SLOW FADE

Home demo

[Spoken intro:] Here we go, one two, alright.

You say you've found another man who does things to you that I can't
And that no matter what I do it's all over between me and you
Well, I don't believe what you say
But, love, can I change it one day

And, baby, I don't wanna fade away
No, I don't wanna fade away
I hear that people fade away
But, baby, I don't wanna fade away

Well, now you say that you've made up your mind, It's been such a long, long time since it's been good with us
And somewhere back along the line you lost your love and I lost your trust
Now, I don't want to ask
I don't believe what you're saying

'Cause, baby, I don't wanna fade away
Oh, I don't wanna fade away
Oh no, I don't wanna fade away

You say it's not easy for you and that you've been so lonely
While other – other girls go out doing what they wanna do
You say that you miss the nights when we'd go out dancing
You miss the days when you and I, we walked as two
You say that I never loved you
Well, girl, you know that's not true

Now, I don't wanna be just another useless memory holding you tight
Or just some other ghost out on the street to whom you stop and politely speak, that's right
Vanishing into the night
Left to vanish into the night

No, darling, I don't wanna fade away
Oh, I don't wanna fade away
If there is anything that I will pay
But, baby, I don't wanna fade away

Page last updated: 16 Dec 2012

Info

SLOW FADE is a song written by Bruce Springsteen. It's an early version of FADE AWAY which was released on The River in 1980.

The above lyrics are transcribed from a work-in-progress solo acoustic guitar demo of SLOW FADE recorded at Springsteen's home in Holmdel, NJ, sometime between September and December 1979. He recorded many demos at his home around the time The River was being cut in studio. These home demos were not professionally recorded; it seems that Springsteen used a regular cassette recorder. They were just song fragments, and there is much stopping and starting heard as Springsteen records bits and pieces, manually stops the recorder, and then returns sometime later to add more ideas.

This home demo recording of SLOW FADE can be found on The Lost Masters Essential Collection Vol. 1 (Labour Of Love) bootleg.

Other Circulating Takes

Only one home demo take of SLOW fade is in circulation, but there are several band rehearsal takes in circulation. There were recorded on 05 Feb 1980 at Springsteen's Telegraph Hill Road property in Holmdel, NJ, nicknamed "Telegraph Hill Studios". This wasn't a true studio; it was a converted barn that Springsteen and the band used to practice songs around the time The River was being cut in studio. A significant amount of The River sessions audio that has surfaced unofficially comes from these Telegraph Hill sessions. Unfortunately the audio quality leaves much to be desired. It sounds as if a single boom recording mike was used and Springsteen's vocals are buried under the instruments on virtually all these recordings.

These circulating band rehearsal takes of SLOW FADE can be found on The Lost Masters Vol. 15 (Labour Of Love) bootleg.

According to Brucebase, a studio version recorded at The Power Station in New York City, NU, probably exists but is not in circulation.

Live History

As far as it's known, Bruce Springsteen has never performed SLOW FADE live.

Covers

As far as it's known, no artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's SLOW FADE.

References

Some of the above info about the studio recording is taken from Brucebase.

Request

The audio recording of the Telegraph Hill band rehearsal takes of SLOW FADE is very rough and the vocals are very distant and buried, which makes the lyrics very unintelligible. If you can help in transcribing the lyrics in these takes, or if you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please contact me via the below form or by email: . You will be credited. Thanks in advance.

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