LONG TIME COMIN'^©

Album's version

Out where the creek turns shallow and sandy
And the moon comes skimmin' away the stars
The wind in the mesquite comes rushin' over the hilltops
Straight into my arms
Straight into my arms

I'm ridin' hard carryin' a cache of roses
And a fresh map that I made
Tonight I'm gonna get birth naked and bury my old soul
And dance on it's grave
And dance on it's grave

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
And now it's here

Well my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
Well when I was a kid he was just somebody
Somebody I'd see around
Somebody I'd see around

Well now down below and pullin' on my shirt
Yeah I got some kids of my own
Well if I had one wish in this god forsaken world, kids
It'd be that your mistakes would be your own
Yeah your sins would be your own

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
And now it's here

(Whoaaa)

Out 'neath the arms of Cassiopeia*
Where the sword of Orion sweeps
It's me and you, Rosie, cracklin' like crossed wires
And you breathin' in your sleep
You breathin' in your sleep

Well there's just a spark of a campfire left burning
Two kids in a sleeping bag beside
I reach 'neath your shirt, lay my hands across your belly
And feel another one kickin' inside
And I ain't gonna fuck it up this time

It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here
It's been a long time comin', my dear
It's been a long time comin', but now it's here

(Whoaaa)

Written for The Ghost Of Tom Joad, but left off the album. Played during The Ghost Of Tom Joad tour, between 16 Oct 1996 at Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO, and 25 May 1997 at Palais des Congres, Paris, France, with a total of 36 appearances. Recently rehearsed on 10 Mar 2005 at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ.

Included on the Devils & Dust album in 2005. It was added to the album during the last week of remastering. Note that this studio version is a completely different arrangement form the known acoustic version: country/western-tinged, pedal steel, violin, Patti on backup vocals... An acoustic rendition of the song filmed in Feb 2005 in New Jersey will be included on the DVD side of the album.

Known to be rehearsed for the Devils & Dust tour on 20 Apr 2005 at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ. Played during the warm-up shows for the Devils & Dust tour on 21 and 22 Apr 2005 at the Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ. Played during 31 of the first 33 shows of the tour till now (the last update of this page).

The above lyrics refer to the album's version. Check also the live versions (very similar): 12 Nov 1996, 12 Dec 1996, 12 Feb 1997, 25 May 1997, and 21 Apr 2005.

Track credits:
vocals, guitar, keyboards - Bruce Springsteen
bass - Brendan O'Brien
drums - Steve Jordan
steel guitar - Marty Rifkin
keyboards - Dan Federici
violin - Soozie Tyrell
background vocals - Patti Scialfa, Soozie Tyrell

The Devils & Dust album track listing is:
01- DEVILS AND DUST (known from previous rehearsals)
02- ALL THE WAY HOME (Bruce wrote if for Southside Johnny's album Better Days)
03- RENO (previously unknown track)
04- LONG TIME COMIN' (known from The Ghost Of Tom Joad tour)
05- BLACK COWBOYS (previously unknown track)
06- MARIA'S BED (previously unknown track)
07- SILVER PALOMINO (previously unknown track)
08- JESUS WAS AN ONLY SON (previously unknown track)
09- LEAH (previously unknown track)
10- THE HITTER (known from The Ghost Of Tom Joad tour)
11- ALL I'M THINKIN' ABOUT (previously unknown track)
12- MATAMOROS BANKS (previously unknown track)

*Cassiopeia is a constellation in northern hemisphere. A constellation shaped like the letter "W" in the sky of the northern hemisphere near Polaris.

Bruce talking to The Associated Press about including LONG TIME COMIN' and THE HITTER on Devils & Dust:

I was so excited after playing on that tour [The Ghost Of Tom Joad tour], I'd get off the stage and go write... Then I put those songs on the shelf for a while, until I had a chance to revisit them.

From RollingStone.com:

"Long Time Comin'" is an exuberant, rocking love song.