4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) [Album version]

Sandy, the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight
Forcin' a light into all those stony faces left stranded on this warm July
Down in the town, the Circuit's full of switchblade lovers, so fast, so shiny, so sharp
As the wizards play down on Pinball Way on the boardwalk way past dark
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open like Latin lovers on the shore
Chasin' all them silly New York virgins by the score

And Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us
This pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight, for I may never see you again
Hey, Sandy girl
My, my, baby

Now, the greasers, ah, they tramp the streets or get busted for sleeping on the beach all night
Them boys in their high heels, ah, Sandy, their skins are so white
And me, I just got tired of hangin' in them dusty arcades, bangin' them pleasure machines
Chasin' the factory girls underneath the boardwalk where they all promise to unsnap their jeans
And you know that tilt-a-whirl down on the south beach drag
I got on it last night and my shirt got caught
And they kept me spinning, babe, didn't think I'd ever get off

Oh, Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us
This pier lights our carnival life on the water
Runnin', laughin' 'neath the boardwalk, ah, with the boss's daughter
I remember, Sandy, girl
Na, na, na, na, na, baby

Sandy, that waitress I was seeing lost her desire for me
I spoke with her last night, she said she won't set herself on fire for me anymore
She worked that joint under the boardwalk, she was always the girl you saw boppin' down the beach with the radio
The kids say last night she was dressed like a star in one of them cheap little seaside bars, and I saw her parked with lover boy out on the Kokomo
Did you hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin' fortunes better than they do
For me this boardwalk life is through, babe
You ought to quit this scene too

Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us
This pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever
Oh, I mean it, Sandy, girl
My, my, my, my, my baby
Yeah, I promise, Sandy, girl
Sha, la, la, la, la, baby

Page last updated: 18 Jan 2012

Intro

Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is the second track on his 1973 album The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle. Within the E Street Band, the song was heavily identified with Danny Federici's accordion part, which is the main musical element. A version recorded by The Hollies charted in North America and became a hit in Europe in 1975. See The Hollies' cover version for more details.

The above lyrics are for Springsteen's studio version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) as released on The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle. This album version was also included on The Essential Bruce Springsteen compilation album in 2003.

Composition and Recording

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was written in mid-1973. In his 1998 book Songs, Springsteen wrote: "I'd been evicted from my apartment above the beauty salon, so I moved on myself and was living with my girlfriend in a garage apartment, five minutes from Asbury Park, in Bradley Beach. This is where I wrote '4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),' a goodbye to my adopted hometown and the life I'd lived there before I recorded. Sandy was a composite of some of the girls I'd known along the Shore. I used the boardwalk and the closing down of the town as a metaphor for the end of a summer romance and the changes I was experiencing in my own life."

"Sandy" may be none other than Diane Lozito, Springsteen's girlfriend between summer 1971 and early 1975. See ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) for more about Diane Lozito.

The band line-up on this track is Bruce Springsteen, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Garry Tallent, Vini Lopez, and David Sancious, plus Suki Lahav who provided the "choir" backing vocals. Springsteen had hired a church children's choir to sing on the studio recording of the song, "but they didn't show," Lahav told the Jerusalem Post in 2007. "And I was around. And I had this high, pure clear voice. So that was my first time." Lahav's voice was recorded and overdubbed repeatedly to give a choir-like effect that Springsteen wanted. Lahav, then the wife of Louis Lahav who was Springsteen's sound engineer at the time, would not be credited for her role, but would later join the E Street Band for six months as a violinist and singer.

The track, as well as the whole album, was recorded at Sound Studios in Blauvelt, NY, and produced by Mike Appel and Jimmy Cretecos.

A handwritten lyrics sheet containing what appears to be an early draft of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was auctioned in 2013. See the early draft for more details.

Circulating Studio Versions

Two other different mixes (but same basic recording) of the album version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) have been circulating on bootlegs: an instrumental backing track, and a mix with Springsteen's original vocal overdub with the "Sparkin' an empty light in all those lonely faces reachin' up like bandits in the sky" lyric line. See the original studio version for more details. The mix that was eventually released on The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle album features a Springsteen vocal overdub that changed that lyrics line to "Forcin' a light into all those stony faces left stranded on this warm July."

