Greatest Hits - Studio Sessions

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Commercially released: February 27, 1995
Label: Columbia
Produced by Bruce Springsteen, Mike Appel, Jon Landau, Steven Van Zandt, Chuck Plotkin, Roy Bittan
Recorded by Toby Scott, assisted by Carl Glanville and Pete Keppler at The Hit Factory, and Thrill Hill West
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain, assisted by Jay Militscher, Ryan Freeland and Tony Duino-Black
Mastered by Bob Ludwig and Brian Lee, Remastered by Bob Ludwig
Design by Sandra Choron
Photography by Eric Meola, Annie Leibovitz, David Gahr, David Rose, Jim Marchese and Pam Springsteen

Overview

Greatest Hits is Bruce Springsteen's first compilation album. It is a collection of some of Springsteen's hit singles and popular album tracks through the years along with four new songs at the end, mostly recorded with the E Street Band in 1995. The latter constituted Springsteen's first (albeit very partial) release with his backing band since the late 1980s. Some of the songs are shorter versions of the original album releases.

The incorporation of the "new" tracks was portrayed in the 1996 documentary Blood Brothers. "Murder Incorporated" and "This Hard Land" were, in fact, unused 1982 songs from the Born in the U.S.A. sessions, with the latter being re-recorded here more than a decade later, and both subsequently became Springsteen concert staples. "Blood Brothers", on the other hand, was played only as the final closing song of both the 1999–2000 Reunion Tour and 2002–2003 Rising Tour, both times with an extra verse added. "Secret Garden" achieved notoriety via the soundtrack of the 1996 film Jerry Maguire. Alternate versions of several of these new tracks were released on the 1996 Blood Brothers EP.

Please note that this page covers Springsteen's studio activity from February 1993 to the end of January 1995.

Released

# Song Title Running Time Release
1. BORN TO RUN 4:31 GREATEST / BTR
2. THUNDER ROAD 4:49 GREATEST / BTR
3. BADLANDS 4:03 GREATEST / DARKNESS
4. THE RIVER 5:01 GREATEST / RIVER
5. HUNGRY HEART 3:20 GREATEST / RIVER
6. ATLANTIC CITY 3:57 GREATEST / NEBRASKA
7. DANCING IN THE DARK 4:03 GREATEST / BITUSA
8. BORN IN THE U.S.A. 4:41 GREATEST / BITUSA
9. MY HOMETOWN 4:13 GREATEST / BITUSA
10. GLORY DAYS 3:49 GREATEST / BITUSA
11. BRILLIANT DISGUISE 4:16 GREATEST / TUNNEL
12. HUMAN TOUCH 2 5:10 GREATEST / HUMAN
13. BETTER DAYS 3:45 GREATEST / LUCKY
14. STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA 3:17 GREATEST / OST: PHILADELPHIA / 1994 single
15. SECRET GARDEN 1 4:28 GREATEST / OST: MAGUIRE / 1995 single
16. MURDER INCORPORATED 1 3:58 GREATEST / EP: BB
17. BLOOD BROTHERS 1 4:34 GREATEST / EP: BB
18. THIS HARD LAND 1 4:51 GREATEST / EP: LR

Total Running Time: 1:16:45

1: Recordings that were officially unreleased prior to their appearance on "Greatest Hits".
2: An edited/shortened version of the album track that was previously only available as a promotional item issued to radio stations.

Additional Recordings

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During an extended break in the Human Touch – Lucky Town Tour, Springsteen created demos at home on acoustic guitar in February 1993. A comment heard on the tape regarding a well-documented news event establishes that most, very likely all, of this audio was recorded on February 25, 1993. It should be noted that these are not professional studio recordings. Springsteen utilizes a cassette recorder that he manually stops and starts, as needed. None of these recordings exhibit a finished songwriting product. These are unfinished compositions, both musically and lyrically, and are in varying stages of completeness. However most of these songs show enough musical and lyrical development that it’s probable Springsteen finished them sometime during 1993–1995 and they exist as fully realized demo or studio recordings in Bruce's archive vault.

