THE PROMISE^©

Live 29 Sep 1976 version

[Spoken:] This is a song called uh... called "The Promise".

Johnny works in a factory, Billy works downtown
Terry works in a rock and roll band searching for that million-dollar sound
But me I don't do nothing much, I spend a lot of time alone
Some nights I go to the drive-in, some nights I don't sleep home
You see I followed that dream just like those guys did way up on the screen
??? Challenger down Route 9 through the dead ends and all the bad scenes
And when the promise was broken, I cashed in a few of my dreams

Well see I built that Challenger by myself, but I needed money and so I sold it
And I lived a secret I should've kept to myself, but I got drunk one night and I told it
All my life I fought that fight that no one man can ever win
Every day it just keeps getting harder to live the dreams I'm believing in
Thunder Road, I stay up every morning until it's light
Thunder Road, there's something dying out on the highway tonight

Well you know now I won big once and I hit the coast, oh but somehow I paid the big cost
Inside I felt like I was carrying the broken spirits of all the other ones who lost
And when the promise was broken you go on living, but man it takes something from down in your soul
Like when the truth is spoken and it don't make no difference, something in your heart grows cold
Well I followed that dream me and some guys through the dead towns and all two-bit bars
And when the promise was broken, I was drunk and far away from home sleeping with a stranger in a borrowed car
Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh, here's one for the lost lovers and all the fixed games
Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh, here's one for the tires rushing by in the rain
Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh, remember what me and Billy we'd always say
Oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh-oh, we were gonna take it all and throw it all away

Page last updated: 05 Aug 2008

The above lyrics are for the 29 Sep 1976 performance at Civic Center, Santa Monica, CA, during the part of the Born To Run Tour known as the "Lawsuit Tour". This version features newly rewritten lyrics.

List of available versions of THE PROMISE on this website:

• Official studio version (more details)
• Jun-Jul 1977 studio take
• Aug 1977 studio take
• Sep-Oct 1977 studio take
• Live 03 Aug 1976 version
• Live 29 Sep 1976 version
• Live 30 Oct 1976 version
• Live 19 May 1978 version
• Live 23 May 1978 version
• Live 01 Jul 2000 version
• Live 20 Jul 2005 version

Request:
Some of the above lyrics might be guessed or not correct, and they are open for revisions and corrections. If you can assist, please contact me via the below form or by email: . You will be credited. Thanks in advance.