The instrumental backing track can be found on several bootlegs, including The Unsurpassed Springsteen Volume 5 (Yellow Dog Records) and Born In The Studio (Archive Productions).

Madam Marie

The "Madam Marie" mentioned in the song is Marie Castello, a real-life fortune teller who worked on the Asbury Park boardwalk from 1932 and until her passing away in 2008. She was the longest running tenant on the Asbury Park boardwalk, where she operated from a small one-room concrete structure called the "Temple Of Knowledge". Castello's family continues to give readings at the Temple Of Knowledge, which has become a landmark on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

Castello gained a following among celebrities who often stopped at Asbury Park to perform at the nearby Asbury Park Convention Hall, specially during the sixties. Her famous clients included Ray Charles, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and many others. A young Bruce Springsteen began visiting her around the age of 17 and often played his guitar outside of her booth. He later immortalized her in his 1973 song 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) -- she became an icon among Springsteen fans worldwide.

Marie Castello died on 27 Jun 2008 at the age of 93. Springsteen offered memories and condolences of her on his website, saying: "Back in the day when I was a fixture on the Asbury Park boardwalk, I'd often stop and talk to Madam Marie as she sat on her folding chair outside the Temple Of Knowledge. I'd sit across from her on the metal guard rail bordering the beach, and watched as she led the day trippers into the small back room where she would unlock a few of the mysteries of their future. She always told me mine looked pretty good - she was right. The world has lost enough mystery as it is - we need our fortunetellers. We send our condolences out to her family who've carried on her tradition. Over here on E Street, we will miss her."

A few days following her death, Springsteen dedicated 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) to Marie Castello during the 04 Jul 2008 Magic Tour show in Goteborg, Sweden, and again a few day later during the 11 Jul 2008 Magic Tour show in Helsinki, Finland. See the live 04 Jul 2008 version for more details.

The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle

The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle is Bruce Springsteen's second studio album. It was recorded between mid-May 1973 and mid-September 1973 at 914 Sound Studios in Blauvelt, NY. Studio time was slotted in during various itinerary breaks in the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Tour, but recording sessions dragged on much longer than originally anticipated and this eventually caused some gig rescheduling and cancellations during the period from July to September 1973.

Most of the basic ensemble recording of The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle emanates from the first phase of sessions, prior to the arrival of David Sancious to the sessions on 22 June 1973. Sancious verified in a late seventies interview with Thunder Road magazine that most of the session songs had already been recorded (as basic tracks) by the time he joined. He then overdubbed his parts onto these recordings. THE E STREET SHUFFLE is an exception, which was written after Sancious became a member of the band. The latter phase of the sessions involved embellishing additional "frills" instrumentation, vocals, and experimenting with different mixes. No audio evidence has yet emerged that any of the basic recordings of were re-recorded from scratch with Sancious. Indeed, one of the most noteworthy aspects to the audio evidence that has emerged from the The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle recording sessions is that there is not one genuine alternate take to be found – all song recording variations are merely alternate mixes of the same basic recording.

The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle was produced by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos and engineered by Louis Lahav. It features 7 new Springsteen compositions and clocks at 46:47. It was commercially released on 05 Nov 1973.

The Essential Bruce Springsteen

The Essential Bruce Springsteen is a compilation album released on 11 November 2003 on Columbia Records. It's part of a series of "Essential" sets released by Sony BMG (previously Sony Music Entertainment). Per liner notes comments by Springsteen, the collection was intended as an introduction to his music for new fans who attended shows on The Rising Tour; hence, it includes songs from every Springsteen album since his debut. The album was available as a 2-disc set (which clocks at 153:23) and as a limited edition 3-disc set (which clocks at 200:45). For the latter, the third disc contained a selection of rarities and previously unreleased recordings.

The Essential Bruce Springsteen debuted and peaked at #14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart where it spent 13 weeks. The album was awarded certified gold and platinum records by the RIAA on 16 Dec 2003. The Essential Bruce Springsteen also reached #28 on the UK Albums Chart.

