CODE OF SILENCE^©

The Essential version

There's a code of silence that we don't dare speak
There's a wall between us and a river so deep
We keep pretending that there's nothing wrong
But there's a code of silence and it can't go on

Is the truth so elusive, so elusive you see
That it ain't enough baby, to bridge the distance between you and me
There's a list of grievance a 100 miles long
There's a code of silence and it can't go on

Well you walk with your eyes open
But your lips they remain sealed
While the vows we made are broken
Beneath the truth you need to reveal
Well I came to know now darlin'
Need to know what's going on
But come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on

Now you walk with your eyes open
But your lips they remain sealed
While the vows we made are broken
Beneath the truth we fear to reveal
I need to know now darlin'
Need to know what's going on
So come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on

There's a code of silence that we don't dare speak
A wall between us and the river's deep
We keep pretending that there's nothing wrong
But there's a code of silence
And it can't go on, (can't go on), can't go on
And it can't go on, and it can't go on, and it can't go on
And it can't go on, yeah yeah (can't go on), and it can't go on
(Can't go on baby), and it can't go on, (can't go on)
No it can't go on, (can't go on)
Aha, aha
Aha, aha
Aha, aha
Aha, aha

Co-written with Joe Grushecky in winter 1997. The song appeared live for the first time at the end of the Reunion tour, played on 8 of the 10 shows at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY:

• 12 Jun 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 15 Jun 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 17 Jun 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 20 Jun 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 23 Jun 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 27 Jun 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 29 Jun 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
• 01 Jul 2000 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY

The song was the opener of those shows, except on the second night, Jun the 15th. The 29 Jun 2000 performance was officially released in 2003 on The Essential Bruce Springsteen bonus disc, and won a Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance (for a solo vocal performance - Singles or Tracks only) in Feb 2005 [read below].

The song reappeared during The Rising tour, sound-checked on 20 Aug 2002 at The Rose Garden Arena, Portland, OR, and played twice on the regular sets during that tour:

• 04 Dec 2002 at Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA, with Joe Grushecky (for the first time with him)
• 04 Oct 2003 at Shea Stadium, New York City, NY (check the live 04 Oct 2003 version)

Also played later during some off-tour occasions, all with Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers:

• 01 Nov 2003 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, during the fourth annual Light Of Day benefit
• 17 Jul 2004 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
• 06 Nov 2004 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, during the fifth annual Light Of Day benefit
• 02 Dec 2004 at Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, PA, during the Flood Aid '04, a benefit for Pennsylvanians who suffered damage from Hurricane Ivan in September

The song was released on Joe Grushecky's 2006 album, A Good Life. Bruce Springsteen also guests on the track, sharing vocals and playing guitar with Grushecky.

The above lyrics refer to the live 29 Jun 2000 version that was officially released on The Essential Bruce Springsteen. Check also the live 04 Oct 2003 version (very similar).

Liner notes by Bruce Springsteen in the The Essential Bruce Springsteen booklet:

Written with Joe Grushecky in the winter of '97 and recorded live in NYC on the '99 tour with the E Street Band.

From Backstreets.com News, 04 Feb 2005:

GRAMMY TO BRUCE: I LUV U!

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Springsteen gets a little Grammy love. It was a blink-and-you'd-miss-it moment, acknowledged only in a flash of text at the bottom of the screen (Springsteen himself wasn't present for the 2/13 awards), but before the broadcast he did win the Solo Rock Vocal Performance Grammy for "Code of Silence" (co-written with Joe Grushecky) from The Essential Bruce Springsteen. And, giving us unsettling flashbacks, there was Norah Jones at the end of the night once again, taking home "Record of the Year"...