillac" were recorded between December 17, 1981 and January 3, 1982 at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ. V2b was officially issued in October 2025 on the Nebraska Outtakes CD of Nebraska '82: Expanded Edition. The released version was edited, removing just under a minute from the end of the original recording.

"Pink Cadillac" was one of the few songs from the acoustic Nebraska not to be recorded with the band in the May 1982 sessions at the Power Station, but V3 was recorded on May 31, 1983 at The Hit Factory in New York and officially released in May 1984 as the b-side to "Dancing In The Dark". V3b has the complete ending, V3c is a mono mix that for some reason was only issued on the Japanese single. Included on a 1984 album artwork prototype, in place of both "No Surrender" and "I'm Goin' Down". The January 1982 acoustic recording was considered for Tracks, as it was included on a June 1998 six-CD sample set alongside the acoustic "Born In The U.S.A.".

Around November 2003, Bruce recorded backing vocals at his home studio in Rumson, NJ for Jerry Lee Lewis's cover of "Pink Cadillac" that was released on his 2006 album Last Man Standing (V4). Interestingly, the song was copyrighted on April 7, 1983, almost two months before the Hit Factory session. This was presumably in relation to Bette Midler's unreleased cover. For more details on this, see here. Despite Springsteen's previous opinion that "Pink Cadillac" wasn't a "girl's song", Natalie Cole released her own cover in 1988 that reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Cole, Bruce approved of her version, and thought that "it was very cool that a woman could [sing "Pink Cadillac"] and it would come out so great."

PROTECTION - V1 3:30 LM-4 / MI / GS / MILM / UH / BUERM
PROTECTION - V2 3:35 GUEST: DONNA SUMMER / 1983 single
PROTECTION - V3 uncirculated

Note: In early 1982 renowned producer David Geffen contacted Jon Landau to ask if Springsteen would write a song for Donna Summer, the first artist signed to Geffen Records. In response, Bruce wrote "Cover Me", but after hearing it, Landau said, "You aren't giving this one away." Even though he disagreed, Springsteen wrote another song, "Protection", in early February. V1 of "Protection" was recorded by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at The Hit Factory on February 23, 1982, and was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office on March 8, 1982. A demo of "Protection" was sent to Summer and her producer, Quincy Jones, and it was arranged for Roy Bittan and Bruce to fly out to Los Angeles to cut the track. On March 8, they arrived at Westlake Audio Studios, on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles where Summer's tenth album, Donna Summer, was in production. Bruce struck up a friendly relationship with Jones, with whom he would work again in 1985, recording "We Are The World". He also apparently got along with Donna, sleeping on her couch that evening as they worked on the song. He played guitar and provided backing vocals for the recording, which was cut over multiple takes. Quincy was thoroughly impressed, later saying Bruce "was one of the nicest people I have ever worked with. The man has more musical knowledge than a lot of people think and has a deep sense of commitment to music. You could feel his spirit in the sessions." "Protection" was issued as the sixth track on Donna Summer, released on July 19, 1982. The album did not have the success of her disco records of the 1970s, but she was nominated for the 'Best Female Rock Vocal Performance' Grammy for "Protection" in 1983.

A vocal duet version (V3) of "Protection" also exists, but the recording does not currently circulate. Note that six short acoustic demos of a song titled "Protection" were recorded during The River sessions in 1979 and included on 'Lost Masters Volume VIII'. Other than the title, they bear little in common musically or lyrically with this track.

REASON TO BELIEVE - V1a (take 1) 4:00 LM-1
REASON TO BELIEVE - V1b (take 1) 4:02 NEBRASKA
REASON TO BELIEVE - V1c (take 1) stereo mix 3:56 NEBRASKA
REASON TO BELIEVE - V2 (take 2) uncirculating
REASON TO BELIEVE - V3 3:34 circulating
REASON TO BELIEVE - V4 0:50 circulating
REASON TO BELIEVE - V5 3:38 NEBRASKA82: ELECTRIC

Note: Springsteen recorded two complete recordings at his home in Colts Neck between December 17, 1981 and January 2, 1982, but only one has surfaced, which is take #1. This take circulates in three different mixes, and the second (unused) take has an extra verse. Inspired by Springsteen's own experience driving down Highway 33 on his way to Millstone, a township in Monmouth County.

