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THE PROMISE 
Live 07 Dec 2010 version
Johnny works in a factory and Billy works downtown
Terry works in a rock and roll band lookin' for that million-dollar sound
I got a little job down in Darlington, hey but some nights I don't go
Some nights I go to the drive-in, some nights I stay home
I followed that dream just like those guys do way up on the screen
I drove a 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 own dreams
Well now I built that Challenger by myself, but I needed money and so I sold it
I lived a secret I should'a kept to myself, but I got drunk one night and I told it
All my life I fought this fight, the fight that no man can ever win
Every day it just gets harder to live this dream I'm believing in
Thunder Road, ah baby you were so right
Thunder Road, there's somethin' dyin' down on the highway tonight
Well I won big once and I hit the coast, hey but somehow I paid the big cost
Inside I felt like I was carrying the broken spirits of all the other ones who lost
When the promise is broken you go on living, but it steals something from down in your soul
Like when the truth is spoken and it don't make no difference, somethin' in your heart turns cold
Thunder Road, fallen for the lost lovers and all the fixed games
Thunder Road, here's one for the tires rushing by in the rain
Thunder Road, remember me and Billy we'd always say
Thunder Road, we were gonna take it all then throw it all away
Page last updated: 19 Dec 2010
Info
The above lyrics are for live 07 Dec 2010 performance of THE PROMISE at
Carousel House in Asbury Park, NJ. This was a full-band performance featuring David Lindley on
violin, and is similar to the studio version released on The Promise album. Video for
this version was officially released on The Promise: The Making Of Darkness On The Edge Of
Town DVD in May 2011.
[Click thumbnail to enlarge/reduce snapshot]
The song was played twice, and the above lyrics are for the take that was part
of a webcast the following week and that was officially released in 2011 (read below for more
details). It is unclear which of the two takes was webcast and released. In a
Backstreets.com review, Flynn McLean
wrote: "The performance [of 'The Promise'] featured an intro similar to the build-up to 'Point
Blank' from the 1980-'81 tour or a darker version of the 'Spirit in the Night' prelude in recent
years before Max and Roy began the song together. While the solo piano performance of this song
has been a highlight of every show in which Bruce plays it, the full band arrangement adds power
to the song without losing any of the loneliness."
"Songs From The Promise" Webcast
On 07 Dec 2010 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed a concert in
front of no more than 60 people at the historic Carousel House in Asbury Park, NJ. They played ten
songs from The Promise, in addition to the holiday classic BLUE CHRISTMAS. Most – if not
all – of the songs were sound-checked prior to the show which lasted nearly four hours. Below is
a list of the songs performed during the show, in order. All of the songs were performed several
times, consecutively.
- RACING IN THE STREET (performed twice)
- GOTTA GET THAT FEELING (performed twice)
- OUTSIDE LOOKING IN (performed twice)
- ONE WAY STREET (performed twice)
- COME ON (LET'S GO TONIGHT) (performed twice)
- SAVE MY LOVE (performed three times)
- THE BROKENHEARTED (performed twice)
- AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU (performed twice)
- THE PROMISE (performed twice)
- TALK TO ME (performed twice)
- BLUE CHRISTMAS (performed twice)
The band comprised of its original 1978 lineup only: Bruce Springsteen (guitar,
lead vocals, harmonica), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Clarence Clemons (saxophone, percussion, vocals),
Garry Tallent (bass guitar), Steve Van Zandt (guitar, vocals), and Max Weinberg (drums). Charlie
Giordano played organ, substituting for the late Danny Federici. David Lindley, who was involved
in the early recording sessions of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, played violin on
RACING IN THE STREET, COME ON (LET'S
GO TONIGHT), THE PROMISE, and BLUE
CHRISTMAS. GOTTA GET THAT FEELING,
THE BROKENHEARTED, TALK TO ME, and BLUE CHRISTMAS featured a full horn section comprising of Ed
Manion, Barry Danielian, Curt Ramm, Clark Gayton, and Stan Harrison.
Footage for five songs from the 07 Dec 2010 concert
(RACING IN THE STREET,
GOTTA GET THAT FEELING,
AIN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU,
THE PROMISE, and BLUE CHRISTMAS) were
released internationally on 15 Dec 2010, streaming online for free viewing. Titled "Songs
From The Promise", the webcast was directed and edited by Thom Zimny and mixed by Bob
Clearmountain.
These same five tracks are included as bonus material on The Promise: The
Making Of Darkness On The Edge Of Town DVD and Blu-Ray, released on 03 May 2011.
[Click thumbnail to enlarge/reduce artwork]
Audio for THE PROMISE
and was released in April 2012 on the B-side of a limited edition 7-inch single sold in North
America and Europe exclusively at independent stores that participated in the 5th annual
"Record Store Day" campaign (21 Apr 2012). The single's A-side is
ROCKY GROUND and it has catalogue number COL 85689
96704 75.
[Click thumbnail to enlarge/reduce artwork]
Available Versions
List of available versions of THE PROMISE on this website:
Request
If you have any corrections or additional info, please contact me via the below
form or by email: . You will be
credited. Thanks in advance.
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