Tracks II - Studio Sessions

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Commercially Released: June 27, 2025
Label: Columbia Record
Produced by Bruce Springsteen, Ron Aniello, Chuck Plotkin, and Jon Landau
 with additional production by Rob Lebret
Recorded by Mike Batlan at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills, CA, Toby Scott at various locations,
 Rob Lebret at various locations,  Ross Petersen at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, NJ,
 Ron Aniello at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, NJ, and Clif Norrell at various locations;
 variously assisted by Mike Baumgartner, Jim Labinski, Krish Sharma
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain at Mix This!, Los Angeles, CA, Mike Batlan at Thrill Hill West,
 Beverly Hills, CA, Rob Lebret at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, NJ, and Tom Elmhirst at
 Electric Lady Studios, New York City, NY;
 variously assisted by Jay Militscher, Ryan Freeland, Tony Duino-Black, Mick Patterson,
 Sergio Ruelas Jr., and Brandon Duncan
Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering, Portland, ME,
 Rob Lebret at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, NJ, Ted Jensen at Sterling Mastering,
 Nashville, TN, and Chris Lord-Alge at ...
Design by Michelle Holme and Meghan Foley
Photography by Pamela Springsteen, Chase Xavier, Mitch Diamond, Neal Preston,
 Danny Clinch, Rob DeMartin, Katherine Towler, Mexican Ephemera Collection,
 and Shutterstock
Table of Contents

Overview

Tracks II: The Lost Albums are seven unheard Bruce Springsteen records made between 1983–2018. With 83 new songs (mostly never-before-heard songs), Tracks II: The Lost Albums fill in chapters of Springsteen's expansive career timeline, while offering invaluable insight into his life and work as an artist. The set is accompanied with a selections version (similar to the 18 Tracks release), titled Lost And Found.

"The Lost Albums were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released," said Springsteen. "I've played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I'm glad you'll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them." From the lo-fi exploration of LA Garage Sessions '83, serving as a crucial link between Nebraska and Born In The U.S.A., to the drum loop and synthesizer sounds of Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions. Tracks II: The Lost Albums offers unprecedented context to 35 prolific years of Springsteen's songwriting and home recording. "The ability to record at home whenever I wanted allowed me to go into a wide variety of different musical directions," Springsteen explained. Throughout the set, that sonic experimentation takes the form of film soundtrack work (for a movie that was never made) on Faithless, country combos with pedal steel on Somewhere North Of Nashville, richly woven border tales on Inyo, orchestra-driven, mid-century noir on Twilight Hours and E Street flavored rock on Perfect World. Tracks II: The Lost Albums is available in limited-edition nine-LP and seven-CD formats, including original packaging for each previously unreleased record, with a 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction on the project from Springsteen himself.