Springsteen completed the 1992–3 Human Touch - Lucky Town Tour in June 1993. The Philadelphia - Blood Brothers sessions (or the 1993 to Greatest Hits sessions) span a 19-month period from July 1993 to January 1995. Although Springsteen recorded somewhere between one and two albums worth of new material during this 19-month period, he never issued any of the recordings coherently on an album. The scattered nature of the releases, coupled with the fact that many of the songs remain unheard and/or unknown, make this period somewhat of a mystery, even today.

In early 1993 director Jonathan Demme approached Springsteen about writing a song for his work-in-progress film Philadelphia. Springsteen was non-committal to the project but told Demme he would try and come up with something appropriate for the film. Following the conclusion of the 1992–93 World Tour in support of Human Touch and Lucky Town in June 1993, Springsteen retreated to his home studio and came up with "Streets Of Philadelphia". In the autumn of 1993, several other new songs were written and recorded – precise details of these have never come to light. In January 1994 Springsteen confirmed to German magazine Bravo that he was writing new songs for a new album that he hoped to have out by the end of 1994. This album was never released – although the songs were written and recorded. By March 1994 Springsteen had recorded three or four new songs (details unknown) utilizing a three-man backup band consisting of 1992–93 tour members Roy Bittan (keyboards), Tommy Sims (bass), and Zach Alford (drums). "Burnin' Train" is one song possibly recorded at this time, later re-recorded and issued on Letter To You in 2020.

In early 1994 Springsteen was forced to relocate his Los Angeles home studio after the January 1994 Northridge earthquake rendered his home unlivable. Toby Scott rented a house in the city, and the two recorded a number of songs together, with Springsteen on all instruments and Scott programming drums and loops. The songs were mixed by Bob Clearmountain and an official release was considered, but ultimately rejected by Springsteen:

"There's a record that we recorded, mixed and didn't put out," Springsteen said on E Street Radio in 2013. "Bob Clearmountain mixed it, spent a lot of time on it… didn't put it out. That was, like, '94. And it still intrigues me. I still go back to it. There are still things on it that I really like, and I may go back to sort of say, 'Okay, well, why…?' Sometimes it's timing, you know. There was a particular reason that I didn't put out that group of music. Sometimes the timing just doesn't feel right for that kind of record."

This unreleased album has long been coined by fans as Springsteen's lost "hip-hop"-influenced album. Only one song from this project has ever been issued, "Missing", which was on the soundtrack to Sean Penn's 1995 movie The Crossing Guard. However, three other titles are known to have been recorded during this period, "Nothing Man" (which was re-recorded in 2002 for The Rising), "Blind Spot", and "Between Heaven And Earth". See the details below for more information on these songs.

In late 1993 and again in mid-1994 Springsteen and Joe Grushecky collaborated for songwriting sessions which yielded several songs, which in turn led to Springsteen agreeing to produce Grushecky's next album. The core of Grushecky's American Babylon album sessions took place during September–October 1994 and the album was completed and in the can by November 1994. However, due to contractual delays, the American Babylon album (which contains two of their 1993–4 songwriting collaborations) was not released until October 1995.

During October–December 1994 Springsteen recorded seven or eight new songs utilizing a three-man backup band consisting of 1992–93 tour band members Shane Fontayne (guitar), Tommy Sims (bass), and Zach Alford (drums). None of this material has yet leaked out. Fontayne has mentioned the sessions in interviews and noted the working title of the album was Waiting On The End Of The World. However, these sessions seem to have given way to a surprise decision to reconvene the E Street Band in conjunction with a related decision to release a Greatest Hits anthology during the early months of 1995.

In January 1995, Springsteen assembled the entire E Street Band (including alumnus Little Steven) together in New York for about ten days of studio sessions. Although Springsteen had utilized individual band members in the studio since 1987, this was seemingly the first time the E Street Band had worked together in the studio since March 1984 (a point Nils Lofgren has since confirmed in an interview). It is believed that most of the new compositions recorded at this "reunion" session had already been recorded at sessions with non-E Street Band musicians during 1994.

