Lyrics

GYPSY BIKER

Album version


The speculators made their money on the blood you shed
Your momma's pulled the sheets up off your bed
The profiteers on Jane Street sold your shoes and clothes
Ain't nobody talkin' because everybody knows
We pulled your cycle up back to the garage and polished up the chrome
Our gypsy biker's comin' home

Sister Mary sits with your colors, brother John is drunk and gone
This whole town's been rousted, which side are you on?
The favored march up over the hill in some fools parade
Shoutin' victory for the righteous but there ain't much here but graves
Ain't nobody talkin', we're just waitin' on the phone
Gypsy biker's comin' home

Whoa!

[guitar solo]

We rode her into the foothills, Bobby brought the gasoline
We stood 'round her in a circle as she lit up the ravine
The spring high desert wind rushed down on us all the way back home

[harmonica bridge]

To the dead, well it don't matter much 'bout who's wrong or right
You asked me that question, I didn't get it right
You slipped into your darkness, now all that remains
Is my love for you brother, lying still and unchanged
To them that threw you away, you ain't nothin' but gone
My gypsy biker's coming home

Now I'm out countin' white lines
'Countin white lines and getting stoned
My gypsy biker's coming home

Whoa!

[guitar solo]

La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la
[fades]

Info

GYPSY BIKER is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 2007 album Magic. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of GYPSY BIKER as released in 2007.


Writing and Recording

It's unknown when exactly GYPSY BIKER was written, but the song was recorded during the Magic recording sessions which took place between March and May 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios in Atlanta, GA.

The line "We pulled your cycle up back to the garage and polished up the chrome" is similar to one that has appeared on the Born In The U.S.A. outtake SHUT OUT THE LIGHT. On the Magic album booklet, this line is written as "We pulled your cycle out of the garage and polished up the chrome", but what Springsteen sings sounds different.

Magic

Magic is Bruce Springsteen's fifteenth studio album. It was released on 02 Oct 2007 on Columbia Records. The album was officially announced, along with its track listing, on 16 Aug 2007. It was produced by Brendan O'Brien and was recorded between March and May 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios in Atlanta, GA.

Bruce Springsteen -- Magic
Bruce Springsteen -- Magic

Magic was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album but failed to win. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, becoming Springsteen's eighth number one album in the U.S. and selling about 335,000 copies in its first week. Magic also peaked at number one in several European countries including the UK.

The album features 12 tracks and clocks at 50:48. The twelfth track is bonus hidden track that was added to the album two weeks after the album was announced.

Other Official Releases

In addition to its release on Magic, GYPSY BIKER was also issued on CD-R for promotional purposes in The Netherlands. The song also appears on one various artists album.

Bruce Springsteen -- Gypsy Biker
Bruce Springsteen -- Gypsy Biker

CD-R single - Sony/BMG (no catalog number) - Holland, 2008

1-track promotional single, comes in a slimline jewel case with picture insert.

01- GYPSY BIKER
Various artists -- Icons Rock - Celebrating 105 Years Of Great Motorcycles
Various artists -- Icons Rock - Celebrating 105 Years Of Great Motorcycles

CD - Sony BMG Music Entertainment (A735283) - USA, 2008

Other versions of GYPSY BIKER were also officially released.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- TD Banknorth Garden, Boston 11/19/07
The live 19 Nov 2007 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the TD Banknorth Garden, Boston 11/19/07 official live download in 2018.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL, April 22, 2008
The live 22 Apr 2008 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL, April 22, 2008 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Greensboro, North Carolina April 28, 2008
The live 28 Apr 2008 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the Greensboro, North Carolina April 28, 2008 official live download in 2020.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO 8/23/2008
The live 23 Aug 2008 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO 8/23/2008 official live download in 2017.

Live History

In preparation for the Magic Tour, GYPSY BIKER was performed during all of the tour's three public warm-up rehearsal shows that took place in September 2007 in Asbury Park and East Rutherford. The song is also known to have been practiced during at least 4 of the private rehearsals that took place in September 2007 in Asbury Park prior to the tour's first leg, and during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place in February 2008 in Asbury Park prior to the tour's second U.S. leg.

List of Magic Tour rehearsals performances

  1. 12 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  2. 13 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  3. 18 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  4. 21 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  5. 24 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (public rehearsal)
  6. 25 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (public rehearsal)
  7. 28 Sep 2007 at Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ (public rehearsal)
  8. 25 Feb 2008 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)

GYPSY BIKER was performed 73 times during the Magic Tour (100 dates, October 2007 to August 2008). These included the tour's first 57 consecutive dates. The 30 Aug 2008 performance was during Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration. The live 19 Nov 2007 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the TD Banknorth Garden, Boston 11/19/07 official live download in 2018. The live 22 Apr 2008 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL, April 22, 2008 official live download in 2019. The live 28 Apr 2008 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the Greensboro, North Carolina April 28, 2008 official live download in 2020. The live 23 Aug 2008 version of GYPSY BIKER was released on the Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO 8/23/2008 official live download in 2017.