Released

# Song Title Running Time Release
LA Garage Sessions '83
1.1 FOLLOW THAT DREAM 3:53 TRACKSII
1.2 DON'T BACK DOWN ON OUR LOVE 3:01 TRACKSII
1.3 LITTLE GIRL LIKE YOU 1:22 TRACKSII
1.4 JOHNNY BYE BYE 2:48 TRACKSII
1.5 SUGARLAND 2:50 TRACKSII
1.6 SEVEN TEARS 1:51 TRACKSII
1.7 FUGITIVE'S DREAM 3:51 TRACKSII
1.8 BLACK MOUNTAIN BALLAD 4:14 TRACKSII
1.9 JIM DEER 3:09 TRACKSII
1.10 COUNTY FAIR 4:55 TRACKSII
1.11 MY HOMETOWN 4:44 TRACKSII
1.12 ONE LOVE 3:38 TRACKSII
1.13 DON'T BACK DOWN 3:09 TRACKSII
1.14 RICHFIELD WHISTLE 6:45 TRACKSII
1.15 THE KLANSMAN 2:50 TRACKSII
1.16 UNSATISFIED HEART 5:45 TRACKSII
1.17 SHUT OUT THE LIGHT 4:27 TRACKSII
1.18 FUGITIVE'S DREAM (BALLAD) 4:00 TRACKSII
Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions
2.1 BLIND SPOT 3:35 TRACKSII / 2025 single
2.2 MAYBE I DON'T KNOW YOU 3:56 TRACKSII
2.3 SOMETHING IN THE WELL 4:24 TRACKSII
2.4 WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD 4:35 TRACKSII
2.5 THE LITTLE THINGS 3:26 TRACKSII
2.6 WE FELL DOWN 4:31 TRACKSII
2.7 ONE BEAUTIFUL MORNING 4:26 TRACKSII
2.8 BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH 4:33 TRACKSII
2.9 SECRET GARDEN 4:00 TRACKSII
2.10 THE FAREWELL PARTY 4:09 TRACKSII
Faithless
3.1 THE DESERT - Instrumental 1:36 TRACKSII
3.2 WHERE YOU GOING, WHERE YOU FROM 4:19 TRACKSII
3.3 FAITHLESS 3:51 TRACKSII / 2025 single
3.4 ALL GOD'S CHILDREN 4:27 TRACKSII
3.5 A PRAYER BY THE RIVER - Instrumental 1:46 TRACKSII
3.6 GOD SENT YOU 3:47 TRACKSII
3.7 GOIN' TO CALIFORNIA 3:49 TRACKSII
3.8 THE WESTERN SEA - Instrumental 1:19 TRACKSII
3.9 MY MASTER'S HAND 4:06 TRACKSII
3.10 LET ME RIDE 2:58 TRACKSII
3.11 MY MASTER'S HAND (THEME) 3:27 TRACKSII
Somewhere North Of Nashville
4.1 REPO MAN 2:55 TRACKSII / 2025 single
4.2 TIGER ROSE 1:57 TRACKSII
4.3 POOR SIDE OF TOWN 3:06 TRACKSII
4.4 DELIVERY MAN 2:44 TRACKSII
4.5 UNDER A BIG SKY 4:23 TRACKSII
4.6 DETAIL MAN 2:48 TRACKSII
4.7 SILVER MOUNTAIN 3:06 TRACKSII
4.8 JANEY DON'T YOU LOSE HEART 3:30 TRACKSII
4.9 YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE 2:59 TRACKSII
4.10 STAND ON IT 3:11 TRACKSII
4.12 BLUE HIGHWAY 3:18 TRACKSII
4.13 SOMEWHERE NORTH OF NASHVILLE 3:04 TRACKSII
Inyo
5.1 INYO 4:36 TRACKSII
5.2 INDIAN TOWN 3:18 TRACKSII
5.3 ADELITA 4:37 TRACKSII / 2025 single
5.4 THE AZTEC DANCE 4:45 TRACKSII
5.5 THE LOST CHARRO 4:47 TRACKSII
5.6 OUR LADY OF MONROE 3:57 TRACKSII
5.7 EL JARDINERO (UPON THE DEATH OF RAMONA) 5:14 TRACKSII
5.8 ONE FALSE MOVE 3:24 TRACKSII
5.9 CIUDAD JUAREZ 3:57 TRACKSII
5.10 WHEN I BUILD MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE 3:02 TRACKSII
Twilight Hours
6.1 SUNDAY LOVE 5:16 TRACKSII / 2025 single
6.2 LATE IN THE EVENING 4:44 TRACKSII
6.3 TWO OF US 5:10 TRACKSII
6.4 LONELY TOWN 6:38 TRACKSII
6.5 SEPTEMBER KISSES 3:32 TRACKSII
6.6 TWILIGHT HOURS 3:23 TRACKSII
6.7 I'LL STAND BY YOU 4:37 TRACKSII
6.8 HIGH SIERRA 6:25 TRACKSII
6.9 SUNLINER 3:05 TRACKSII
6.10 ANOTHER YOU 5:19 TRACKSII
6.11 DINNER AT EIGHT 4:09 TRACKSII
6.12 FOLLOW THE SUN 3:36 TRACKSII
Perfect World
7.1 I'M NOT SLEEPING 3:37 TRACKSII
7.2 IDIOT'S DELIGHT 3:34 TRACKSII
7.3 ANOTHER THIN LINE 4:46 TRACKSII
7.4 THE GREAT DEPRESSION 3:47 TRACKSII
7.5 BLIND MAN 4:30 TRACKSII
7.6 RAIN IN THE RIVER 3:12 TRACKSII / 2025 single
7.7 IF I COULD ONLY BE YOUR LOVER 5:21 TRACKSII
7.8 CUTTING KNIFE 5:03 TRACKSII
7.9 YOU LIFTED ME UP 3:37 TRACKSII
7.10 PERFECT WORLD 3:37 TRACKSII

Total Running Time: 05:16:53

Details

Song Title Running Time Release

ADELITA 4:37 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF / 2025 single

Note: Inyo was written in California during long drives along the California aqueduct, up through Inyo County on the way to Yosemite or Death Valley. It is produced by Ron Aniello, recorded by Toby Scott and Rob Lebret assisted by Ross Petersen, mixed by Rob Lebret and mastered by Ted Jensen.