V3 is a full-band rehearsal (missing the opening lines) of a new electric arrangement recorded on April 15, 1982. This performance is a work-in-progress, with some lyrical variation including an extra third verse. This may be the same verse used in V2. The first verse is sung by Springsteen alone accompanied by electric guitar, before drum and bass join in for the rest of the song. Max Weinberg's driving beat features throughout. V4 is a short take of just the second verse. These two rehearsal takes entered circulation in October 2025. V5 is multiple studio takes from April 27–28, 1982 at Power Station, likely with the E Street Band. The result is officially released in October 2025 on Electric Nebraska, recorded on April 27 in a similar arrangement to the April 15 rehearsal.

REFRIGERATOR BLUES uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track from the sessions, recorded at The Hit Factory on February 16, 1984.

RICHFIELD WHISTLE - V1a 6:28 LM-18 / UH
RICHFIELD WHISTLE - V1b 6:37 TRACKSII
RICHFIELD WHISTLE - V2 uncirculating

Note: "Richfield Whistle" V1 was recorded on April 23, 1983, at Thrill Hill Recording, Hollywood Hills, California and was developed from the 1981-83 work-in-progress composition "Jim Deer". The officially released V1b appears identical to the bootleg recording but runs at the correct speed - the bootleg runs fast, explaining the nine second variation in run-time. V2 was recorded with the band at The Hit Factory on May 27 and June 10, 1983 but remains in the vaults for now. Note that this may not be a total re-recording, but rather overdubs.

ROBERT FORD AND JESSE JAMES - V1 1:15 FFOD / HNWB
JESSE JAMES - V2 4:10 LM-10
JESSE JAMES - V3 1:39 LM-10
ROBERT FORD - V4 uncirculating

Note: V1 recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ from late March to early April, 1981 just a snippet, with mostly unintelligible lyrics. V2 and V3 are from Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September 1981 thru May 1982, no relation to "Jesse James" from the We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions album. Some lyrics are eventually reused in "Outlaw Pete". V4 recorded at Power Station on April 27, 1982; this is probably a solo take. Also known as "Robert Ford And Jesse James".

ROCKAWAY THE DAYS 4:40 TRACKS

Note: Recorded on January 12, 1984 at The Hit Factory, New York, NY. The recording date listed on Tracks (February 3) could be a mixing date.

ROLL AWAY THE STONE uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track from the sessions, recorded November 30, 1983 at The Hit Factory.

SAVIN' UP - V1 uncirculating
SAVIN' UP - V2 4:20 GUEST: RESCUE / 1983 single
SAVIN' UP - V3 5:09 GUEST: ENDOFTHEROAD

Note: V1 was recorded at The Hit Factory on January 25 and/or February 23, 1982, presumably with the band. "Savin' Up" was considered for Gary U.S. Bonds but not used, Bruce instead donated the song to Clarence Clemons & The Red Bank Rockers in 1983 for their debut album Rescue. Springsteen co-produced and played guitar on V2, which was issued in October 1983. V3 is a duet recorded with John Luraschi for his farewell album in 2008. Luraschi was an Upstage-regular who played in a series of Asbury Park bands and performed as part of The Zoomettes in Dr. Zoom & The Sonic Boom.

SEVEN TEARS - V1a 1:56 LM-16 / GS / MT2
SEVEN TEARS - V1b 1:47 TRACKSII

Note: Short but sweet. The 'Lost Masters' liner notes say it was recorded January 4, 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in the Hollywood Hills - this may be an error as studio logs only list one take, recorded February 15, 1983. The officially released take appears to be identical to the bootleg, with only the count-in removed.

SHUT DOWN uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track, recorded October 26, 1983 at The Hit Factory.

SHUT OUT THE LIGHT - V1a 4:33 TRACKSII / LM-16 / UH
SHUT OUT THE LIGHT - V1b 3:25 LM-18
SHUT OUT THE LIGHT - V1c 3:56 1984 b-side / BACK
SHUT OUT THE LIGHT - V1d 3:51 TRACKS

Note: All of the above use the same core recording from January 19, 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles, but four different mixes. V1a is considered by many to be the definitive version of the song – it contains two additional verses that were cut from the three other mixes. It is this exact take that was officially issued on Tracks II in 2025. V1c contains a violin overdub courtesy of Soozie Tyrell, her first session work for Bruce; her part was most likely recorded on May 23 or 27, 1983 at The Hit Factory. V1d brings the violin more to the fore in the mix. "Shut Out The Light" was considered for the album before it was released in 1984 as the b-side to "Born In The U.S.A.". The theme of a Vietnam veteran returning home was also explored in the 1981 demo "Vietnam", which also includes the opening couplet "The runway rushed up at him as he felt the wheels touch down / He stood out on the blacktop and took a taxi into town."