Song Title Running Time Release
BACK IN YOUR ARMS 4:33 TRACKS
GYPSY WOMAN 4:20 COMP: CURTIS
HIGH HOPES 4:20 BB: EP / HOPES
HOMESTEAD 4:14 circulating
MISSING 5:06 ESSENTIAL / 1995 single
WITHOUT YOU 3:56 BB: EP

Details

This is the listing of songs that have been recorded between February 1993 and early 1995, and therefore considered as part of these sessions. It does not include the songs that are actually released on previous releases, please check their specific studio sessions. Due to the complicated nature of the time, we have sub-divided each period into their own category for easier reading.

February 1993 Acoustic Demos
Song Title Running Time Release

ANGELINA - V1 1:19 private cdr
ANGELINA - V2 2:02 private cdr
ANGELINA - V3 2:16 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. All three utilize the same lyrics but V1 and V2 utilize different music than V3. The lyrics include the first three lines of Springsteen’s 1995 recorded song "Back In Your Arms", although there are no other similarities with that song. This is a standout composition in the making. The recorder is stopped and re-started once during the V3 performance.

BABY YOU'RE MISSING 2:54 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. This up-tempo song does not share any common melody or lyrics with either Springsteen’s 1995 released song "Missing" (from the film The Crossing Guard) or his 2002 released song "You're Missing" (from The Rising album). The recorder is stopped and re-started once during this performance.

BLIND SPOT - V1 2:08 private cdr
BLIND SPOT - V2 1:51 private cdr
BLIND SPOT - V3 uncirculating

Note: V1 and V2 are acoustic demos recorded on February 25, 1993. Although neither are finished this clearly exhibits the makings of a major work. The recorder is stopped and re-started once during the V1 performance. V2 is more fully realized. A recording of the song was filed with the US Copyright Office on April 7, 1995, although the song remains unreleased. A recording of "Blind Spot" can be heard by visitors to the Library of Congress's U.S. Copyright Office in Washington D.C. Backstreets contributor Shawn Poole reported that "Blind Spot" "features a hip-hop-style drum track, synth wash and an electric guitar solo [and] the lyrics focus on the troubling aspects of interpersonal relationships." It is likely that "Blind Spot" was recorded in the spring of 1994 in Los Angeles, along with other tracks like "Missing" and "Between Heaven And Earth" for an album project that was never released (all were copyrighted on the same day).

CROSS ROADS 0:40 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. This up tempo but embryonic work is a Springsteen original, not a cover of the Robert Johnson blues classic.

DON'T CROSS THAT LINE 2:23 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. One of the strongest songs from this session.

DON'T LET YOUR HEART GROW COLD 0:59 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. A lament about a female mud wrestler at the Tropicana Hotel.

DRY LIGHTNING - V1 3:56 private cdr
DRY LIGHTNING - V2 3:03 private cdr
DRY LIGHTNING - V3 3:29 JOAD

Note: V1 and V2 are two takes of an acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. Both utilize the same music but they are sung in different keys – this music however is totally different than what ended up being used on the official, released version, while the lyrics are about a 70% match. V3 was recorded sometime April–June 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, California. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his four-man backing band on this recording is Danny Federici (keyboards), Garry Tallent (bass), Gary Mallaber (drums) and Soozie Tyrell (violin).

HOUSE ON FIRE 0:45 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. The recorder is stopped and re-started once during this performance.

I DREAMT MY LOVE WAS LOST - V1 1:25 private cdr
I DREAMT MY LOVE WAS LOST - V2 1:03 private cdr
I DREAMT MY LOVE WAS LOST - V3 1:09 private cdr
I DREAMT MY LOVE WAS LOST - V4 0:43 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. Bruce working with unfinished lyrics and marrying them to different melodies or arrangements sung in different keys. This song contains the same opening three lines as Springsteen’s January 1995 recorded song "Back In Your Arms" (issued on Tracks) – but none of these above-noted versions utilize that song’s melody or any of its other lyrics.

