Song title: Nebraska
Nebraska
I saw her standin’ on her front lawn
just twirlin’ her baton
Me and her went for a ride sir
and ten innocent people died
From the town of Lincoln Nebraska
with a sawed-off .410 on my lap
Through to the badlands of Wyoming
I killed everything in my path
I can’t say that I’m sorry
for the things that we done
At least for a little while sir me and her
we had us some fun
The jury brought in a guilty verdict
and the judge he sentenced me to death
Midnight in a prison storeroom
with leather straps across my chest
Sheriff when the man pulls that switch sir
and snaps my poor neck back
You make sure my pretty baby
is sittin’ right there on my lap
They declared me unfit to live
said into that great void
my soul’d be hurled
They wanted to know why
I did what I did
Well sir I guess there’s just
a meanness in this world.
Published on the following official releases:
- NEBRASKA (Album,1982)
- LIVE 1975-1985 (Album,1986)
- THE ESSENTIAL BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (Album,2003)
First known live performance: 01/07/1984 Civic Center, Saint Paul,MN ,USA
Last known live performance: 11/07/2016 Accorhotels Arena, Paris ,France
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.
The Born in the U.S.A. tour counted 30 apparitions of this song
The song (in live version) was then included in the 'LIVE 1975-85' box set
Played, in acoustic version, at the Christic Shows in LA, 16/17-Nov-1990.
A frequent number (59 apparitions) of renderings during the Ghost of Tom Joad tour
Soundchecked, but never played, during the Reunion tour
Played during the 'Double Take' shows in 2002
The song was then included in the ESSENTIAL compilation, released in 2003.
16 perfomances were given during the Devils and Dust tour
Bruce gave this song one only shot through the Wrecking Ball tour (20/07/2013 Kings Hall, Belfast ,Ireland)
Bruce gave this song one only shot through the 2016 The River tour (11/07/2016 Accorhotels Arena, Paris ,France)
The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database