GROWIN' UP^©

Live 30 Dec 1975 version

Well I stood stone-like at midnight suspended in my masquerade
And I combed my hair till it looked just right and commanded the night brigade, hey!
I was open to pain and crossed by the rain and I walked on a crooked crutch
Well I strolled all alone through a fallout zone and came out with my soul untouched
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, they said "sit down" I stood up
Ooooh, growin' up

Well the flag of piracy flew from my mast, my sails were set wing to wing*
I had a jukebox graduate for first mate, she wouldn't sail but she sure could sing
I pushed B-52 and bombed 'em with the blues with my gear set stubborn on standing
I broke all the rules, strafed my old high school and never once gave thought to landing
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, shouted "sit down" I threw up
Whoa, yeah, growin' up
Yo uno

I took month-long vacations in the stratosphere, you know it's really hard to hold your breath
I swear I lost everything I ever loved or feared, I was the cosmic kid
My feet they finally took root in the earth, well I got me a nice little place in the stars
I swear I found the key to the universe in the engine of an old parked car
Well I hid in the mother breast of the crowd, they said "pull down" I pulled up
Yeah, yeah, growin' up
Yeah, yeah, yeah, growin' up
Whoa!

These lyrics refer to the live 30 Dec 1975 performance at Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA.

* Bruce pronounces "well the flag of piracy flew from my mast" and "I took month-long vacations in the stratosphere" in an East-European accent. Funny!

Check also the album's version (more details), the Tracks version, and the alternative version. The live versions are all pretty similar, and have no important lyrics variations. Only the spoken intro differs. Check them out: 10 Aug 1972, 31 Oct 1973, 05 Feb 1975, 07 Apr 1976, 27 Oct 1976, 04 Nov 1976, 23 Mar 1977, 24 Mar 1977, 31 May 1978, 25 Jun 1978, 05 Jul 1978, 07 Jul 1978, 04 Aug 1978, 09 Aug 1978, 20 Aug 1984, 14 Sep 1984, 22 Sep 1992, 24 Sep 1999, 19 Feb 2003, and 22 Jun 2003.

Spoken intro on 30 Dec 1975 at Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA:

???. All you married guys out there. Water, drinking a lots of. Oh, if I see an M&M one more time I'm gonna puke (chuckles). I've seen enough M&M to last me forever. Whoa god damn it, what's goin' on (chuckles). Ah, now we're gonna do uh... Alright, alright. Gimme a break, gimme a break (checkles).