PEOPLE GET READY^©

Live 17 Oct 2005 version

[Bono:]
People get ready, there's a train comin'
Don't need no baggage, you just get on board
Baby 'll what you need is diesel hummin'
Don't need no ticket, you just thank the lord

Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)

[Bruce:]
These people get ready, there's a train to Jordan
Picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is the key, open the doors and board them
There's hope for all among those loved the most

Oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)
Oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)

[Bono:]
People get ready 'cause the Boss is in town
He don't suffer no fools or kiss no clown
The boy is from New Jersey but he feels home 'round here
New York, they're gonna shed some tears

Oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)

[Bruce:]
There ain't no room for the hopeless sinner
Whom hurt all mankind just to save his own
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
There is no hiding place against the kingdoms throne

(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
???!
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
[Edge and Bruce duet on guitar]

[Bono:]
People get ready, he's a funky brother
Picking that old guitar like you know that he can
People get ready 'cause there is no other
Bruce Springsteen is back in town

Oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)
Yiiii-yi-yi - Oh-oh-oh-oh, (oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)
Woahhh yii yii – (Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh)

Turn it up! Turn it up!
Turn it up! Turn it up!
Turn it up! Turn it up!
Turn it up! Turn it up!
Turn it up! Turn it up! – Woah-ooh
Turn it up! Turn it up!

I don't know

[Patti joins the stage]
Patti, Patti's right here
???

Woah-ooh-ooh-ohh

[Bono:]
People get ready for trouble and strife
You know the Boss has brought the wife
She's a little shy but a red haired girl
Just a bit of encouragement and we'll get her there

[Bono:]
Beautiful girl from the Jersey Shore
With a voice like an angel, you know we love you some more
Now you walk like a princess and you talk like a gypsy
And I can't believe that you're gonna stand back next to me

[Bono and Patti:]
People get ready, there's a train a-comin'
Don't need no ticket, just get on board
Faith is the key, ???
You need no ticket, just thank the lord

[Bono:]
Ready man?
We're not uh... jamming kind of a band.
How do, how does it, do you get out of here?

Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo
Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo
Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo
Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo
Hoo-hoo, yiiii…

[Bruce:]
People get ready there's a train to jersey

Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo
Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo

Written by Curtis Mayfield, from The Impressions' 1964 album People Get Ready.

Bruce Springsteen performed the song 7 few times on special happenings:

The first time was on 16 Jan 1991 at Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, NY, when Bruce was attending the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony. He ended up on stage, performing a set of three songs including PEOPLE GET READY, with Jackson Brown and Darlene Love. That year's ceremony was a tribute to Curtis Mayfield who had been paralyzed when a light tower fell on him at a concert the previous August in Brooklyn.

The next performance was when Bruce joined The Outcry for PEOPLE GET READY on 04 Aug 1991 at Cheers, Long Branch, NJ.

Sound-checked on 17 May 1993 at Maimarkthalle, Mannheim, Germany, during the Human Touch tour, but not played on the regular set.

During the 36th Grammy Award ceremony, on 01 Mar 1994 at Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles, CA, Bruce was part of a tribute to Curtis Mayfield, performing a medley that included PEOPLE GET READY, with an all-star group that included Bonnie Raitt, Steve Winwood, B.B. king, Steve Cropper, and Don Was.

Bruce joined The Wallflowers on 08 Mar 1997 at Tradewinds, Sea Bright, NJ. He was also present for the sound-check which included PEOPLE GET READY.

On 15 Mar 1999, Bruce was inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame at Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, NY, and he played with the reunited E Street Band (just a few days prior to beginning The Reunion Tour), and later he joined in an all-star jam session with, amongst others, Bono, Billy Joel, and Paul McCartney, who played a set of four songs including PEOPLE GET READY on which Bruce sang a verse. An edited version of the ceremonies was aired on VH1 on 17 Mar 1999. Note that because his first album Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ was billed to Bruce Springsteen alone, the E Street Band was not inducted with him.

During U2's 17 Oct 2005 concert at Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA, Bono sings a snippet of THE PROMISED LAND at the end of I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. This was the first hint of what was to come. After the first encore break, Bruce Springsteen joins U2 on stage for a spine-tingling rendition PEOPLE GET READY [read spoken intro below]. The above lyrics refer to that performance.

Note that a snippet of the song was used as part of LAND OF HOPE AND DREAMS during The Rising tour.

The above lyrics refer to the totally changed live 17 Oct 2005 version. Check also Curtis Mayfield's original version.

Request:
The above lyrics are not 100% complete or correct. You can send your corrections or comments by filling the below form or by sending email at . You will be credited. Thanks in advance.

Bono's spoken intro on 17 Oct 2005 at Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA:

That's ???. Hi sweet heart. Ok, where's this, where's the man with the sign of, saying "People Get Ready". There you go, he's holding in, thank you. This one's for you. We need a guitar player! [cheers] We nee a guitar player! [more cheers]. Who is this man? Who is this man? [crowd cheers and shouts Broooce]

From Backstreets.com:

Bruce has four nights off between Devils & Dust shows, but he just can't stay away from the stage. Last night, the Philadelphia crowd at the U2 concert got an extra treat, as the band welcomed both Springsteen and Patti Scialfa for an extended jam on "People Get Ready."

Chuck Cherico tells us: "After the first encore break, Bono asked, 'Where's the guy with the "People Get Ready" banner?' A guy just outside of the tip of the ellipse started jumping up and down, holding up his banner again. Bono said, "But we need someone to play guitar!" I looked back toward the stage again and saw that a roadie was helping some guy put on a guitar. I assumed it was a fan from the audience who was having his dream come true. But then I took a closer look and saw that it was... Bruce Springsteen. The crowd went berserk."

[...] Paul Callahan writes: "Bono included some Turn it up's from 'Mary's Place' and said, 'We are not a jamming band. How do you end this?' Bruce took over from there, and as Bono left with Patti (to Bruce's mock displeasure), Bruce ended with 'People get ready, there's a train to Jersey...' which ended the spectacular song to great roars from the Philly crowd."

From U2.com:

"Okay where's the man with the sign up saying 'People Get Ready'?" asks Bono. "There you go! This one's for you." Of course, on previous tours, this was the moment when a guitarist would be plucked from the audience but tonight as Bono announces, "We need a guitar player...", they have just the man walking on from side of stage.

[...] And so Patty Scialfa, to another great ovation, joins U2 and husband Bruce on stage. It's a piece of rock'n'roll history, as Philadelphia gets ready and finally Bono leads Patty off while Edge and Bruce finish up. "People get ready there's a train to jersey.." sings Bruce and then the moment is over.