Born To Run - Studio Sessions - Uncertain

Possible BTR-era Songs

The following titles emanate from the late 1973 to early 1975 period. All the titles below are based on information garnered from completed lyric sheets, partially completed lyric sheets or documents in Bruce’s handwriting containing song titles (but no lyrics). Springsteen often creates song titles first and then attempts to write words and music around it - so the existence of a song title is no guarantee that a song was ever created. There is as yet no evidence these were completed songs (words and music) and no evidence they were recorded during any of the Born To Run sessions. If they do exist as recordings then they would most likely be either as work-in-progress home cassette recordings or from the little known about 1974 sessions at 914 Sound Studios. It's also possible that some of these songs are merely work-in-progress titles for other tracks that we are more familiar with.

Possible BTR-era Songs

Song Title	Running Time	Release

ANGEL'S BLUES

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Note: Written mid-to-late 1973. Also known by the titles "She's So Fine" and "Ride On Sweet William".

ANGEL BABY

5:30

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Note: This track can be found on several handwritten potential sequences for Springsteen's third album. Known as "Angel Baby" and "Angel Baby (Broken Down Doll)". Could also be known as "Angel's Song" which can be found on another handwritten document, but it is possible this is a different composition. It is known to have been performed on June 2, 1974 in Toledo, OH and was possibly recorded at 914 Sound Studios sometime in 1974.

BABY AND ME (BLONDIE)

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Note: Potentially the same song as "Lonesome Town (Blondie)". Found on listings #2 and 3, and as "Baby & Me (Blondie)" on #4. No other details known.

BORN TO BE ALONE

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Note: Written as "Orbison - Born To Be Alone". Could very well be an early working title for the Orbison-influenced "Thunder Road."

BORN TO WIN

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Note: No details known.

DOWN AT THE CLUB

4:00

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Note: Album Sequences #6 and 7 both show a timing of 4:00. Unfortunately, it was crossed out in sequence #7, never to be mentioned again.

DUEL / DUAL

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Note: Written as "Dual", but given the tone of other titles from the same era, we think Springsteen meant "Duel".

ELVIS STYLE

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Note: Could be a working title for another song.

EVERY LITTLE BIT

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Note: Title known only from this early track listing.

GLORY ROAD

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Note: During an interview with Australian journalist Ian "Molly" Meldrum in April 1995, Springsteen was asked if this was an early title for "Thunder Road"; Springsteen replied tentatively that it was possible. Two lyric sheets that have emerged since the Meldrum interview suggests that "Glory Road" may actually have been a title or phrase used by Springsteen while he was in the process of composing "Born To Run". Phrases later used in "Born To Run" such as "tramps like us baby we were born to run" and "let me show you love is wild, let me show you love is real" can be found in the "Glory Road" lyric sheets. However, since "Glory Road" and "Born To Run" both appear on listings #1 and #5, it seems possible that they were individual songs at some point before they were combined to form the final version of "Born To Run". More information.

HERE SHE COMES WALKIN'

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Note: Also known as "Here She Comes". Apparently resurrected in 1980 during The River Tour as introduction to "I Wanna Marry You". The title would crop up once again in 1988 during the introduction to "All That Heaven Will Allow" on the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. Title also found on a circa 1975 worksheet, and appears to be contemporary with songs such as "Lonely Night In The Park", "Janey Needs A Shooter", and "Thunder Road" (listing #1 and 5).

JR. WALKER GROOVE

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Note: There is a handwritten song list, probably dated late 1974, that has "Jr. Walker Groove" paired with "A Love So Fine". Junior Walker was a saxophonist, whose group Junior Walker & the All Stars played for the Motown label in the 1960s, with many hits like "Shotgun" and "What Does It Take". In early 1974, Springsteen regularly incorporated "Shotgun" into performances of "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight).

KILLERS PARADISE (THE VIOLENT ONES)

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross. Possibly one of a number of songs that evolved into "Born To Run" (as speculated by Molly Meldrum in the famous 1995 interview).

LATIN SONG

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Note: No details known.

