1945

Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers' studio version

John's father was a preacher
Who taught him "Thou shalt not kill"
But when the draft notice came in August
Father pronounced it as God's will
He boot camped in Mississippi
Not far from New Orleans
They drilled him and they trained him
And marched him straight into the sea

Just knowing she was waiting
Helped him to survive
And when he came close to dying
Helped him stay alive
Now he's coming home - it's 1945

John met her on his furlough
His brother was going out with her best friend
She took him home to meet her parents
John asked if he could see her again
First date was to the movies
Drove her home to say goodbye to the family
She promised she would write him
When he shipped out for overseas

Just knowing she was waiting
Helped him to survive
And when he came close to dying
Helped him stay alive
Now he's coming home - it's 1945

He got wounded south of Paris
In the summer of '44
They patched him up in England
Sent him back to the war
He remembers the day it ended
But he can't recall the place
He took her picture from his helmet
And just stared into her face

Just knowing she was waiting
Helped him to survive
And when he came close to dying
Helped him to survive
Now he's coming home - it's 1945

Page last updated: 19 Oct 2011

Info

1945 is a song co-written by Joe Grushecky and Bruce Springsteen in July 1995, with Springsteen providing most of the music and Grushecky most of the lyrics. The song was released on Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers' 1997 album Coming Home. The album also includes three other songs that Grushecky co-wrote with Springsteen: CHEAP MOTEL, I'M NOT SLEEPING, and IDIOT'S DELIGHT.

The above lyrics are transcribed from Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers' studio version of 1945, as released on Coming Home.

Live History

As far as it's known, Bruce Springsteen has never performed 1945 live.

Credits

Thanks Steen Andersson (rosalita101 at Greasy Lake) for the Coming Home album scan.