1975 Single Release

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was released as a single in mid-1975 in Germany, with THE E STREET SHUFFLE on the B-side. This coupling is unique to Germany and was the very first ever Springsteen 7-inch issued outside the United States. Both commercial and promotional versions were pressed.

The Hollies were always a highly popular band in Germany, and their cover version of Springsteen's 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY), titled "Sandy (4th July, Asbury Park)", was a modest hit in Germany and and some neighboring countries in the summer of 1975. See The Hollies' cover version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) for more details.

In an attempt to capitalize on the success of The Hollies' version, CBS released Springsteen's version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) as a single in Germany in mid-1975. The single features the text "Originalaufnahme" (which translates to "Original recording") and adapts the title "Sandy (4th July, Asbury Park)" that The Hollies used on their releases. Springsteen's single sold virtually nothing in German and that's why now collectors pay many hundreds of dollars for a stock copy. Promotional copies on the other hand are relatively easier to come by than their stock counterparts.

Other Official Releases

In 1975, a unique 3:42 edited version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on Rockwork, a Germany-only various artists album. This was the very first various artists album release ever to contain a Springsteen recording.

In 1977, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on After Dark, a Sweden-only various artists "CBS Special Products" sampler that was available exclusively through mail order via domestic teen magazine Vecko-Revyn as part of a subscription promotion in June 1977.

In 1987, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on the Dutch and Greek pressings of the Brilliant Disguise EP.

In 1988, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on The Future Of Rock'n'Roll / 70's To 80's, a Japan-only promotional 2-CD set sampler compiling 28 tracks from Springsteen's first nine albums plus two 1988 live B-sides. This release has catalogue number CBS/SONY XADP 90009-10 and is considered the rarest Springsteen CD sampler.

Disc 1: (70's)

THUNDER ROAD [live 18 Oct 1975]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
RACING IN THE STREET
KITTY'S BACK
BADLANDS
GROWIN' UP
PROVE IT ALL NIGHT
4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
BACKSTREETS [live 07 Jul 1978]
FOR YOU
TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT
THE PROMISED LAND
ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) [live 07 Jul 1978]
BORN TO RUN

Disc 2: (80's)

BORN IN THE USA [live 30 Sep 1985]
BRILLIANT DISGUISE
DANCING IN THE DARK
CADILLAC RANCH [live 06 Jul 1981]
WALK LIKE A MAN
WAR [live 30 Sep 1985]
JOHNNY 99
HUNGRY HEART [live 28 Dec 1980]
I WANNA MARRY YOU
MY HOMETOWN [live 30 Sep 1985]
THE RIVER
GLORY DAYS
OUT IN THE STREET
TOUGHER THAN THE REST [live 27 Apr 1988]
SPARE PARTS
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND [live 28 Dec 1980]

In 1992, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on Bruce Springsteen Sampler, a Canada-only promotional CD sampler compiling 10 tracks from Springsteen's albums up to 1987, plus the 1988 acoustic live version of BORN TO RUN. This has catalogue number COL CDNK 677.

In 1995, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on the European and South African pressings of the Secret Garden EP and the European pressings of the Murder Incorporated EP.

In 1996, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on Interview With Bruce Springsteen, a Germany-only promotional 2-CD set featuring 16 Springsteen tracks interspersed with segments from an exclusive interview for German radio station "Radio Eins" conducted in Los Angeles in February 1996. This set was released in a cardboard gatefold sleeve and has catalogue number COL SAMPCD 3184 9.

In 2005, 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was included on Ballads Vol. 1 (1973 - 1982), a Japan-only promotional "Digest" CDR advance sampler tying in with the release of the first six Japanese 2005 "mini-LP"-style Springsteen CD album reissues. This disc comes in a plain slimline jewel case with no artwork and has no catalogue number.

The live 18 Nov 1975 version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was released on Hammersmith Odeon, London '75 CD and DVD in 2005. The live 31 Dec 1980 version was released on the Live/1975-85 box set in 1986. The live 20 Mar 2008 version was released on the Magic Tour Highlights digital EP EP in 2008.

