Song title: Reason to believe
Reason to believe
Seen a man standin’ over a dead dog lyin’ by the highway in a ditch
He’s lookin’ down kinda puzzled pokin’ that dog with a stick
Got his car door flung open he’s standin’ out on Highway 31
Like if he stood there long enough that dog’d get up and run
Struck me kinda funny seem kinda funny sir to me
At the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe
Now Mary Lou loved Johnny with a love mean and true
She said “Baby I’ll work for you every day and bring my money home to you”
One day he up and left her and ever since that
She waits down at the end of that dirt road for young Johnny to come back
Struck me kinda funny seemed kind of funny sir to me
How at the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe
Take a baby to the river Kyle William they called him
Wash the baby in the water take away little Kyle’s sin
In a whitewash shotgun shack an old man passes away
Take his body to the graveyard and over him they pray
Lord won’t you tell us tell us what does it mean
Still at the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe
Congregation gathers down by the riverside
Preacher stands with his Bible groom stands waitin’ for his bride
Congregation gone and the sun sets behind a weepin’ willow tree
Groom stands alone and watches the river rush on so effortlessly
Lord and he’s wonderin’ where can his baby be
Still at the end of every hard earned day
people find some reason to believe Notes:
Nebraska closer.
Published on the following official releases:
- NEBRASKA (Album,1982)
- LIVE 1975-1985 (Album,1986)
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
A discrete number of performances (58) was given during the Born in the U.S.A. tour
The song (in live version) was then included in the 'LIVE 1975-85' box set
In the Tunnel of Love tour, the song was only practiced (28/03/1988 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit,MI ,USA, during the soundcheck.)
but never played in the regular set.
Played, in acoustic version, at the Christic Shows in LA, 16/17-Nov-1990.
The Ghost of Tom Joad tour counted 25 apparitions of this song
Played during the rehearsals for the Devils and dust Tour, in Mar/Apr 2005.
Perfomed in a large number of shows (56) of the Devils and Dust tour
Played during the rehearsals for the Magic tour, in Sep 2007.
A frequent number (62 apparitions) of renderings during the Magic tour
It only saw the light 4 times in the whole Wrecking Ball tour
One only performance during the 2016 The River tour (11/07/2016 Accorhotels Arena, Paris ,France)
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database