Born to Run (4:30)

Cover of Greatest Hits

From Greatest Hits and 115 other releases

Born to Run is the signature song of the American singer songwriter Bruce Springsteen, and the title song of his album Born to Run. Written in a small house in Long Branch, New Jersey in early 1974, the song was Bruce Springsteen’s last-ditch effort to make it big. The prior year, Springsteen had released two albums to critical acclaim but with little commercial success. The lyrics to the song are appropriately epic for his last-ditch, all-or-nothing shot at the stars, yet they remain rooted in the universal desperation of adolescence: We gotta get out while we’re young, ‘cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.

Written in the first person, the song is a love letter to a girl named Wendy (Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend I wanna guard your dreams and visions…; I wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonight/in an everlasting kiss!), for whom the motorcycle-riding protagonist certainly has enough passion to love, but perhaps not the patience. However, Springsteen has noted that it has a much simpler core: getting out of Asbury Park.

In recording the song, Springsteen first earned his noted reputation for perfectionism, laying down as many as eleven guitar tracks to get the sound just right. The recording process and alternate ideas for the song’s arrangement are described in the Wings For Wheels documentary DVD included in the 2005 reissue Born to Run 30th Anniversary Edition package.

The track was recorded at 914 Sound Studios in Blauvelt, New York amidst touring breaks during 1974, with final recording done on August 6, well in advance of the rest of the album

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In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through the mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected,and steppin' out over the line

MetroLyrics Full lyrics at MetroLyrics

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  • CaptnTightpants

    still get goosebumps every time....

    11 May 5:44pm Reply
  • ThePowerStation

    Nice!

    12 Apr 6:22pm Reply
  • MikesDmusic

    "Its a death trap we gotta get out while were young" - They wanted to make this the state song for Jersey - oh yeah that encourages tourism!

    4 Apr 11:43pm Reply
  • ralfsu

    Let me in, I wanna be your friend, I want to guard your dreams and visions, just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims and strap your hands across my engines. Together we could break this trap, we'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back, oh-oh, Will you walk with me out on the wire?

    3 Apr 4:05pm Reply
  • HimitsuUK

    Boss

    31 Mar 5:00pm Reply
  • Nakkinak

    epic sax guy

    21 Mar 1:46pm Reply
  • Nakkinak

    Spectorian as fuck

    16 Mar 9:05pm Reply
  • billfires

    a great track,...........................

    15 Mar 9:06am Reply
  • fatcat215

    This song is the ultimate drive song and it is the pure definition of Springsteen

    13 Mar 12:39am Reply
  • Drazba

    almost can see and smell urban new jersey in the heat of summer and just hanging out with cars and girls and dreams---never experienced first hand but thats what it sounds like

    9 Mar 5:59pm Reply
  • Tom_Pullings

    greatest tune to hit the highway with no destination in mind

    7 Mar 3:44pm Reply
  • FRAMERMCB

    Only the BOSS could pull this off. Great tune. Although Frankie Goes to Hollywood's cover is very moving too.

    22 Feb 9:25pm Reply
  • RivieraDarling

    this song makes me feel A L I V E

    18 Feb 5:08am Reply
  • gungh0

    Boss !

    16 Feb 10:38pm Reply
  • OhYesByAllMeans

    This is so New Jersey!

    14 Feb 10:50pm Reply
  • jeff5353

    I agree with GWescott

    10 Feb 5:43pm Reply
  • lihei

    Not really a Springsteen fan, but this is truly deserving of a timeless classic!

    2 Feb 7:03am Reply
  • Spece40472

    he is the BOOS

    28 Jan 9:31am Reply
  • GWescott

    Never gets old...NEVER!!!

    15 Jan 11:19pm Reply
  • ButteredPeanut

    >tfw no wendy gf

    10 Jan 5:12am Reply
  • All 527 shouts

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