Live History -- 1970's

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is known to have been performed at least 5 times during the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Tour. Very little is known about the 1972 and 1973 shows, and therefore, the song must've been played on some more dates. On this tour, the song featured an acoustic arrangement with Bruce Springsteen on guitar and Danny Federici on accordion. Each version featured a unique set of early lyrics, some of which are similar to those in the original studio version.

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is known to have been performed at least 42 times during The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle Tour. Some of that period's setlists are incomplete or unknown, and therefore, the song must have been played on some more dates. The performances from fall 1973 were played in an acoustic arrangement with Bruce Springsteen on guitar and Danny Federici on accordion, just like during the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Tour. For the rest of the tour (in 1974 and 1975), the song was played in a new full-band arrangement. Ernest "Boom" Carter played drums and David Sancious played piano until August 1974, and they were replaced by Max Weinberg on drums and Roy Bittan on piano from September 1974 onwards. Suki Lahav joined in from October 1974 onward, singing backup vocals (and perhaps playing violin) on the song. In the Spring 1974 part of the tour, Springsteen switched over to a rewritten third verse.

20 Oct 1973 at Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH
30 Oct 1973 (late show) at The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
31 Oct 1973 (late show) at The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
11 Nov 1973 at Trenton State College, Ewing, NJ
15 Dec 1973 at Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY
03 Mar 1974 (early show) at Georgetown University, Washington, DC
03 Mar 1974 (late show) at Georgetown University, Washington, DC
24 Mar 1974 at Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
05 Apr 1974 at Widener College, Chester, PA
06 Apr 1974 at Burlington County College, Pemberton, NJ
09 Apr 1974 (early show) at Charlie's Place, Cambridge, MA
26 Apr 1974 at Brown University, Providence, RI
09 May 1974 (late show) at Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA
03 Jun 1974 at The Agora, Cleveland, OH
21 Jun 1974 at Le Garage, Spray Beach, NJ
13 Jul 1974 (late show) at The Bottom Line, New York City, NY
30 Jul 1974 at The Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA
14 Aug 1974 (late show) at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
19 Sep 1974 (early show) at The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
20 Sep 1974 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
22 Sep 1974 at Kean College, Union, NJ
04 Oct 1974 at Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, NY
12 Oct 1974 at Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
18 Oct 1974 at Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
19 Oct 1974 at Union College, Schenectady, NY
26 Oct 1974 at Julia Sanderson Theater, Springfield, MA
29 Oct 1974 at Music Hall, Boston, MA
01 Nov 1974 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
02 Nov 1974 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
16 Nov 1974 at American University, Washington, DC
23 Nov 1974 at Salem State College, Salem, MA
29 Nov 1974 at War Memorial Theatre, Trenton, NJ
06 Dec 1974 at State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ
08 Dec 1974 at Burlington Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, VT
05 Feb 1975 at The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
06 Feb 1975 at Widener College, Chester, PA
07 Feb 1975 at Widener College, Chester, PA
19 Feb 1975 at Penn State University, University Park, PA
23 Feb 1975 at Westbury Music Fair, Westbury, NY
07 Mar 1975 at Painters Mill Music Fair, Owings Mills, MD
08 Mar 1975 at DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC
09 Mar 1975 at DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC

In 1974, Bruce Springsteen performed 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) on one radio performance. The song was played in an acoustic arrangement featuring Bruce Springsteen on guitar and Danny Federici on accordion, just like they did during the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Tour. See the live 09 Apr 1974 version for more details

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is known to have been performed at least 73 times during the Born To Run Tour: 54 times during the 1st leg (73 know dates / 81 known shows, between July and December 1975) and 19 times during the 2nd leg (35 know dates, between March and May 1976). The 1976 portion of the tour would soon be nicknamed the "Chicken Scratch Tour" by the road crew because of the high proportion of secondary market, southern state locations. Some of that period's setlists are incomplete or unknown, and therefore, the song must have been played on some more dates during the Born To Run Tour; it may have been a stable number during the 2nd leg. On this tour, the song was played in the full-band arrangement and with the rewritten third verse that Springsteen switched over to in Spring 1974. Audio and video for the complete 18 Nov 1975 show at Hammersmith Odeon in London, England, was released in 2005 on the Hammersmith Odeon, London '75 CD and DVD. See the live 18 Nov 1975 version for more details.