List of Magic Tour performances

  1. 02 Oct 2007 at Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
  2. 05 Oct 2007 at Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
  3. 06 Oct 2007 at Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
  4. 09 Oct 2007 at Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
  5. 10 Oct 2007 at Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
  6. 14 Oct 2007 at Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Canada
  7. 15 Oct 2007 at Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Canada
  8. 17 Oct 2007 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
  9. 18 Oct 2007 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
  10. 21 Oct 2007 at United Center, Chicago, IL
  11. 22 Oct 2007 at United Center, Chicago, IL
  12. 25 Oct 2007 at Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
  13. 26 Oct 2007 at Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
  14. 29 Oct 2007 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  15. 30 Oct 2007 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  16. 02 Nov 2007 at Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN
  17. 04 Nov 2007 at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
  18. 05 Nov 2007 at The Palace Of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI
  19. 11 Nov 2007 at Verizon Center, Washington, DC
  20. 12 Nov 2007 at Verizon Center, Washington, DC
  21. 14 Nov 2007 at Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
  22. 15 Nov 2007 at Times Union Center, Albany, NY
  23. 18 Nov 2007 at TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
  24. 19 Nov 2007 at TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
  25. 25 Nov 2007 at Palacio De Deportes De La Comunidad De Madrid, Madrid, Spain
  26. 26 Nov 2007 at Bizkaia Arena, Bilbao, Spain
  27. 28 Nov 2007 at Datch Forum, Milan, Italy
  28. 01 Dec 2007 at Gelredome, Arnhem, The Netherlands
  29. 02 Dec 2007 at Sap Arena, Mannheim, Germany
  30. 04 Dec 2007 at Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway
  31. 08 Dec 2007 at Forum København, Copenhagen, Denmark
  32. 10 Dec 2007 at Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
  33. 12 Dec 2007 at Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium
  34. 13 Dec 2007 at Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany
  35. 15 Dec 2007 at Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  36. 17 Dec 2007 at Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
  37. 19 Dec 2007 at The O2 Arena, London, England
  38. 28 Feb 2008 at Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
  39. 02 Mar 2008 at Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada
  40. 03 Mar 2008 at Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Canada
  41. 06 Mar 2008 at Blue Cross Arena At The War Memorial, Rochester, NY
  42. 07 Mar 2008 at HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
  43. 10 Mar 2008 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
  44. 14 Mar 2008 at Qwest Center, Omaha, NE
  45. 16 Mar 2008 at Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN
  46. 17 Mar 2008 at Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
  47. 20 Mar 2008 at Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
  48. 22 Mar 2008 at U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH
  49. 24 Mar 2008 at Value City Arena, Columbus, OH
  50. 28 Mar 2008 at Rose Garden, Portland, OR
  51. 29 Mar 2008 at Keyarena At Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
  52. 31 Mar 2008 at GM Place, Vancouver, BC
  53. 04 Apr 2008 at Arco Arena, Sacramento, CA
  54. 05 Apr 2008 at HP Pavilion At San Jose, San Jose, CA
  55. 07 Apr 2008 at Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
  56. 08 Apr 2008 at Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
  57. 13 Apr 2008 at American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
  58. 22 Apr 2008 at St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
  59. 27 Apr 2008 at Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, NC
  60. 28 Apr 2008 at Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
  61. 30 Apr 2008 at John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA
  62. 02 May 2008 at Bankatlantic Center, Sunrise, FL
  63. 22 May 2008 at RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
  64. 25 May 2008 at RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
  65. 31 May 2008 at Emirates Stadium, London, England
  66. 14 Jun 2008 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
  67. 18 Jun 2008 at Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  68. 21 Jun 2008 at HSH Nordbank Arena, Hamburg, Germany
  69. 29 Jun 2008 at Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
  70. 07 Jul 2008 at Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway
  71. 23 Aug 2008 at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO
  72. 24 Aug 2008 at Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
  73. 30 Aug 2008 at The Roadhouse At The Lakefront, Milwaukee, WI

GYPSY BIKER was performed once during the Working On A Dream Tour (83 dates, April to November 2009), on 05 May 2009 in Charlottesville, VA.

List of Working On A Dream Tour performances

  1. 05 May 2009 at John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA

Covers

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

Credits

Thanks Nick, Jeff Andriesse, Ugo C, Kyle J Mayne, Pete, and Marcel (NoneButTheBrave from GL) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of GYPSY BIKER on this website:

GYPSY BIKER [Album version]
Page last updated: 05 Oct 2013