Song title: The Hitter
The Hitter - Album version
Come to the door, Ma, and unlock the chain
I was just passin' through and got caught in the rain
There's nothin' I want, nothin' that you need say
Just let me lie down for a while and then I'll be on my way
I was no more than a kid when you put me on the Southern Queen
With the police on my back I fled to New Orleans
I fought in the dockyards and with the money that I made
And the fight was my home and any blood was my trade
Baton Rouge, Ponchatoula, and La Fayette town
Well they paid me the moon, Ma, to knock the men down
I did what I did, when it come easily
Restraint and mercy were always strangers to me
I fought champion Jack Thompson in a field full of mud
Rain poured through the tent to the canvas and mixed with our blood
In the twelfth, I slipped my tongue over my broken jaw
And I stood over him, pounded his blooded body into the floor
Well the bell rang and rang, still I kept on
'Til I felt my glove leather slip 'tween his skin and bone
And the women and the money came fast, in the days I lost track
The women red, the money green, but the numbers were black
I fought for the men in their silk suits to lay down their bets
Well I took my good share, Ma, and I had no regret
I took the fixed staid hombre with Big Diamond Don
From high in the rafters I watched myself fall
So he raised his arms, my stomach twisted, and the sky it went black
I stuffed my bag with their good money, and I never looked back
Understand me, and Ma, every man plays a game
If you know anyone different, then speak out his name
Well Ma, if my voice, now you don't recognize
And just open the door and look into your dark eyes
I ask of you nothin', not a kiss, not a smile
Just open the door and let me lie down for a while
Now the grey rain is fallin' and my ring fighting's done
So in the work fields and alleys, I take them who'll come
If you're a better man than me then just step to the line
And show me your money and speak out your crime
There's nothin' I want, Ma, nothin' that you need say
Just let me lie down for a while and then I'll be on my way
Well tonight in the shipyard, a man draws a circle in the dirt
Like I always do, I move to the centre and I take off my shirt
I study him for the cuts, the scars, the pain man no time can erase
I move hard to the left and I strike to the face
The Hitter - TGOTJ tour version
Come to the door ma and unlock the chain.
Well I was just passin’ through and got caught in the rain.
There’s nothing that I want, nothin’ that you need say.
Just let me lie down a while and I’ll be on my way.
I was no more than a kid when you put me on the Southern Queen.
With the police on my back I fled to New Orleans.
Well I fought in the dockyards for the the money that I made.
And the fight was my home and any blood was my trade.
Baton Rouge, Ponchatoula, and Lafayette town.
They payed me the moon, ma, to knock the man down.
Well I did what I did, yeah it come easily.
For as know ma, restraint and mercy were always strangers to me.
I fought champion Jack Thompson in a field full of mud.
Rain poured through the tent canvas and mixed with our blood.
In the twelfth, slipped my tounge over my broken jaw.
And I pounded his body into the floor.
Well the bell rang and rang and still I kept on.
‘Til I felt my glove leather slip ‘tween his skin and bone.
And the women and the money came fast and the days I lost track.
The women red, the money green, but the numbers were black.
I fought for the men in their silk suits to lay down their bets.
Well I took my good share, ma, I have no regrets.
I took the fixed staid hombre with Big Diamond Don. (???)
Well from high in the rafters I watched myself fall.
He raised his arms, stomach twisted, and the sky it went black. (???)
I stuffed my bag with their good money, ma, and never looked back.
Understand me and my, every man plays the game.
Well if you know anyone different then speak out his name.
My life, my face, now you don’t recognize.
Well just open the door and look into your dark eyes.
I ask of you nothin’, not a kiss not a smile.
Just open the door and let me lie down for a while.
Now the gray rain is fallin’ and my ring fightin’s done.
So in the work fields and alleys, I take them who’ll come.
If you’re a better man than me then just step to the line.
Show me your money and speak out your crime.
There’s nothin’ I want, ma, nuthin’ that you need say.
Just let me lie for a while and I’ll be on my way.
Well tonight in Stockyard, a man draws a circle in the dirt.
I move to the center and take off my shirt.
I study him for the cuts, the scars, the pain, no time can erase.
I move hard to the left and I strike to the face.
Published on the following official releases:
- DEVILS AND DUST (Album,2005)
First known live performance: 13/11/1996 Landmark Theatre, Syracuse,NY ,USA
Last known live performance: 13/11/2005 Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City,NJ ,USA
Song 'history':
One only performance during the Ghost of Tom Joad tour (13/11/1996 Landmark Theatre, Syracuse,NY ,USA)
Played during the rehearsals for the Devils and dust Tour, in Mar/Apr 2005.
Published on the 'DEVILS AND DUST' Album, released in April 2005.
Perfomed in a large number of shows (57) of the Devils and Dust tour
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database