STAND ON IT - V1 3:03 TRACKS
STAND ON IT - V2 2:30 1985 b-side / TRP / BACK
STAND ON IT - V3 3:12 TRACKSII

Note: "Stand On It" was first recorded on June 16, 1983 at The Hit Factory, New York. V2 was released as the b-side of the single "Glory Days" on May 22, 1985. V1, which is possibly the original take that V2 was mixed from, contains an additional verse and complete ending, both missing from the single release. It was released on Disc 3 of Tracks in 1998. V3 was recorded around May/June 1995 at Springsteen's home studio in Beverly Hills with a backing band of Danny Federici (piano), Garry Tallent (bass), Gary Mallaber (drums), and Marty Rifkin (pedal steel), and issued in 2025 on Tracks II: The Lost Albums.

STOP THE WAR - V1 3:48 circulating
STOP THE WAR - V2 uncirculating

Note: V1 is a full band rehearsal recorded April 15, 1982 at Springsteen's house in Colts Neck. Well developed and practised, it's no surprise that "Stop The War" was later recorded at Power Station on May 5-6, 1982 (V2). An upbeat and promising song about a failing relationship crippled by argument. The opening line of the song, "I pull you close but when we kiss girl I can feel a doubt", would later be found in "I'm Goin' Down".

SUGARLAND - V1 0:08 LM-17
SUGARLAND - V2 rockabilly 2:39 LM-17 / GS
SUGARLAND - V3 rockabilly 2:35 LM-16 / GT / GS
SUGARLAND - V4 country 2:17 LM-16 / GS
SUGARLAND - V5a acoustic 2:41 LM-19 / UH / MILM / GS / BUOR
SUGARLAND - V5b acoustic 2:46 TRACKSII
SUGARLAND - V6 rock 2:39 LM-18
SUGARLAND - V7 uncirculating

Note: Takes recorded January 18, 19, and 30 and February 7, 8, 14, and 17, 1983 at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles. Five full takes circulate, all complete performances in varying arrangements - V1 is a false start included here for completeness. V2 is rockabilly, recorded January 30, 1983 according to the 'Lost Masters' liner notes. V3 and V6 (from January 18) are more rock-oriented, and appear to have the same vocal take. The only differences between the two may be in the backing music, or the mix. The 'Lost Masters' liner notes consider V4 to be in a country-style, but is actually more of a Cajun style. These arrangements pale in comparison to V5 which is quiet and atmospheric and the definitive version. Springsteen obviously agreed as V5 was officially released on Tracks II. V5b may have an acoustic guitar overdub, but the difference in clarity and volume may be due to the relatively poor quality of the bootleg recording. The official release may also use a different source with the guitar mixed higher. The bootleg runs slightly slow, which explains the five second difference in run-time.

"Sugarland" was later recorded at The Hit Factory in May 1983, presumably now with a band backing: V7 is fourteen takes on May 25, 1983. A possible additional session was held on December 1, 1983. Performed live twice in 1984 on the Born In The U.S.A. Tour, but never since. An early Tracks six-CD sample set from June 1998 indicates that "Sugarland" was considered for Tracks, but ultimately rejected.

SWOOP MAN uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track from The Hit Factory in New York, recorded November 30, 1983.

THE KLANSMAN - V1a 2:54 LM-16 / UH / BUOR
THE KLANSMAN - V1b 2:47 TRACKSII

Note: Compelling song about a boy's indoctrination into the Ku Klux Klan, recorded at Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles. The Lost Masters liner notes say it was recorded January 4, 1983 - this may be an error as studio logs only list one take, recorded March 10, 1983. The officially released V1b is identical to the bootleg recording but removes Bruce's count-in.

THE MONEY WE DIDN'T MAKE uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track recorded February 15, 1983.

