Song title: My father's house
My father's house
Last night I dreamed that I was a child
Out where the pines grow wild and tall
I was trying to make it home through the forest
Before the darkness falls
I heard the wind rustling through the trees
And ghostly voices rose from the fields
I ran with my heart pounding down that broken path
With the devil snappin’ at my heels[1]
I broke through the trees, and there in the night
My father’s house stood shining hard and bright
The branches and brambles tore my clothes and scratched my arms
But I ran till I fell, shaking in his arms
I awoke and I imagined the hard things that pulled us apart
Will never again, sir, tear us from each other’s hearts
I got dressed, and to that house I did ride
From out on the road, I could see its windows shining in light
I walked up the steps and stood on the porch
A woman I didn’t recognize came and spoke to me through a chained door
I told her my story, and who I’d come for
She said “I’m sorry, son, but no one by that name lives here anymore”
My father’s house shines hard and bright
It stands like a beacon calling me in the night
Calling and calling, so cold and alone
Shining `cross this dark highway where our sins lie unatoned Notes:
[1] These and other verses can also be found in Wages of sin
Published on the following official releases:
- NEBRASKA (Album,1982)
- SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY (Album,2018)
First known live performance: 26/07/1984 CNE Stadium, Toronto ,Canada
Last known live performance: 15/12/2018 Walter Kerr Theatre, New York,NY ,USA
Song 'history':
Published on the solo album NEBRASKA, in 1982
Not much used during the Born in the U.S.A. tour, deserving only 5 renderings
Played, in acoustic version, at the Christic Shows in LA, 16/17-Nov-1990.
One only performance during the Ghost of Tom Joad tour (18/09/1996 Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford,CT ,USA)
Played during the 'Double Take' shows in 2002
Not much used during the Devils and Dust tour, deserving only 4 renderings
Played during the rehearsals for the We shall overcome / The Seeger session tour, in Mar/Apr 2006. but still not played in the regular tour.
In the The Seeger Session tour, the song was only practiced (20/05/2006 The Spektrum, Oslo ,Norway, during the soundcheck.)
but never played in the regular set.
Published in live soundtrack of 'Springsteen on Broadway' show
Performed every night of the Springsteen on Broadway tour
The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database