I'M A GHOST IN MY DREAM 3:53 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. A wonderful, haunting song in the making. There is no relation whatsoever to "The Ghost of Tom Joad". The recorder is stopped and re-started twice during this performance.

KNIFE IN THE BACK 2:13 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. A quiet, introspective relationship song.

ONE FALSE MOVE IS ALL IT TAKES 2:39 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. A light-hearted ditty about a young working class couple that one can easily envision with a rock backing. The recorder is stopped and re-started once during this performance.

VISION SPIRIT 1:15 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. Bears some musical (though not lyrical) similarity to the version of "Dry Lightning" from this session.

YOU CAME DOWN 4:57 private cdr

Note: Acoustic demo recorded on February 25, 1993. Another introspective relationship song in an early development stage. The recorder is stopped and re-started three times during this performance.

1993/94 Solo and Band Recordings
Song Title Running Time Release

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH uncirculating

Note: This song and its sound recording were first registered with the US Copyright Office in spring 1995. A recording of "Between Heaven And Earth" can be heard by visitors to the Library of Congress's U.S. Copyright Office in Washington D.C. Backstreets contributor Shawn Poole reported that "Between Heaven And Earth" "is a ballad that features a hip-hop-style drum track and synthesizer wash a la 1994's "Streets of Philadelphia", with some electric guitar added to the recording's fade-out. The lyrics are focused on the difficulties of maintaining a marriage and family life, with imagery that includes children and a home's kitchen. The recording also features some nice double-tracked backing vocals from Bruce, using the falsetto voice he was developing at that time." It is likely that "Between Heaven And Earth" was recorded in the spring of 1994 in Los Angeles, along with other tracks like "Missing" and "Blind Spot" for an album project that was never released.

BLIND SPOT - V1 2:08 private cdr
BLIND SPOT - V2 1:51 private cdr
BLIND SPOT - V3 uncirculating

Note: V1 and V2 are acoustic demos recorded on February 25, 1993. Although neither are finished this clearly exhibits the makings of a major work. The recorder is stopped and re-started once during the V1 performance. V2 is more fully realized. A recording of the song was filed with the US Copyright Office on April 7, 1995, although the song remains unreleased. A recording of "Blind Spot" can be heard by visitors to the Library of Congress's U.S. Copyright Office in Washington D.C. Backstreets contributor Shawn Poole reported that "Blind Spot" "features a hip-hop-style drum track, synth wash and an electric guitar solo [and] the lyrics focus on the troubling aspects of interpersonal relationships." It is likely that "Blind Spot" was recorded in the spring of 1994 in Los Angeles, along with other tracks like "Missing" and "Between Heaven And Earth" for an album project that was never released (all were copyrighted on the same day).

BURNIN' TRAIN - V1 uncirculating
BURNIN' TRAIN - V2 3:59 LETTER

Note: The first demo of "Burnin' Train" was recorded at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills, CA during December 1993. V2 was completed over a five-day period in November 2019 at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, New Jersey, with the E Street Band. Inclusion on a six-CD sampler dated from June 1998 suggests "Burnin' Train" was considered for Tracks. This could be the 1993 recording.

FATHER'S DAY uncirculating

Note: This song and its sound recording were first registered with the US Copyright Office on April 7, 1995. However, the title of this Springsteen composition had leaked out in late 1994 and it is believed the recording emanates from sometime in the fall of 1994.

GYPSY WOMAN - V1a 4:20 COMP: CURTIS
GYPSY WOMAN - V1b 3:28 BACK

Note: Written by Curtis Mayfield in 1961. Recorded by Bruce during September or October 1993 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, California. Co-produced by Springsteen and Tommy Sims and first released in February 1994 on the compilation album A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield.