THIS HARD LAND - V1 4.46 TRACKS / THLRR / UH / SQBI / MI / GS
THIS HARD LAND - V2 4.50 THLBP / THLBB / MAT / CAST
THIS HARD LAND - V3 uncirculating
THIS HARD LAND - V4 1:57 YBNT2 / BB
THIS HARD LAND - V5 4:40 DDITV
THIS HARD LAND - V6 4:48 GREATEST
THIS HARD LAND - V7 5:40 private

Note: V1 and V2 recorded at the Power Station (not The Hit Factory, as the Tracks liner notes suggest) on May 11, 13, and 14, 1982. Springsteen returned to it with more takes recorded on February 3 and 15, 1983 at his home studio in Los Angeles, designated V3. Re-recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City during the Greatest Hits sessions. Frank Pagano guests on percussion instruments. V4 is the brief snippet shown in the Blood Brothers video that accompanied Greatest Hits. V5 and V6 are two different recordings, though very similar, and V7 is a full take marked as take #3, with mandolin, accordion, and an extended coda. After all these rerecordings, a 1982 Born In The U.S.A. studio session version was issued on Tracks a few years after the Greatest Hits sessions concluded.

TRUE LOVE IS HARD TO COME BY - V1 0:30 LM-10
TRUE LOVE IS HARD TO COME BY - V2 0.15 LM-10
TRUE LOVE IS HARD TO COME BY - V3 1:40 LM-10
TRUE LOVE IS HARD TO COME BY - V4 1:10 LM-10
TRUE LOVE IS HARD TO COME BY - V5 1:25 LM-10
TRUE LOVE IS HARD TO COME BY - V6 uncirculating

Note: V1-V5 are acoustic demos recorded January-April 1982. V3 is solely harmonies, V4 features lyrics similar to "Dollhouse". V5 has lyrics from "Janey Don't You Lose Heart". V6 recorded with the band at The Hit Factory on June 2, 1983. Shortlisted for Tracks.

TV MOVIE - V1 3:32 circulating
TV MOVIE - V2a 2:34 LM-19 / UH
TV MOVIE - V2b 2:39 TRACKS

Note: According to Bruce in the Los Angeles Times in 1998, "TV Movie" was written after a conversation in the studio led to someone saying "Look out man, they are going to make a TV movie out of you." In a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone, Max Weinberg said that Bruce came up with the song after a late night in the recording room, along with "Stand On It" and a band arrangement of "Pink Cadillac", both of which were recorded in May and June of 1983. However, V1, a band rehearsal from Colts Neck, is firmly dated to April 15, 1982, casting doubts on the accuracy of Weinberg's chronology. This rehearsal is very similar to V2, the final studio recording cut on June 13, 1983 and issued on Tracks. Two different mixes known; V2a has saxophone; V2b has the saxophone deleted.

UNDER THE BIG SKY uncirculating

Note: Uncirculated track from the Born In The U.S.A. sessions, recorded November 30, 1983 at The Hit Factory. Springsteen may have returned to this track some years later, as a song titled "Under A Big Sky" was recorded in the summer of 1995 and subsequently issued on Somewhere North Of Nashville, as part of Tracks II: The Lost Albums in 2025.

UNSATISFIED HEART - V1 (vocal take 1) 5:22 LM-17 / UH / GS
UNSATISFIED HEART - V2 (vocal take 2) uncirculating
UNSATISFIED HEART - V3 (completed track with overdubs) 5:42 TRACKSII

Note: Three known recording dates of "Unsatisfied Heart" are documented in studio logs, March 24, April 16, and June 13, 1983.

The song's lyrics are closely related to "Fugitive's Dream", another track recorded on March 24, 1983, which suggests that both songs' initial takes may have originated from the same session at Springsteen's Los Angeles home studio. The commercially released version of "Unsatisfied Heart" differs from the bootleg take that has circulated for some time. The official release features a distinct vocal take with slight lyrical variations, particularly in the opening lines of the third verse. It is possible that the second vocal take was recorded on April 16, again at Springsteen's home, but that cannot be confirmed.

A single take with a running time of 5:38 was recorded on June 13, 1983 at The Hit Factory in New York. It is believed that this was the result of keyboard and drum overdubs by Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg, and careful listening reveals live drums on the officially released track found on Tracks II. Given that the official release running time is 5:42 with silence removed, it is reasonable to assume that the June 13, 1983 cut is the same exact version that appears on Tracks II.

