OUTLAW PETE

Album version



He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail
At six months old he'd done three months in jail
He robbed a bank in his diapers and his little bare baby feet
All he said was "Folks my name is Outlaw Pete."
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

At twenty-five a Mustang pony he did steal
And he rode her 'round and 'round on heaven's wheel
Father Jesus I'm an outlaw, killer and a thief
And I slow down only to sow my grief
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

He cut his trail of tears across the countryside
And where he went women wept and men died

One night he woke from a vision of his own death
Saddled his pony and rode her deep into the West
Married a Navajo girl and settled down on the res
And as the snow fell he held their beautiful daughter to his chest
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Out of the East on an Irish stallion came bounty hunter Dan
His heart quickened and burned by the need to get his man
He found Pete peacefully fishing by the river, pulled his gun and got the drop
He said, "Pete you think you've changed but you have not."

He cocked his pistol, pulled the trigger and shouted "let it start"
Pete drew a knife from his boot, threw it, and pierced Dan through the heart
Dan smiled as he lay in his own blood dying in the sun
And whispered in Pete's ear, "We cannot undo these things we've done."
You're Outlaw Pete, you're Outlaw Pete, Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

For forty days and nights Pete rode and did not stop
Till he sat high upon an icy mountaintop
He watched the hawk on a desert updraft, slip and slide
Moved to the edge and dug his spurs deep into his pony's side

Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge
And some say they remain frozen high up on that icy ledge
The young Navajo girl washes in the river, skin so fair
And braids a piece of Pete's buckskin chaps into her hair
Outlaw Pete, Outlaw Pete, Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?


Info

OUTLAW PETE is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 2009 album Working On A Dream. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version OUTLAW PETE as released in 2009.


The track clocks at 8:00, the longest on the album, and the longest studio song since 1980. "It is a beast of music," producer Brendan O'Brien told Rolling Stone. "We actually cut it in pieces, one step at a time. In Bruce's mind, it was 'Let's make every moment as interesting as we can.'"

The line "Dan smiled as he lay in his own blood dying in the sun" was first used in ROBERT FORD ("He lays in the blood dying in the sun").

Working On A Dream

Working On A Dream is Bruce Springsteen's 24th album (and 16th studio album). It was officially announced, along with its track listing, on 17 Nov 2008, and released on 27 Jan 2009 on Columbia Records. The album was produced by Brendan O'Brien and recorded with the E Street Band during breaks on their 2007-2008 Magic Tour. It was recorded and mixed at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, GA with additional recording in New York City, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.

Bruce Springsteen said about the album, "Towards the end of recording 'Magic,' excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going.' Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope 'Working on a Dream' has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."

Bruce Springsteen -- Working On A Dream
Bruce Springsteen -- Working On A Dream

The album features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus a bonus track and clocks at 51:08.

A deluxe edition of Working On A Dream features a bonus DVD that contains a 38-minute behind-the-scenes footage of the recording of the album. Produced, directed, and edited by Thom Zimny, it includes studio footage edited to the tracks of MY LUCKY DAY, QUEEN OF THE SUPERMARKET, KINGDOM OF DAYS, WORKING ON A DREAM, LIFE ITSELF, and THE LAST CARNIVAL. It also contains demos and early band versions of the songs as they were worked up. The DVD also includes video for A NIGHT WITH THE JERSEY DEVIL.

Other Official Releases

The album version of OUTLAW PETE appears on one Bruce Springsteen promo-only sampler.

Bruce Springsteen -- Selections From Working On A Dream
Bruce Springsteen -- Selections From Working On A Dream

CD-R - Columbia (no catalog number) - USA, 2009

US-only promotional CD-R radio sampler compiling seven tracks from the Working On A Dream album.

Other versions of OUTLAW PETE were also officially released.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Nassau Coliseum 05.04.09
The live 04 May 2009 version of OUTLAW PETE was released on the Nassau Coliseum 05.04.09 official live download in 2020.

Live History

SECTION NOT YET COMPLETED

Covers

At least one artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's OUTLAW PETE.

A Voice In The World -- We Sing For Our Blood
A Voice In The World -- We Sing For Our Blood

Digital album - no label (no catalog number) - Portugal, 2022

This is a free download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute album.

Credits

Thanks John Eick, Daniel Baldwin, Adam, Kyle Mayne for the help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of OUTLAW PETE on this website:

OUTLAW PETE [Album version]

Page last updated: 14 Jan 2009