HOMESTEAD - V1 4:14 SA
HOMESTEAD - V2 4:11 GUEST: BABYLON

Note: Co-written by Springsteen and Joe Grushecky and released on Grushecky's American Babylon album in October 1995. Grushecky wrote the lyrics, which he showed to Springsteen in Los Angeles around October 25, 1993; Springsteen composed the music and the two recorded the song together at the Hit Factory, New York during November 1993. Springsteen's own version surfaced in November 2013, broadcast on E Street Radio.

MISSING - V1a 5:06 1995 single / 1999 b-side
MISSING - V1b 5:06 ESSENTIAL: BONUS / DDITV

Note: Recorded in April 1994 at a rented house in Los Angeles after Springsteen was forced to relocate his home studio following the January 1994 Northridge earthquake. Produced by Springsteen (no co-producer) and recorded by Toby Scott; Bruce handles all vocals and instruments. Springsteen didn't write "Missing" with a film in mind – he played the recording for actor/director Sean Penn in late 1994 and Penn asked if he could use it in a film he was directing, which turned out to be the November 1995 movie The Crossing Guard. First issued on the movie soundtrack in November 1995 and then as a Springsteen single in some countries in early 1996. V1a and V1b are slightly different mixes of the same recording. The versions circulated on bootlegs have about a minute total cut at the beginning and end of the track but are from an identical recording and mix to the official release.

NOTHING MAN - V1 uncirculating
NOTHING MAN - V2 4:23 RISING

Note: Initially recorded in the spring of 1994 at a house in Los Angeles rented by Toby Scott, who assisted, programming drum and loops. The finished recording was mixed by Bob Clearmountain and selected for an album that was never released, alongside other songs such as "Missing", "Blind Spot", and "Between Heaven And Earth". "Nothing Man" was re-recorded at Southern Tracks Studio in early 2002 (V2) with the E Street Band and issued on The Rising.

STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V1a 4:13 uncirculating
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V1b 4:11 BACK / ASOBS / OST: PHILADELHPIA
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V1c 3:49 1994 single
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V1d 3:17 GREATEST / ESSENTIAL / BESTOF
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V1e 2:53 DDITV / 1994 b-side
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V1f 4:13 promo-only cd
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V1g 3:43 TOTP video mix
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA - V2 uncirculating

Note: Written in mid-1993 and registered at the U.S. Copyright office on August 27, 1993. Released on December 30, 1993, as part of the Philadelphia soundtrack, then issued as a single in the U.S. on February 2, 1994. However, this is a song with a complex recording and release history. All recordings were co-produced by Springsteen and Chuck Plotkin.

The base track, V1a, was recorded during August 1993 at Bellevue Studios (the house next to the residence) at Thrill Hill Recording, 40 Bellevue, Rumson, New Jersey. Springsteen was on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, and drum machine. V1b added background vocals and bass by Tommy Sims, and in December would become the album soundtrack version. V1c, the single mix, only adds Sims's vocals to V1a, and is trimmed to under four minutes. V1d is a significantly edited (one minute shorter) version of V1b, mixed for Greatest Hits, released on February 28, 1995. V1e is the version used for the commercially released video – it is the same base recording as V1b except that it features an alternate ("live") Springsteen vocal. V1f was released as a promotion-only single in the UK and Austria and this is allegedly yet another slightly different mix of V1b. V1g is the audio released as part of a black-and-white video shot in early 1994 at CBS TV Soundstage studios in New York and originally broadcast on the UK TV show Top Of The Pops. It is alleged this is yet another slight, but unique, mix variation.

V2 is a different recording of the song made in October 1993, apparently at A&M Studios in Los Angeles. It features Bruce on lead vocal, instrumentation provided by Springsteen and jazz virtuoso Ornette Coleman, bass and background vocals by Tommy Sims, and additional background vocals by Little Jimmy Scott. V2 was allegedly scheduled to be the officially released version up to early December 1993, when it was nixed at the last second, even after the song's video (which featured Little Jimmy extensively) was shot. The video had to be re-shot. A brief snippet of V2 (including the tell-tale vocals of Little Jimmy Scott) is actually heard about halfway through the movie (but it's V1b that is heard in the opening sequence of the movie).

WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD - V1 uncirculating
WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD - V2 4:27 DDITV

Note: V2 was recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City with the E Street Band and is take 3. V1 is an earlier version that was recorded in 1994 featuring Shane Fontayne and other members of the 1992-3 touring band.

1995 Greatest Hits Sessions
Song Title Running Time Release

BACK IN YOUR ARMS - V1 0:34 YBNT2 / BB
BACK IN YOUR ARMS - V2 3:16 YBNT2 / BB
BACK IN YOUR ARMS - V3a 4:38 DDITV / GT
BACK IN YOUR ARMS - V3b 4:33 TRACKS
BACK IN YOUR ARMS - V4 4:57 private
BACK IN YOUR ARMS - V5 4:47 private

Note: Recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City. V1 is a brief snippet shown in the video. V2 is an incomplete alternate take. V3b (recorded on January 12) is the officially issued recording. V3a is the same basic recording as V3b but with the keyboard deleted and a different, more passionate vocal by Springsteen. Many consider V3a to be the superior version. V4 is an early take (#1) with some bluffed lyrics and an overdubbed introduction with some nice organ work. V5 is take #6.

BLOOD BROTHERS - V1 1:11 YBNT2 / BB
BLOOD BROTHERS - V2a 1:54 YBNT2 / BB
BLOOD BROTHERS - V2b 1:31 YBNT2 / BB
BLOOD BROTHERS - V3a 3:12 YBNT2
BLOOD BROTHERS - V3b 0:47 BB
BLOOD BROTHERS - V3c 5:05 YBNT2 / BB
BLOOD BROTHERS - V3d 4:31 GREATEST
BLOOD BROTHERS - V4 5:02 DDITV
BLOOD BROTHERS - V5 0:50 BB
BLOOD BROTHERS - V6 take 31 4:53 private
BLOOD BROTHERS (ALTERNATE VERSION) - V7 3:57 BB: EP / MT2
BLOOD BROTHERS - V8 take 20 3:12 private
BLOOD BROTHERS - V9 take 3 5:12 private
BLOOD BROTHERS - V10 take 9 5:42 private
BLOOD BROTHERS - V11 take 18 3:54 private
BLOOD BROTHERS - V12 4:20 private
BLOOD BROTHERS - V13 2:20 private
BLOOD BROTHERS - V14 4:16 O&S

Note: Written the night before the Greatest Hits sessions, all the above takes were recorded in early January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City with the E Street Band. "Blood Brothers" has many different arrangements, and it's clear that Springsteen was uncertain about which to use. V1 is a brief snippet shown in the video. V2a and V2b are slightly different mixes of the official video take. V3 (with session player Frank Pagano guesting on percussion instruments) was issued in 1995 on Greatest Hits. V4 is an alternate arrangement, and V5 is a rocking variation on the V3 arrangement. V6 (take #31) is very similar to the V3, slightly slower with small lyrical variations. V7 is the stirring "rock" version that many consider superior to V3 and was officially released as "Blood Brothers (Alternate Version)" in November 1996 on the Blood Brothers EP that was packaged with the Blood Brothers VHS.

V8 is an early work-in-progress take of the "rock" arrangement with some lyrical variation and an upfront accordion accompaniment. This arrangement does not have the a capella introduction, but instead opens with the full band and is take #20. V9 is the earliest complete take and is a different arrangement of the "rock" version with a melody very close to that of the Greatest Hits version. This take (#3) also has some lyrical variations, including "out on west end" rather than "out on the end" - a small variation that can be found in several of these versions. V10 features a quiet, downbeat arrangement and is take #9. V11 is performed by Bruce, Max, and Roy (on keyboards). This take (#18) features some lyrical variations and can perhaps be described as "Secret Garden"-ish. V12 is fascinating, and the arrangement can only be described as heavily Dylan-inspired with an organ riff that is very reminiscent of "Like A Rolling Stone". There's also plenty of harmonica and some lyrics that are unique to this arrangement. At the conclusion, Bruce says, "Well, that's the idea anyway!" This is the same arrangement found in V1. V13 is a cut work-in-progress of the Greatest Hits arrangement in a different key (D) with Bruce providing instruction and direction to the band. V14 is a stunning solo acoustic performance that is deserving of an official release.