20 Jul 1975 at Palace Theatre, Providence, RI
22 Jul 1975 at Geneva Theatre, Geneva, NY
23 Jul 1975 at Music Inn, Lenox, MA
25 Jul 1975 at Kutztown State College, Kutztown, PA
26 Jul 1975 at Kutztown State College, Kutztown, PA
28 Jul 1975 at Carter Barron Amphitheatre, Washington, DC
01 Aug 1975 at Mosque Theatre, Richmond, VA
08 Aug 1975 at Akron Civic Theatre, Akron, OH
13 Aug 1975 (late show) at Bottom Line, New York City, NY
15 Aug 1975 (early show) at Bottom Line, New York City, NY
17 Aug 1975 (late show) at Bottom Line, New York City, NY
23 Aug 1975 at Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom, Atlanta, GA
06 Sep 1975 at Theatre Of The Performing Arts, New Orleans, LA
12 Sep 1975 at Municipal Auditorium, Austin, TX
13 Sep 1975 at Music Hall, Houston, TX
14 Sep 1975 at Music Hall, Houston, TX
16 Sep 1975 at Dallas Convention Center Theater, Dallas, TX
20 Sep 1975 at Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
23 Sep 1975 at University Of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
25 Sep 1975 at Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL
26 Sep 1975 at University Of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
28 Sep 1975 at Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS
02 Oct 1975 at Uptown Theatre, Milwaukee, WI
04 Oct 1975 at Michigan Palace, Detroit, MI
11 Oct 1975 (early show) at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
11 Oct 1975 (late show) at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
16 Oct 1975 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
17 Oct 1975 (early show) at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
17 Oct 1975 (late show) at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
18 Oct 1975 (early show) at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
18 Oct 1975 (late show) at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
19 Oct 1975 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
01 Nov 1975 at University Of California, Santa Barbara, CA
06 Nov 1975 at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
10 Nov 1975 at Jai Alai Fronton, Tampa, FL
11 Nov 1975 at Jai Alai Fronton, Miami, FL
18 Nov 1975 at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
21 Nov 1975 at Konserthuset, Stockholm, Sweden
23 Nov 1975 at RAI Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
24 Nov 1975 at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
02 Dec 1975 at Music Hall, Boston, MA
03 Dec 1975 at Music Hall, Boston, MA
05 Dec 1975 at Georgetown University, Washington, DC
10 Dec 1975 at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
11 Dec 1975 at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ
12 Dec 1975 at C.W. Post College, Greenvale, NY
16 Dec 1975 at State University Of New York, Oswego, NY
17 Dec 1975 at Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY
20 Dec 1975 at National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Canada
21 Dec 1975 at Seneca College, Toronto, Canada
27 Dec 1975 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
28 Dec 1975 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
30 Dec 1975 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
31 Dec 1975 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
25 Mar 1976 at Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC
26 Mar 1976 at Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
28 Mar 1976 at Duke University, Durham, NC
29 Mar 1976 at Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, NC
04 Apr 1976 at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
05 Apr 1976 at Ohio Theatre, Columbus, OH
07 Apr 1976 at Allen Theatre, Cleveland, OH
09 Apr 1976 at Colgate University, Hamilton, NY
10 Apr 1976 at Paul Mellon Arts Center, Wallingford, CT
13 Apr 1976 at Penn State University, University Park, PA
15 Apr 1976 at Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA
17 Apr 1976 at University Of Rochester, Rochester, NY
22 Apr 1976 at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA
29 Apr 1976 at Ellis Auditorium, Memphis, TN
03 May 1976 at Robinson Auditorium, Little Rock, AR
10 May 1976 at Municipal Auditorium Theater, Mobile, AL
13 May 1976 at Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans, LA
27 May 1976 at Eisenhower Hall Auditorium, West Point, NY
28 May 1976 at Halsey Field House, Annapolis, MD

