NEBRASKA

I saw her standin' on her front lawn just twirlin' her baton
Me and her went for a ride sir and ten innocent people died

From the town of Lincoln, Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap
Through to the badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path

I can't say that I'm sorry for the things that we done
At least for a little while sir me and her we had us some fun

The jury brought in a guilty verdict and the judge he sentenced me to death
Midnight in a prison storeroom with leather straps across my chest

Sheriff when the man pulls that switch sir and snaps my poor head back
You make sure my pretty baby is sittin' right there on my lap

They declared me unfit to live said into that great void my soul'd be hurled
They wanted to know why I did what I did
Well sir I guess there's just a meanness in this world

Title track of the Nebraska album. Played during the Born In The USA, The Ghost Of Tom Joad, and Devils & Dust tours. Often sound-checked, but never played, during the Reunion tour. Also played during the Double Take Magazine benefit shows in Feb 2003.

This song is based on a true story that happened in 1958 when Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend Caril-Ann Fugate went on a killing stint through Wyoming and Montana. This story was also in Terrence Malick's movie Badlands, 1973.

Along with STATE TROOPER, was covered live by Steve Earle and included on his 19 tracks album The Collection.

Appeared on a single in 1996 with THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD, MEETING ACROSS THE RIVER, and ONE STEP UP.

Available on:

1. Nebraska (track 1)
2. The Essential Bruce Springsteen (disc 1- track 14)
3. Live 1975-85 (disc 2- track 10)
4. Tribute 2000: Badlands: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska (track 1), performed by Chrissie Hynde and Adam Seymour