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.

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.

BLIND SPOT - V1 2:08 private cdr
BLIND SPOT - V2 1:51 private cdr
BLIND SPOT - V3 3:35 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF / 2025 single

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. The officially released V3 was recorded around spring 1994 in Los Angeles with Toby Scott as drum programmer and recording engineer, likely along with tracks including "Missing" and "Between Heaven And Earth" (all were copyrighted on the same day, April 7, 1995). Lyrics in the third verse ("I dreamt my love was lost / And I lived, lived by luck and fate") can also be found as the opening lines of "Back In Your Arms".

BLUE HIGHWAY V1a uncirculating
BLUE HIGHWAY V1b 3:20 TRACKSII

Note: Recorded around May/June 1995 at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills. Some elements of the released V2, including Charlie Giordano's piano, were overdubbed later, likely around 2018.

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.

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.

DETAIL MAN V1a uncirculating
DETAIL MAN V1b 2:48 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF

Note: Recorded around May/June 1995 at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills. Some elements, including Charlie Giordano's piano, were overdubbed later, likely around 2018.

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.

FAITHLESS 3:51 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF / 2025 single

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.

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.

IDIOT'S DELIGHT 3:34 TRACKSII

Note: Co-written by Bruce Springsteen and Joe Grushecky in July 1995. Grushecky released a version on his 1997 album Coming Home, recorded without the participation of Springsteen. Springsteen first performed the song live on March 2, 1998, with Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers; he would perform it again with Grushecky in 2000 (with the E Street Band) and 2004 before playing it in a radically revamped bullet mic stomp blues arrangement ten times on the 2005 Devils & Dust Tour. Springsteen's own studio recording was first broadcast during episode five of 'From His Home To Yours' on E Street Radio on June 3, 2020; in 2025, this version was included on the Perfect World disc of Tracks II: The Lost Albums. It's not clear when exactly this version was recorded. The arrangement is very similar to the Reunion Tour performance, which may suggest a late-'90s or early 2000s origin, but Ron Aniello's participation confirms that at least some elements of the track date from the 2010s.

I'M NOT SLEEPING 3:37 TRACKSII

Note: Co-written by Bruce Springsteen and Joe Grushecky in July 1995. Grushecky released a version on his 1997 album Coming Home, 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. A Springsteen studio version was released in 2025 on the Perfect World disc of Tracks II: The Lost Albums. It's not clear when exactly this version was recorded, though the musician credits suggest that some or all of the work occurred sometime in the 2010s.

INYO V1 uncirculating
INYO V2a uncirculating
INYO V2b 4:37 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF

Note: Originally titled "Inyo County War", "Inyo" was first recorded in June 1996 at one of Springsteen's home studios. The track was cut again in the fall of 1997; it is presumably this later take that provides the base track for the released version. Some elements, including Ron Aniello's bass, were overdubbed later, likely around 2018. Margaret Leslie Davis's book Rivers In The Desert was a key source for the song, which recounts the real historical battle between Owens Valley locals and William Mulholland, who sought to redirect their water source for the burgeoning metropolis of Los Angeles.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

PERFECT WORLD 3:37 TRACKSII

POOR SIDE OF TOWN - V1a uncirculating
POOR SIDE OF TOWN - V1b 3:07 TRACKSII

Note: "Poor Side Of Town", sometimes listed as "The Poor Side Of Town", was written by Johnny Rivers and Lou Adler and recorded by Rivers in 1966. Springsteen's studio cover dates from around May/June 1995 at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills during the "daytime sessions" while recording The Ghost Of Tom Joad. The officially released V1b includes some later overdubs, likely recorded around 2018, including Charlie Giordano's and Ron Aniello's parts.

RAIN IN THE RIVER 3:12 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF / 2025 single

Note: "Rain In The River" was most likely recorded at Stone Hill Studio in Colts Neck, NJ, but the timeline remains unknown. Toby Scott, who parted company with Springsteen in November 2017, is credited as recording engineer on the track. More likely he was involved in an early demo before other layers instrument and vocal layers were added.

