JERSEY GIRL

Live 02 Jul 1981 version



[Spoken intro:] Uh, we just came back from a big trip. We were all around Europe, and ??? all those places. It's really something over there. It's, it's different than New Jersey (chuckles). And the people were great and I'd like, what I'd like to... I just wanna say you guys, you guys made the, made tonight for us. Thank you. You were great, nobody better so... Anyway this is something special that we learned for you. This is a Tom Waits song and it's on his Heartattack And Vine album. And uh, this is for all the Jersey girls. This is what is happening.

I got no time for the corner boys
Down in the street making all that noise
Or the girls down on the avenue
'Cause tonight I wanna be with you
Tonight I wanna take that ride
Across the river to the Jersey side
Take my baby to the carnival
And I'll take you on all the rides

Down the shore everything's all right
You and your baby on a Saturday night
Now you make all my dreams come true
When I'm walking down the street with you

Sing sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la well I'm in love with a Jersey girl
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la

My little angle gives me everything
I know someday she's gonna wear my ring
She thrills me with all her charms
Which she wraps up in her arms
Now don't bother me 'cause I ain't got no time
I'm on my way to see that girl of mine
Nothing matters in the whole wide world
When you're in love with a Jersey girl

Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la la la la la la
Sha la la well I'm in love with a Jersey girl
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la

Now when I see you on the street you look so tired
I know that job you got leaves you so uninspired
When I come by to take you out to eat
I find you're fully dressed up and lying fast asleep
Go in the bathroom, put that makeup on
We're gonna take that little brat of yours and drop her off at your mom's
I know a place where the dancing's free
If you wanna come home with me

Well down the shore everything's all right
Me and my baby on a Saturday night
Nothing matters in this whole wide world
When you're in love with a Jersey girl

Sing sha la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la
Sha la la well I'm in love with a Jersey girl
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la la la la la la
Sha la la well I'm in love with a Jersey girl


Info

JERSEY GIRL is a 1980 song by Tom Waits. See the original Tom Waits version for more details.

Bruce Springsteen performed JERSEY GIRL live sporadically, both on-tour and off-tour, starting in 1981. See the "Live History" section below for more details. His version was slightly rewritten and featured an additional verse.

Springsteen replaced Tom Waits's line about "Don't want no whores on Eighth Avenue" line.

Or the girls out on the avenue
(example taken from the live 09 Jul 1981 version)

He added a verse, the first six lines of which were taken from the 1979 outtake PARTY LIGHTS.

I see you on the street and you look so tired
Girl I know that job you got leaves you so uninspired
When I come by to take you out to eat
You're lying all dressed up on the bed baby fast asleep
Go in the bathroom, put your makeup on
We're gonna take that little brat of yours and drop her off at your mom's
(example taken from the live 09 Jul 1981 version)

The last two lines of the added verse are completely new.

I know a place where the dancing's free
Now baby won't you come with me

Live 02 Jul 1981 version

The above lyrics are for the live 02 Jul 1981 performance of JERSEY GIRL at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, NJ, during The River Tour.

During The River Tour, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performed a series of six consecutive concerts at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, NJ, on 02, 03, 05, 06, 08, and 09 Jul 1981. These were the first events at the newly opened arena. All six shows ─ a total of 125,922 tickets ─ were sold out.

Promotional poster for the July 1981 six-night stand at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
Promotional poster for the July 1981 six-night stand at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
(Taken from Brucebase)
Ticket stub for the 02 Jul 1981 show at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
Ticket stub for the 02 Jul 1981 show at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

Other Official Releases

Other versions of JERSEY GIRL were also officially released.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live/1975-85
The live 09 Jul 1981 version of JERSEY GIRL was first released on the Live/1975-85 box set in 1986.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey 1984
The live 05 Aug 1984 version of JERSEY GIRL was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey 1984 official live download in 2015.
Bruce Springsteen -- Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993
The live 24 Jun 1993 version of JERSEY GIRL was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993 official live download in 2018.

Live History: on-tour

SECTION NOT YET COMPLETED

JERSEY GIRL is known to have been performed at least 5 times during The River Tour (138 dates, October 1980 to September 1981). A few of that period's setlists are incomplete or unknown, and therefore, the song may have been played on some more dates during The River Tour, but that's very unlikely. The live 09 Jul 1981 version of JERSEY GIRL was first released on the Live/1975-85 box set in 1986.

  1. 02 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
  2. 05 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
  3. 09 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
  4. 24 Aug 1981 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  5. 11 Sep 1981 at Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL

Live History: off-tour

SECTION NOT YET COMPLETED

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 22 Jun 1981 in East Orange, NJ, during the wedding reception for Max Weinberg and his bride Rebecca. Bruce Springsteen and the entire E Street Band attended and played a lengthy set.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 10 Apr 1982 at Big Man's West in Red Bank, NJ, during a guest appearance with Beaver Brown.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 08 May 1982 at The Fast Lane in Asbury Park, NJ, during a gues appearance with Beaver Brown.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 06 Aug 1982 at Big Man's West in Red Bank, NJ, during a guest appearance with Beaver Brown.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 07 Aug 1982 at Big Man's West in Red Bank, NJ, during a guest appearance with Beaver Brown.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 15 Aug 1982 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 19 Sep 1982 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 03 Oct 1982 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 14 Aug 1983 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 19 Aug 1983 at Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ, during a guest appearance with John Eddie.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 22 Apr 1984 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface.

JERSEY GIRL was performed off-tour on 22 Apr 2020 at Stone Hill Studio in Colts Neck, NJ, during the Jersey 4 Jersey fundraiser. The song was played in an acoustic arrangement, with Bruce Springsteen on lead vocals and acoustic guitar and Patti Scialfa on harmony vocals and acoustic guitar. See the live 22 Apr 2020 version for more details.

  1. 22 Jun 1981 in East Orange, NJ
  2. 10 Apr 1982 at Big Man's West, Red Bank, NJ
  3. 08 May 1982 at The Fast Lane, Asbury Park, NJ
  4. 06 Aug 1982 at Big Man's West, Red Bank, NJ
  5. 07 Aug 1982 at Big Man's West, Red Bank, NJ
  6. 15 Aug 1982 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
  7. 19 Sep 1982 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
  8. 03 Oct 1982 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
  9. 14 Aug 1983 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ
  10. 19 Aug 1983 at Brighton Bar, Long Branch, NJ
  11. 22 Apr 1984 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
  12. 22 Apr 2020 at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, NJ

Available Versions

List of available versions of JERSEY GIRL on this website:

JERSEY GIRL [Live 02 Jul 1981 version]
JERSEY GIRL [Live 09 Jul 1981 version]
JERSEY GIRL [Live 22 Apr 2020 version]
JERSEY GIRL [Original Tom Waits version]

Page last updated: 01 May 2020