Despite the marvelous reception received by both Born To Run and the tour which followed, the relationship between Bruce Springsteen and his now former manager and producer Mike Appel was deteriorating. In July 1976 the storm broke; Mike Appel wrote to Springsteen saying that he would not allow Jon Landau (Springsteen's friend and co-producer of Born To Run) to produce the next album, citing a particular paragraph from their original agreement. Bruce replied on 27 Jul 1976 by firing manager Mike Appel and suing him and his management company Laurel Canyon Ltd. in Federal Court in Manhattan, claiming fraud, breach of trust, and undue influence. Appel countersued on 29 Jul 1976 in New York State Supreme Court, asking the court to prohibit Springsteen and Jon Landau from working together in studio. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band were slated to enter the studio that year for the recording of a new album, except that on 15 Sep 1976 the judge in the lawsuits case ruled that Springsteen was enjoined from any further recording with Columbia Records until Appel's suit was resolved. This would drag for about a year. Meanwhile, Springsteen continued gigging, and in the process broke his self-imposed rule of not playing the larger arenas. This was basically because he was not able to put a record out, and it was the only way his fans would be able to hear him at all. The tour became known as the "Lawsuit Tour".

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is known to have been performed at least 32 times during the Lawsuit Tour: 26 times during the 1st leg (29 known dates, between August and November 1976) and 6 times during the 2nd leg (33 known dates, between February and March 1977). Some of that period's setlists are incomplete or unknown, and therefore, the song must have been played on some more dates during the Lawsuit Tour; it must have been a stable number during the 1st leg, and may have been played on some more dates during the 2nd leg. On this tour, the song was played in a full-band arrangement and with the rewritten third verse that Springsteen switched over to in Spring 1974.

01 Aug 1976 at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
02 Aug 1976 at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
03 Aug 1976 at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
05 Aug 1976 at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
06 Aug 1976 at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
07 Aug 1976 at Monmouth Arts Center, Red Bank, NJ
21 Aug 1976 at Palace Theater, Waterbury, CT
26 Sep 1976 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, AZ
29 Sep 1976 at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA
30 Sep 1976 at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA
02 Oct 1976 at Paramount Theatre, Oakland, CA
05 Oct 1976 at Santa Barbara County Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA
09 Oct 1976 at University Of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN
10 Oct 1976 at Miami University, Oxford, OH
12 Oct 1976 at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
13 Oct 1976 at Kean College, Union, NJ
16 Oct 1976 at The College Of William And Mary, Williamsburg, VA
17 Oct 1976 at Georgetown University, Washington,
25 Oct 1976 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
27 Oct 1976 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
28 Oct 1976 at Palladium, New York City, NY
29 Oct 1976 at Palladium, New York City, NY
30 Oct 1976 at Palladium, New York City, NY
02 Nov 1976 at Palladium, New York City, NY
03 Nov 1976 at Palladium, New York City, NY
04 Nov 1976 at Palladium, New York City, NY
07 Feb 1977 at Palace Theatre, Albany, NY
08 Feb 1977 at Auditorium Theatre, Rochester, NY
10 Feb 1977 at Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY
02 Mar 1977 at Civic Center Auditorium, Atlanta, GA
05 Mar 1977 at Jai Alai Fronton, Orlando, FL
11 Mar 1977 at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, PA

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is known to have been performed at least 28 times during the 111-date-long Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour, mostly in August. A few setlists from that period are incomplete or unknown, and therefore, the song may have been played on some more dates during the Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour. On this tour, the song was played in the full-band arrangement and with the rewritten third verse that Springsteen switched over to in Spring 1974.