REPO MAN V1a uncirculating
REPO MAN V1b 2:55 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF / 2025 single

Note: Recorded around May/June 1995 at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills. Some elements, including Charlie Giordano's piano, were overdubbed later, likely around 2018. A version of the song was considered for Tracks, but not ultimately included. Bruce on the release of "Repo Man": "I wrote all these country songs at the same time I wrote The Ghost Of Tom Joad, Those sessions completely overlap each other. I'm singing "Repo Man" in the afternoon and "The Line" at night. So the country record got made right along with The Ghost Of Tom Joad. Very similar to Born In The U.S.A. and Nebraska."

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.

SECRET GARDEN - V1 4:00 TRACKSII
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 BB: EP
SECRET GARDEN (Jerry Maguire Mix) - V5c 4:31 OST: MAGUIRE / 1997 single

Note: V1 was recorded in 1994 in Los Angeles with Toby Scott (drum programmer/engineer). Shane Fontayne subsequently overdubbed a guitar track, likely at A&M Studios in Los Angeles in September or November 1994. The finished track was mixed by Bob Clearmountain, but never used until it was issued on Tracks II: The Lost Albums in 2025.

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.

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 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."

SILVER MOUNTAIN V1a uncirculating
SILVER MOUNTAIN V1b 3:08 TRACKSII

Note: Recorded around May/June 1995 at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills. A version of the song was considered for Tracks, but not ultimately included. Some elements of the released V2, including Charlie Giordano's piano and organ and Ron Aniello's guitar, were overdubbed later, likely around 2018.

SOMEWHERE NORTH OF NASHVILLE 1:52 WESTERN

Note: Unlike the rest of the songs released on Western Stars, "Somewhere North of Nashville" was most likely written after 2017.

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.

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.

SUNDAY LOVE 05:16 TRACKSII / TRACKSII: LF / 2025 single

Note: Recorded simultaneously with the Western Stars material, the tracks that became Twilight Hours were eventually separated out from that album project. "Sunday Love" is recorded by Toby Scott, Rob Lebret, and Ross Petersen, mixed by Bob Clearmountain, and mastered by Ted Jensen.

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 LITTLE THINGS uncirculating

Note: Song written in 1995 and recorded for The Ghost Of Tom Joad - but not used. Bruce performed it live on the Ghost Of Tom Joad Tour. The song was revamped for Devils & Dust and was almost issued on the album as the 13th track. At this point it is the only known outtake from the 2004 sessions, although others likely exist.

TIGER ROSE 2:00 TRACKSII

Note: Recorded sometime during the summer of 1995 at Thrill Hill West when Garry Tallent was out in Los Angeles participating in The Ghost Of Tom Joad sessions. By late 1995, Tallent was in Nashville about to start producing rockabilly legend Sonny Burgess's new self-titled album. Garry contacted Springsteen asking if Burgess could cover the song. According to Burgess's comments, Tallent taught his band the music and Springsteen supplied the lyrics over the phone. The Burgess cover was released in June 1996. Springsteen first performed the song live on October 18, 2001. A leaked sampler track-listing indicates that a version of the song was considered for Tracks; it was finally released in 2025 on Tracks II: The Lost Albums.

UNDER A BIG SKY V1a uncirculating
UNDER A BIG SKY V1b 4:24 TRACKSII

Note: Although Clinton Heylin dates the recording of Under A Big Sky to around April 1998 in preparation for possible release on Tracks, the band lineup and Tracks II liner notes suggest that the song was more likely recorded around May/June 1995 at Thrill Hill West, Beverly Hills. Some elements, including Charlie Giordano's B3, were overdubbed later, likely around 2018. A version of the song was considered for Tracks, but not ultimately included. It's unclear if this is the same song as "Under The Big Sky", a song recorded in 1983 during the Born In The U.S.A. sessions. Given Bruce's other revivals of songs from that period during the 1995 sessions, it's certainly possible, but the earlier song remains uncirculated.

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.

WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD - V1 4:36 TRACKSII
WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD - V2 4:40 private
WAITING ON THE END OF THE WORLD - V3 (take 3) 4:27 DDITV

Note: "Waiting On The End Of The World" was initially recorded in 1994 with three members of the 92/93 World Tour band: Zach Alford (drums), Tommy Sims (bass), and Shane Fontayne (guitar). The song was completed (including Fontayne's guitar overdubs) in late 1994 and mixed by Bob Clearmountain for inclusion on the album that was never released. This recording was finally issued in 2025 on Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions, part of Tracks II: The Lost Albums. V2 and V3 are two takes that were recorded in January 1995 at The Hit Factory, New York City with the E Street Band. V3 is known to be take 3, and it can be assumed that the tentative vocal and the lack of a sax solo indicates that V2 is probably earlier, so either take 1 or 2.

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