BY YOUR SIDE 3:45 private

Note: Recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City with The E Street Band. The only song from the Greatest Hits sessions not released, officially or otherwise. A nice, quiet, contemplative love song with the refrain "I will wait by your side". This take is still in the early stages of development, however, with some called out key changes and bluffed lyrics later in the song.

HIGH HOPES - V1 3:31 YBNT2
HIGH HOPES - V2 4:20 BB: EP
HIGH HOPES - V3 2:46 private
HIGH HOPES - V4 uncirculating
HIGH HOPES - V5 uncirculating
HIGH HOPES - V6 4:57 HOPES

Note: Song written in 1987 by Tim McConnell (aka Tim Scott). Recorded by Springsteen in January, 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City. V1 is a brief snippet of a different recorded take, as heard in the video. V2 is the complete take officially issued on the Blood Brothers EP. V3 is an alternative, rather funky arrangement with low, almost whispered lyrics and is reminiscent of War's "Spill The Wine". The take is aborted early, with Bruce requesting a cup of tea.

Thanks to a text by Tom Morello, who was filling in for actor Steve Van Zandt on the ten-day 2013 Australian tour, Springsteen decided to open the March 16 Brisbane show with "High Hopes", the first time he has ever played it live! He also phoned Nick Didia, former Southern Tracks studio engineer, now living Down-Under at Byron Bay, 750 km from Sydney. Nick made arrangements for time at Studios 301 in Sydney the next day, as well as an evening slot for Morello at their Byron Bay branch office (running late from Brisbane). On March 17, 2013, a travel day to Sydney, the E Street Band arrived at the studio in the afternoon, recording two takes of "High Hopes" V4 and V5, and completing "Just Like Fire Would", in an unknown number of takes. The word is Morello recorded his parts at Byron Bay late into the night, but he was on time and ready next day for the opener in Sydney, with "High Hopes" still in the lineup. V6 is the final album track that opens High Hopes, featuring numerous overdubs, courtesy of co-producer Ron Aniello, recorded later that year in New York and Los Angeles. On November 19, 2013, a CD-R single, digital download and video were all released, well ahead of the January 2014 album date.

I'M GOING BACK 3:01 O&S

Note: Recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City with The E Street Band. This appears to be a work-in-progress, with Bruce singing falsetto over a backing of guitar, bass, and drums. The vast majority of the lyrics are bluffed. The song was not worked to any conclusion during the sessions, and no official title is known. We've used the title "I'm Going Back" on the basis that it is the only lyric that can be heard. Entered circulation in February 2017 on the 'Odds & Sods' compilation, a hidden bonus track after "Blood Brothers". It's not be be confused with the Darkness-era "I'm Goin' Back".

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.

SECRET GARDEN - V1 uncirculating
SECRET GARDEN - V2 0:53 BB / YBNT2
SECRET GARDEN - V3a 4:10 BB / RT / YBNT2
SECRET GARDEN - V3b 2:12 BB / YBNT2
SECRET GARDEN - V4 4:15 DDITV / GT
SECRET GARDEN - V5a 4:27 GREATEST / BESTOF
SECRET GARDEN - V5b 4:32 EP: BB
SECRET GARDEN (Jerry Maguire Mix) - V5c 4:31 OST: MAGUIRE / 1997 single