LIVIN' IN THE GHETTO (HARLEM)

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross, and found as track ten on listing #3 as "Harlem". Probably not related to Ben E. King's "Spanish Harlem".

LONESOME TOWN (BLONDIE)

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Note: Possibly the same song as "Baby & Me (Blondie)", listed above. Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross, but apparently misread and listed as "Lonesome Train". Found on listings #2 and 3, and as "Baby & Me (Blondie)" on #4.

LOVE AND DEFIANCE

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross. A handwritten lyric sheet was sold at auction in June 2014. "Of Love & Defiance" can also be found in a handwritten list of potential titles for album #3.

MARY'S SONG

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross.

NEW DELINQUENT LOVERS

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Note: No details known.

PRETTY THING

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Note: Found on listing #6. No other information known.

SAINT JIMMY'S DREAM

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross.

SHA LA LA

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Note: The Shirelles. Played live during the Born To Run Tour. Also could be a Springsteen original that shares the same title.

SHANGHAI

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Note: Also known as "Tokyo" and "And The Band Played". Performed live as late as June 1974 and apparently considered for several albums before disappearing.

SHE COMES INTO MY ROOM (SCENE #1)

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross.

SHOOTOUT IN CHINATOWN

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Note: Appears in a song/album sequence dated to August-October 1974.

SOMETIMES AT NIGHT

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Note: Known from a 1974 list of potential album titles. Previously, a song titled "Sometimes At Night" was performed by the Bruce Springsteen Band during 1971-1972, and a handwritten lyric sheet was displayed at the Brussels Hard Rock Cafe in 2013. It seems unlikely that Springsteen was considering using "Sometimes At Night" for the album.

STILL THERE

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross.

STREET FIGHT

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Note: No details known.

SURRENDER AT THE CITADEL

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross. May not be a song, since "Surrender At The Citadel" can also be found in a handwritten list of potential titles for album #3.

THE STREET

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross.

THE STREET GOES ON FOREVER

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross. May not be a song, since "The Street Goes On Forever" can also be found in a handwritten list of potential titles for album #3.

THEME FOR AN IMAGINARY WAITRESS (FONTAINBLEU WALTZ)

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Note: Also known as "Portrait Of An Imaginary Waitress (Fountainableu)", as found in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross. Cross notes that this song may have evolved into "Linda Let Me Be The One".

THUNDER HILL

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Note: No details known.

VIRGIN SUMMER NIGHTS

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross. According to Louis P. Masur's 2009 book Runaway Dream: Born To Run And Bruce Springsteen's American Vision, "She's The One" was originally titled "Virgin Summer Nights". It's more plausible that "Virgin Summer Nights" was a different song that later evolved into "She's The One".

WAR ROSES

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Note: Also known as "War And Roses". May have been considered for the title of album #3.

WILD ANGELS

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Note: Probably not a song title - handwritten lyrics for an early draft version of "Born To Run" include the phrase "Wild Angels" in the margin.

WILD BILLY'S LULLABY

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Note: Written by Springsteen as "Wild Billy's Lullabye or (Dream)". We can't be certain what Bruce means here, but "Wild Billy's Dream" may be an alternative title for "Wild Billy's Lullaby". May be a sequel to "Wild Billy's Circus Story". Also of interest is track six of listing #4, "Wild Billy's Song To Orphans". There appears to be a connection, but the nature of the relationship between "Song To Orphans" and "Wild Billy" is a mystery.

WILD FIRE

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Note: Or "Wildfire". Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross.

WILD ONES

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Note: Also known as "Wild One". Springsteen may have taken the title from the 1953 Marlon Brando movie The Wild One. Indeed, the leather motorcycle jacket worn by Brando in the movie is very similar to that sported by Springsteen on the Born To Run album sleeve. Title also seen on another handwritten document, where Springsteen's note reads: "Janey Need A Shooter to Wild One chords".

WILD ROSES

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Note: Title printed in the second edition of Backstreets: Springsteen, The Man And His Music by Charles R. Cross.