03 Jun 1978 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
29 Jul 1978 at Bayfront Center Arena, St. Petersburg, FL
01 Aug 1978 at Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, Charleston, SC
04 Aug 1978 at Charleston Civic Center, Charleston, WV
05 Aug 1978 at Louisville Gardens, Louisville, KY
09 Aug 1978 at The Agora, Cleveland, OH
10 Aug 1978 at Rochester Community War Memorial, Rochester, NY
12 Aug 1978 at Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, ME
14 Aug 1978 at Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, VA
15 Aug 1978 at Capital Centre, Largo, MD
18 Aug 1978 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
19 Aug 1978 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
21 Aug 1978 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
22 Aug 1978 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
23 Aug 1978 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
25 Aug 1978 at New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT
26 Aug 1978 at Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI
28 Aug 1978 at Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
29 Aug 1978 at Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
30 Aug 1978 at Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH
09 Sep 1978 at University Of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN
10 Sep 1978 at Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH
12 Sep 1978 at Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, NY
13 Sep 1978 at Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA
15 Sep 1978 at Palladium, New York City, NY
19 Sep 1978 at Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ
12 Nov 1978 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
28 Dec 1978 at Stanley Theatre, Pittsburg, PA

Live History -- 1980's

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) is known to have been performed at least 36 times during the 138-date-long The River Tour, mostly between December 1980 and February 1981. A few setlists from that period are incomplete, and therefore, the song may have been played on some more dates during The River Tour. On this tour, the song was played in the full-band arrangement and with the rewritten third verse that Springsteen switched over to in Spring 1974. The live 31 Dec 1980 performance of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) in Uniondale, NY, was officially released on the Live/1975-85 box set in 1986. See the live 31 Dec 1980 version for more details.

28 Nov 1980 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
02 Dec 1980 at Rochester Community War Memorial, Rochester, NY
06 Dec 1980 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
09 Dec 1980 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
11 Dec 1980 at Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI
12 Dec 1980 at Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
15 Dec 1980 at Boston Garden, Boston, MA
16 Dec 1980 at Boston Garden, Boston, MA
18 Dec 1980 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
19 Dec 1980 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
28 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
29 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
31 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
20 Jan 1981 at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada
21 Jan 1981 at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Canada
23 Jan 1981 at The Forum, Montreal, Canada
24 Jan 1981 at Ottawa Civic Centre, Ottawa, Canada
26 Jan 1981 at University Of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN
28 Jan 1981 at Checkerdome, St. Louis, MO
29 Jan 1981 at Iowa State University, Ames, IA
01 Feb 1981 at Saint Paul Civic Center Arena, Saint Paul, MN
02 Feb 1981 at Dane County Memorial Coliseum, Madison, WI
04 Feb 1981 at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
05 Feb 1981 at Kemper Arena, Kansas City, MO
12 Feb 1981 at Municipal Auditorium, Mobile, AL
13 Feb 1981 at Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS
15 Feb 1981 at Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, FL
18 Feb 1981 at Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL
20 Feb 1981 at Hollywood Sportatorium, Hollywood, FL
22 Feb 1981 at Carolina Coliseum, Columbia, SC
25 Feb 1981 at Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN
28 Feb 1981 at Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
02 Mar 1981 at Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, VA
05 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
19 Jul 1981 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
07 Aug 1981 at Capital Centre, Largo, MD

Live History -- 1990's

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed 3 times during the 102-date-long World Tour 1992-1993, all during the 1992 North American leg. The first performance was an acoustic version with Springsteen on guitar and Roy Bittan on organ, plus some backing vocals (see the live 30 Jul 1992 version), while the latter two were full-band versions (see the live 10 Aug 1992 version). On this tour Springsteen used the rewritten third verse that he switched over to in Spring 1974.

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed 4 times during the 128-date-long The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour, on the three November 1996 Asbury Park shows plus one show in Australia in February 1997. The first two performances were in an acoustic guitar-and-accordion arrangement (see the live 24 Nov 1996 version for more details), the third performance was in an acoustic full-band arrangement (see the live 26 Nov 1996 version for more details), and the final performance was in a solo acoustic guitar arrangement (see the live 15 Feb 1997 version for more details). On this tour Springsteen used the rewritten third verse that he switched over to in Spring 1974.

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed twice during the 132-date-long The Reunion Tour. The song was played in a slightly slowed down full-band arrangement and with the rewritten third verse that Springsteen switched over to in Spring 1974.

Live History -- 2000's

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed 3 times during the 120-date-long The Rising Tour, in May and July 2003. The song was played in a slightly slowed down full-band arrangement and with the rewritten third verse that Springsteen switched over to in Spring 1974.