Note: V1 was recorded for Human Touch but not utilized. In January 1995 Bruce re-recorded it at The Hit Factory, New York during his reunion with the E Street Band. V2 is a combination of two brief snippets that was shown in the Blood Brothers video. V3 is a complete, alternate take, and V4 is prefaced by recording "take #1". V5a was released as a single, and included on Greatest Hits, released February 28, 1995. V5b features strings (courtesy David Kahn) added to V5a, and released November 19, 1996 on the official Blood Brothers EP, as well as a single b-side in some countries. V5c, known as "the Jerry Maguire Remix", was produced by Matt Jones at Portland, Oregon radio station Z-100 (with permission from Springsteen/Sony) as part of a spring 1997 listener contest promotion exclusive to that station. It features dialog excerpts from the movie added on top of the instrumental sections of the regular commercial version of the song. There are also additional, brief radio station plug spots before and after the song that are heard on this promo-only CD issued on June 26, 1997.

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 January 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.

WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD - V1 uncirculating
WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD - V2 4:27 DDITV

Note: V2 was recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City with the E Street Band and is take 3. V1 is an earlier version that was recorded in 1994 featuring Shane Fontayne and other members of the 1992-3 touring band.

WITHOUT YOU - V1 1:11 BB / RT / YBNT2
WITHOUT YOU - V2 3:16 BB / RT / YBNT2
WITHOUT YOU - V3 3:54 BB: EP

Note: Recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City. V1 was aborted by Springsteen, V2 is the longer restart. V3 is the complete, officially issued take.

YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V1 2:40 LM-7
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V2 2:45 LM-7 / LMEC2
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V3 0:44 DROC1 / SFEM / AT
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V4 0:30 DROC1 / SFEM / AT
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V5 2:11 DROC1 / AT
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V6 take 3 2:04 RIVER: SINGLE / TTTBR / TTTBJ / DROC2
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V7 uncirculating
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V8 2:34 RIVER
YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) - V9 1:18 YBNT2 / BB: DOC

Note: V1 and V2 are actually two takes of Bruce working on the start and end, singing the lead guitar part over his acoustic, recorded at Telegraph Hill, January–March 1979. It's clear that he thinks he's onto something. V3–V5 are demos from May, well developed, with the lyrics of the first and third verses almost complete. V6, in a rockabilly arrangement, was probably recorded over two days at the Power Station on August 24 and 25, 1979, and sequenced on side two of The Ties That Bind before Springsteen rejected the concept and moved to a double album. Later released in 2015 on The River: Single Album. This arrangement was performed regularly on the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour in 1988, but not before and never since.

Some time later, Springsteen dropped the rockabilly arrangement, and instead lifted the music from "Held Up Without A Gun". V7 was recorded at a Telegraph Hill rehearsal on January 11, 1980, using the music from "Held Up Without A Gun", but the recording does not circulate. V8 was recorded on February 17 and 23, 1980, at Power Station, and final mixes for The River took place on April 1, 9, and 21, 1980.

V9 is a short acoustic take from January 1995, from the soundtrack of the Blood Brothers video, shot during the Greatest Hits sessions at the Hit Factory, New York.

1995 Other
Song Title Running Time Release

1945 uncirculating

Note: Co-written by Springsteen and Joe Grushecky in July 1995, released by Grushecky on the album Coming Home, on February 10, 1998, without the presence of Bruce Springsteen. Unknown whether Springsteen recorded version exists.

DARK AND BLOODY GROUND - V1 uncirculating
DARK AND BLOODY GROUND - V2 5:39 GUEST: BABYLON

Note: Co-written by Springsteen and Joe Grushecky in 1994–95. Recorded by Bruce Springsteen, Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, March 1995 and released on Grushecky's album American Babylon in October 1995. A Springsteen vocal version exists, but does not circulate.

I'M NOT SLEEPING uncirculating

Note: Co-written by Bruce Springsteen and Joe Grushecky in July 1995 and released by Grushecky on the album Coming Home on February 10, 1998, in a version recorded without the participation of Springsteen. Springsteen first performed the song live on November 4, 2010, with Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers, although the song was previously soundchecked on June 17, 2000.

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