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About This Track
“Downbound Train” is a song that appears on the 1984 Bruce Springsteen album Born in the U.S.A… The song is a lament to a lost spouse, and takes on a melancholy tone.
The song was recorded in March or April of 1982 at the Power Station in one of the first sessions for the Born in the U.S.A. album. Like several other Born in the U.S.A. songs, including “Working on the Highway” and the title track, a solo acoustic version of “Downbound Train” was originally recorded on the demo that eventually became the Nebraska album.
Though it was not one of the seven singles released from said album, the song nevertheless gained something of a following, with some album-oriented rock radio airplay and being featured fairly regularly on the Born in the U.S.A. Tour and sporadically in tours since. It has been played about 130 times through 2008. Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh did not approve, calling “Downbound Train” in his volume Glory Days “the weakest song ‘s released since the second album, … incredibly sloppy … The protagonist’s three jobs in five verses are only symptomatic of its problems.” Other observers analysed it in retrospect as a harbinger, with naturalistic imagery lacing the song throughout in an approach that Springsteen would return to heavily in his Dylan-“Series of Dreams”-influenced early 1990s.
The song was recorded in March or April of 1982 at the Power Station in one of the first sessions for the Born in the U.S.A. album. Like several other Born in the U.S.A. songs, including “Working on the Highway” and the title track, a solo acoustic version of “Downbound Train” was originally recorded on the demo that eventually became the Nebraska album.
Though it was not one of the seven singles released from said album, the song nevertheless gained something of a following, with some album-oriented rock radio airplay and being featured fairly regularly on the Born in the U.S.A. Tour and sporadically in tours since. It has been played about 130 times through 2008. Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh did not approve, calling “Downbound Train” in his volume Glory Days “the weakest song ‘s released since the second album, … incredibly sloppy … The protagonist’s three jobs in five verses are only symptomatic of its problems.” Other observers analysed it in retrospect as a harbinger, with naturalistic imagery lacing the song throughout in an approach that Springsteen would return to heavily in his Dylan-“Series of Dreams”-influenced early 1990s.
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Albums featuring this track
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Born in the U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
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Shouts
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rikrijean wrote:
THE BOSS !!!!!!!!! ----WONDERFUL !!!!!!
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SoccerZocker wrote:
One of his finest moments for sure... just TOO damn beautiful... [2]
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D2C2DBTJ wrote:
lasse1510, I also love that line. I'm not a big fan of Springsteen but that line is poetic. It is a beautiful song.
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MikeySchenker wrote:
Oh such drama...
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MikeySchenker wrote:
One of his finest moments for sure... just TOO damn beautiful...
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dominiquemariep wrote:
ach, Bruce!
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MarcelCelan wrote:
Maybe his greatest song.
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unikalnyMichas wrote:
Masterpiece. If it was a single, it could smash the charts.
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l_destouches wrote:
i ran till i thought my chest would explode
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bobbyefc38 wrote:
my fav off usa
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traceyeakes wrote:
Bruce is something
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leivy10 wrote:
Probably my favourite song on the album. At least it is today!
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Timmi312001 wrote:
Oh ist das traurig!! Einer der schönsten Songs aller Zeiten. Akkustik live in HH. Devils&Dust Tour. Nie wieder so eine Gänsehaut gehabt. Danke für Alles Bruce. You are the greatest.
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hollyheer wrote:
Really great song...
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jonny_alpha wrote:
I had a job, i had a girl...too true
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lasse1510 wrote:
"I work down at the carwash, Where all it ever does is rain" Best line ever in a song. Pure poetry.
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JTNevalainen wrote:
"it rips my heart to pieces everytime I hear it" I TOTALLY agree!
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EdwardVedder wrote:
" I still can't believe how beautiful this song is; it rips my heart to pieces everytime I hear it; it should be much more famous than what it is! " hell yeah! the most underrated song of Born in the U.S.A. along with Bobby Jean.
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Beatpolizei wrote:
Me too.!!!!!!
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maghat wrote:
I agree too!
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