USED CARS - V1 3:17 FFOD / HNWB
USED CARS - V2 2:30 FFOD / HNWB
USED CARS - V3 2:45 FFOD / HNWB
USED CARS - V4 uncirculating
USED CARS - V5 uncirculating
USED CARS - V6 take 1 uncirculating
USED CARS - V7a take 2 3:00 LM-1
USED CARS - V7b take 2 3:01 NEBRASKA
USED CARS - V7c take 2 stereo mix 2:59 NEBRASKA
USED CARS - V8 uncirculating

Note: V1–V3 are acoustic demos recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ from mid-September to December 1981, similar to the released version with some lyrical and melodic variations. Then four different, complete, recordings were made - only one has surfaced (three mixes). Take 1 was "a little dirty recording wise," according to Springsteen. V8 was a solo recording cut during a session at the Power Station on April 30, 1982. Just one single take was recorded, but it was not selected for use on the Nebraska Outtakes album.

WAGES OF SIN - V1 2:00 LM-10
WAGES OF SIN - V2 0:20 LM-10
WAGES OF SIN - V3 3:05 LM-10
WAGES OF SIN - V4 5:10 LM-10
WAGES OF SIN - V5 4:49 TRACKS

Note: V1–V4 make up an interesting group of acoustic demo takes recorded at Springsteen's home in Colts Neck, NJ during January–April 1982. V4 is most like the final version on Tracks, recorded at Power Station on May 10, 1982. Note that "Wages Of Sin" #3, track 13 on 'Lost Masters Volume 10' is a different work-in-progress song, "Bells Of San Salvador".

A THOUSAND TEARS (WILLIAM DAVIS) - V1 uncirculating
WILLIAM DAVIS - V2 uncirculating

Note: First recorded under the title "A Thousand Tears (William Davis)" at Power Station Studios on January 31 and February 1, 1980. Springsteen would return to the song on April 27 and 28, 1982, with the working title, "William Davis", during the early days of the Born In The U.S.A. sessions. These takes could be solo or with some band accompaniment. No audio circulates.

WORKIN' ON IT uncirculating

Note: Recorded at The Hit Factory on January 25, 1982. An uncirculated song from the same session that gave us "Cover Me" and the Gary U.S. Bonds tracks.

WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V1 3:30 circulating
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V2 3:21 NEBRASKA82: OUTTAKES
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V3 3:18 MI / THLRR / BUERM / TDB
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V4 3:35 private cdr
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V5a 3:09 LM-19 / UH / GS
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY - V5b 3:10 BITUSA

Note: The long-standing theory has always been that Springsteen took the lyrics of "Child Bride" and wrote an entirely new rock melody to create "Working On The Highway". V1 is a Colts Neck full band performance which has a completely different final verse from both "Child Bride" and the final studio take of "Working On The Highway". Recorded on April 15, 1982, this version 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. Studio logs indicate that the song was recorded at Power Station on April 30 and May 6, 1982. V2, released on October 24, 2025 on Nebraska '82: Expanded Edition, is a solo acoustic recording from April 30, with many lyrical elements left over from the April 15 band rehearsal, including the alternative verse described above. According to logs, just one single take was cut. One week and one re-written verse later, V3-V5 were all recorded with the band on May 6, 1982.

YOUR LOVE IS ALL AROUND ME - V1 5:51 LM-10
YOUR LOVE IS ALL AROUND ME - V2 3:18 LM-10
YOUR LOVE IS ALL AROUND ME - V3 0:49 LM-10
YOUR LOVE IS ALL AROUND ME - V4 1:07 circulating
YOUR LOVE IS ALL AROUND ME - V5 3:28 circulating
YOUR LOVE IS ALL AROUND ME - V6 uncirculating

Note: Reminiscent of "My Love Will Not Let You Down". V1-V3 are acoustic demos that date from the period around September 1981 to April 1982. V4 and V5 are two takes from a Colts Neck band rehearsal on April 15, 1982 with more developed lyrics, but the song is still in the relatively early stages of development. V4 is just the opening and first verse, V5 is most of the song, although the majority of lyrics are unclear. Both entered circulation (as one track) in October 2025. V6 was recorded with the band at Power Station on May 10, 1982, on the same reel as "Wages Of Sin".


Note: The timeline-focused, original presentation of these sessions can be found here.

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