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

Song title: The promised land


The promised land

On a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert
I pick up my money and head back into town
Driving cross the Waynesboro county line
I got the radio on and I’m just killing time
Working all day in my daddy’s garage
Driving all night chasing some mirage
Pretty soon little girl I’m gonna take charge

The dogs on Main Street howl ‘cause they understand
If I could take one moment into my hands
Mister I ain’t a boy no I’m a man
And I believe in a promised land

I’ve done my best to live the right way
I get up every morning and go to work each day
But your eyes go blind and your blood runs cold
Sometimes I feel so weak I just want to explode
Explode and tear this town apart
Take a knife and cut this pain from my heart
Find somebody itching for something to start

The dogs on Main Street...

There’s a dark cloud rising from the desert floor
I packed my bags and I’m heading straight into the storm
Gonna be a twister to blow everything down
That ain’t got the faith to stand its ground
Blow away the dreams that tear you apart
Blow away the dreams that break your heart
Blow away the lies that leave you nothing but lost and brokenhearted

The dogs on Main Street…

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

Published on the following official releases:

First known live performance: 19/05/1978 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA
Last known live performance: 15/12/2018 Walter Kerr Theatre, New York,NY ,USA

Song 'history':


Published on DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, in 1978.
Largely (99 times) played during the Darkness tour
Performed during the M.U.S.E. shows, in 1979
A real milestone of each setlist of the River tour, with just a couple of exceptions
A real milestone of each setlist of the Born in the U.S.A. tour
The song (in live version) was then included in the 'LIVE 1975-85' box set
Played only a couple of times in the whole Tunnel of Love tour (19/07/1988 Rabrennbahn, East Berlin ,Germany and 22/07/1988 Waldbuhne, Berlin ,Germany)
Performed 20 times during the 1988 Amnesty International tour
Two only performances during the Human Touch tour (04/04/1993 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund ,Germany and 07/04/1993 Hallenstadion, Zurich ,Switzerland)
Perfomed in a large number of shows (106) of the Ghost of Tom Joad tour
Largely (95 times) played during the Reunion tour
A frequent number (72 apparitions) of renderings during the Rising tour
The Barcelona show of the Rising tour was broadcast and released on DVD 'LIVE IN BARCELONA', which included also this song
Played during the 'Double Take' shows in 2002
The song was then included in the ESSENTIAL compilation, released in 2003.
Played during the Vote For Change tour, in October 2004.
Played during the rehearsals for the Devils and dust Tour, in Mar/Apr 2005.
A real milestone of each setlist of the Devils and Dust tour
Played once in the whole The Seeger Session tour (22/10/2006 Plaza de Toros, Grenada ,Spain)
Played during the rehearsals for the Magic tour, in Sep 2007.
A quite firm number for the whole Magic tour, missing just from 5 shows
Perfomed in a large number of shows (71) of the Working on a Dream tour
Another version of the song also appears on the 'The Promise' Album, released in November 2010, in the Thrill Hill Vault 1976-1978 DVD volume
Published in live version in the 3rd DVD: House Cut 'Houston '78 of 'The Promise'
A discrete number of performances (58) was given during the Wrecking Ball tour
Scarcely used during the High Hopes tour, with less than a dozen inclusions
Published in live version in the DVD: 'Tempe 80' of 'THE TIES THAT BIND'
Often played during the 2016 The River tour (46 times)
Published in live soundtrack of 'Springsteen on Broadway' show
Performed 9 times during the 2017 Summer tour
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