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed 5 times during the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour. The song was played in a new solo electric piano arrangement. On this tour Springsteen used the song's orginal lyrics.

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed 12 times during the 100-date-long Magic Tour. The song was played in an album-style full-band arrangement. The first three performances of featured Danny Federici on accordion, while the rest featured a combinations of Roy Bittan, Charles Giordano, and/or Jason Federici. On the last show of the tour, 30 Aug 2008 in Milwaukee, Danny Federici's son Jason guested on accordion. See the live 30 Aug 2008 version for more details. On this tour Springsteen used sometimes kept the song's orginal lyrics and sometimes he used the rewritten third verse that he switched over to in Spring 1974. See performances list below for details. The 20 Mar 2008 performance of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN was officially released on the Magic Tour Highlights digital EP in 2008. See the live 20 Mar 2008 version for more details. The 30 Aug 2008 performance was during Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration.

15 Nov 2007 at Times Union Center, Albany, NY (Spring 1974 lyrics, with Danny Federici on accordion and Roy Bittan on keys)
19 Nov 2007 at Td Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA (original lyrics, with Danny Federici on accordion, Roy Bittan on keys)
20 Mar 2008 at Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN (original lyrics, with Danny Federici on accordion, Roy Bittan on keys)
22 Apr 2008 at St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL (Spring 1974 lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
25 May 2008 at RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland (original lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
31 May 2008 at Emirates Stadium, London, England (original lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
23 Jun 2008 at Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium (original lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
04 Jul 2008 at Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden (original lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
11 Jul 2008 at Helsingfors Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland (original lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
15 Jul 2008 at Estadio Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain (original lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
24 Aug 2008 at Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO (original lyrics, with Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)
30 Aug 2008 at The Roadhouse At The Lakefront, Milwaukee, WI (Spring 1974 lyrics, with Jason Federici and Roy Bittan on accordion and Charles Giordano on keys)

4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed 3 times during the Working On A Dream Tour. The song was played in an album-style full-band arrangement. On this tour Springsteen used the song's orginal lyrics.

Danny Federici's funeral service was held on 21 Apr 2008 at United Methodist Church in Red Bank, NJ. Springsteen delivered eulogies and performed a three-song set, including 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY).

Since 2002, Springsteen has been played private benefit shows for schools and colleges that his kids attended — Rumson Country Day School of Rumson, NJ, and Ranney School of Tinton Falls, NJ, and Boston College of Chestnut Hill, MA. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was performed at 3 of these fundraisers, always at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, and backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band. On these shows the song was played in a full-band version.

Appearance in Film

Bruce Springsteen's 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) was used in the 1999 documentary film Pitch People. The film was shot at several location in the USA and the UK, including Asbury Park, NJ.

Covers

Several artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY), most notably The Hollies. See The Hollies' cover version for more details.

Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls recorded a version of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) in 2009 in Los Angeles. Their version was endorsed by Bruce Springsteen and was released through Springsteen's official website and on Backstreets.com. A video was also released on Bruce Springsteen's YouTube channel. The video was directed by Jeff Kussmann and shows the band recording the song in studio. Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls band's line up features Danny Federici's son, Jason Federici. He wrote, "Our version of 'Sandy' came about as a tribute to my father who loved that song".

Available Versions

Credits / References

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for transcribing the lyrics and for all the help. Thanks Domingo (dobama at Greasy Lake) for the Greek Brilliant Disguise 12-inch EP info and scan and Keith Mallaby (Born To Walk at Greasy Lake) for the Madam Marie's Temple Of Knowledge photo.

Some of the above info about the studio recording and the live performances is taken from Brucebase. Info for some of the above official Springsteen releases is taken from the Lost In The Flood website. Info for some of the above 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) cover releases is taken from the Nebraska website.

Request

Please contact me if you have scans or info about any official release containing 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) that's not mentioned on this page. I also need scans for the South African Secret Garden CD5 EP and Georg Siegl's album Strossnkoda.

Any additions, comments, or corrections to this page are welcome. You can contact me via the below form or by email: . You will be credited. Thanks in advance.