Bruce Springsteen lyrics -- Bruce Springsteen shows -- Bruce Springsteen records

Song title: Atlantic City


Atlantic City

Well, they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night
Now, they blew up his house, too
Down on the boardwalk they’re gettin’ ready for a fight
Gonna see what them racket boys can do

Now, there’s trouble bustin’ in from outta state
And the D.A. can’t get no relief
Gonna be a rumble out on the promenade
And the gamblin’ commission’s hangin’ on by the skin of his teeth

Well now, ev’rything dies, baby, that’s a fact
But maybe ev’rything that dies someday comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Atlantic City

Well, I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus

Now, baby, ev’rything dies, honey, that’s a fact...

Now our luck may have died and our love may be cold
But with you forever I’ll stay
We’re goin’ out where the sand’s turnin’ to gold
Put on your stockin’s baby, `cause the night’s getting cold
And maybe ev’rything dies, baby, that’s a fact
But maybe ev’rything that dies someday comes back

Now, I been lookin’ for a job, but it’s hard to find
Down here it’s just winners and losers and don’t
get caught on the wrong side of that line
Well, I’m tired of comin’ out on the losin’ end
So, honey, last night I met this guy and I’m gonna
do a little favor for him

Well, I guess everything dies, baby, that’s a fact…

Notes: A very early version of this song is Fist full of dollars from the Nebraska early demos, and an intermediate version also exists. The version recorded by Bruce in Jan 1982 was quite identical to the released one.

Atlantic City - "dead out of luck" version

I got a good job and I tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
So I drew what I had from the Central Trust
And I bought us two tickets on that Coast City bus
And I sold off my pick up truck
Now baby we're running out of time and dead out of luck

Now, everything dies, honey, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your hair up honey

Now, everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your hair up tonight, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me

Now, everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your hair up tonight, put your hair up pretty

Now, everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your hair up tonight, someday comes back
Now, everything dies, honey, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back

Notes: This intermediate version is a mid-version between Fist full of dollars from the Nebraska early demos, and the official release.

Statistics from the KILLING FLOOR (www.brucespringsteen.it) database

Published on the following official releases:

First known live performance: 29/06/1984 Civic Center, Saint Paul,MN ,USA
Last known live performance: 02/02/2017 AAMI Park, Melbourne ,Australia

Song 'history':


Published on the solo album NEBRASKA, in 1982
Recorded during the BITUSA sessions (late 1982-mid 1984), but then not included on the album.
Perfomed in a large number of shows (121) of the Born in the U.S.A. tour
Played, in acoustic version, at the Christic Shows in LA, 16/17-Nov-1990.
A discrete number of performances (41) was given during the Human Touch tour
Included in the (UN)PLUGGED official release, in mid 1993
The song was then included in the GREATEST HITS compilation, released in 1995.
A discrete number of performances (52) was given during the Ghost of Tom Joad tour
Bruce inserted it 17 times in the setlists of the Reunion tour
The last NY show(s) of the Reunion Tour were released in both CD and DVD (more songs) 'LIVE IN NYC', which included also this song
It only saw the light less than a dozen times in the whole Rising tour
The song was then included in the ESSENTIAL compilation, released in 2003.
Played during the rehearsals for the Devils and dust Tour, in Mar/Apr 2005.
Just less than a dozen shots during the Devils and Dust tour
A discrete number of performances (31) was given during the The Seeger Session tour
Played during the Magic tour (15 times)
Not much used during the Working on a Dream tour, deserving only less than a dozen renderings
Bruce inserted it 28 times in the setlists of the Wrecking Ball tour
Not much used during the High Hopes tour, deserving only less than a dozen renderings
During the 2016 The River tour, the song was played less than a dozen times
Performed 2 times during the 2017 Summer tour

The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database