THE PROMISE^©

Jun-Jul 1977 studio take

[Spoken:] One, two, three, four

Johnny works in a factory, Billy works downtown
Terry works in a rock and roll band lookin' for that million-dollar sound
Me I don't do nothing much, I spend a lot of time alone
Some nights I go to the drive-in and some nights I stay home
Well I followed that dream just like those guys do way up on the screen
And drove a Challenger down Route 9 trough the dead ends and all the bad scenes
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
Lived a secret I should'a kept to myself, but I got drunk one night and the ??? was told
All my life I fought this fight, the one that no man can ever win
And every day it just gets harder to live the dream I'm believing in
Thunder Road, I stay up every morning until it turns light
Thunder Road, there's something burning down on the highway tonight

Well 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'd lost
When the promise is broken you go on living, but man it steals something from down in your soul
Like when the truth is spoken, but it don't make no difference, and something in your heart grows cold
Well I followed that dream in the Midwest flat tracks, to the dead ends and two-bit bars
When the promise was broken I was far away from home sleeping in the backseat of a borrowed car
Thunder Road, here's one for the lost lovers and all the fixed games
Thunder Road, here's one for the tires rushing by in the rain
Thunder Road, I remember when we used to always say
Thunder Road, we're gonna take it all and throw it all away
Hmmm, hmmm...
Hmmm, hmmm...

Page last updated: 05 Aug 2008

From the Darkness On The Edge Of Tow recording sessions, three takes of THE PROMISE are in circulation:

• One that was recorded in Jun-Jul 1977 at Atlantic Record Studios, New York City, NY.
• One that was recorded in Aug 1977 at Atlantic Record Studios, New York City, NY.
• One that was probably recorded in Sep-Oct 1977 at The Record Plant, New York City, NY.

The above lyrics are for the studio take recorded in Jun-Jul 1977 at Atlantic Record Studios, New York City, NY. It features some lyrics variations to the official studio version and the Sep-Oct 1977 studio take but it doesn't differ much from the Aug 1977 studio take. It can be found on The Way (Scorpio) bootleg.

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.