IDIOT'S DELIGHT

Official studio version

Well I met up with Saint Peter, he was working at the pearly gates
He said, "I can't let you in right now, you're gonna have to wait
So sit back and take it easy and kick off both your shoes
Grab yourself a beer right now while I watch the evening news"

Well the jackals leave here laughing as they slip into the night
How did something so beautiful turn into idiot's delight

So what makes 'em all so stupid, ah what I cannot tell
Maybe I should go down there, son, and show 'em just a little hell
But would they get the message, would anybody learn
How such a mighty effort would make such a small return

Well the jackals leave here laughing as they slip into the night
How did something so beautiful turn into idiot's delight

Sometimes I get so angry that my blood begins to boil
I must have put my seed into some kind of mutant soil
They don't understand a thing, they ain't got no respect
But they sure do keep me laughing, man, so what the heck

Well the jackals leave here laughing as they slip into the night
How did something so beautiful turn into idiot's delight
Idiot's delight
Whoa!

Info

IDIOT'S DELIGHT is a song written by Joe Grushecky and Bruce Springsteen and first released by Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers in 1997. See Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers' cover version for more details.

Springsteen released his version of IDIOT'S DELIGHT on the Tracks II: The Lost Albums box set in 2025. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's official studio version of IDIOT'S DELIGHT as released in 2025.

The song appeared in a 2022 filing at the United States Copyright Office. See the "Copyright Filings" section below for more details.

Writing and Recording

IDIOT'S DELIGHT was written in July 1995, with Springsteen providing most of the music and Grushecky most of the lyrics.

It's currently unknown when Springsteen recorded his official studio version of IDIOT'S DELIGHT, but Brucebase estimates that it was cut perhaps in 1997, 1998, or 2001. This is based on the fact that when Springsteen performed the song live in April 2000 (see the "Live History: on-tour" section below), the arrangement was almost identical to his studio version, which suggests that he recorded the song around the same time.

Track credits:

Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, percussion, bass, piano, organ, harmonica
Ron Aniello: percussion, synthesizer
Max Weinberg: drums

Bruce Springsteen: producer
Ron Aniello: producer, recording engineer
Toby Scott: recording engineer
Rob Lebret: recording engineer
Ross Petersen: recording engineer
Clif Norrell: recording engineer
Bob Clearmountain: mixing engineer
Sergio Ruelas, Jr.: assistant mixing engineer
Brandon Duncan: assistant mixing engineer
Ted Jensen: mastering engineer

First Appearance

After remaining unheard by fans for more than two decades, a studio version of IDIOT'S DELIGHT with Bruce Springsteen on vocals was broadcast on Sirius XM's E Street Radio channel on 03 Jun 2020, during Springsteen's own From His Home To Yours program. Following the song, Springsteen said that this was "a track from our vault, written by Joe and I, and debuted here for the first time." This is the same version that was eventually released on Tracks II: The Lost Albums in 2025.

Copyright Filings

In 2022, a "Recorded Document" consisting of 539 Bruce Springsteen "musical works" was filed at the United States Copyright Office. The two filings are related to Springsteen's late 2021 deal with Sony Music in which he sold the masters of his entire catalog and the coinciding music publishing rights. They show the transfer of the songs from Bruce Springsteen to Thrill Hill Music LLC and then from Thrill Hill Music LLC to Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC and Asbury Boss LLC. Thrill Hill Music LLC and Asbury Boss LLC are limited liability companies incorporated in September 2021 and October 2021 respectively and likely created for the deal.

Copyright entry #1:
Type of Work: Recorded Document
Document Number: V15007D317
Date of Recordation: 2022-05-13
Entire Copyright Document: V15007 D317 P1-13
Date of Execution: 01Nov21; 01Mar22
Title: 100 Miles From Jackson & 538 other titles; Musical Work.
Notes: Assignment.
Party 1: Bruce Springsteen
Party 2: Thrill Hill Music LLC
Links: List of titles
Names: Springsteen, Bruce | Thrill Hill Music LLC

Copyright entry #2:
Type of Work: Recorded Document
Document Number: V15007D318
Date of Recordation: 2022-05-13
Entire Copyright Document: V15007 D318 P1-14
Date of Execution: 22Nov21; 22Nov21
Title: 100 Miles From Jackson & 538 other titles; Musical Work.
Notes: Exhibit 10.1 Assignment
Party 1: Thrill Hill Music LLC
Party 2: Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC; Asbury Boss, LLC
Links: List of titles
Names: Thrill Hill Music LLC | Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC | Asbury Boss, LLC

Tracks II: The Lost Albums

Tracks II: The Lost Albums is Bruce Springsteen's follow-up to his 1998 box set Tracks, released on 27 Jun 2025. The box set consists of seven "lost albums" recoded between 1983 and 2018, totaling 83 songs, of which 74 have never been officially released in any form. The seven albums are: L.A. Garage Sessions '83, Streets Of Philadelphia Sessions, Faithless, Somewhere North Of Nashville, Inyo, Twilight Hours, and Perfect World.

Bruce Springsteen -- Tracks II: The Lost Albums

Tracks II: The Lost Albums, along with its companion Lost And Found: Selections From The Lost Albums, was officially announced on 03 Apr 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (1:00 p.m. GMT). The announcement was accompanied by a "trailer" for the upcoming set, posted on Bruce Springsteen's YouTube channel and other online services. The previous day, Springsteen released a teaser on his social media accounts, linking to a new website, lostalbums.net, created for the two upcoming releases.

The box set is available in limited edition as a seven-disc CD set and a nine-disc LP set, as well as digital download and streaming. The physical releases will include original packaging for each of the previously unreleased records, with a 100-page cloth-bound, hardcover book featuring rare archival photos, liner notes on each lost album from essayist Erik Flannigan and a personal introduction on the project from Springsteen himself.

Perfect World

Perfect World is a 10-track album released in 2025 as one of the of the seven "lost albums" included on the Tracks II: The Lost Albums box set.

Bruce Springsteen -- Perfect World

In an online statement that accompanied the release of the RAIN IN THE RIVER single, Springsteen wrote in a statement:

"Perfect World... is a record I pieced together from work I had held for this project... I wanted just a little fun, noise, and rock 'n' roll to finish the package."
– BS

According to the album's credits, Perfect World was recorded at "Boxwood, Colts Neck, NJ", "Thrill Hill Bellevue Avenue, NJ", "Thrill Hill Beverly Hills, CA", and "Stone Hill Studio, NJ".

• "Boxwood, Colts Neck, NJ" is a recording studio Springsteen had set up at a property across the road from his residence and horse ranch on Muhlenbrink Road in Colts Neck, NJ. He purchased that property in 1996 and set up "Boxwood Studio" there the following year. He used that studio between 1996 or 1997 and 2009 when he did a major upgrade, replacing Boxwood Studio with Stone Hill Studio set up at the horse ranch across the road. He still used the property, at least for filming interviews, as late as 2002.
• "Thrill Hill Bellevue Avenue, NJ" is a set of two recording studios Springsteen had set up at his former properties on Bellevue Avenue in Rumson, NJ. He purchased the first property in 1983 and in late 1986 he set up a recording studio in a garage apartment he called the "Carousel House" that he used until 2002. He purchased the second property in 1987 and set up a recording studio that he used since as early as 1993 until 2007, with a major upgrade being done in 2002.
• "Thrill Hill Beverly Hills, CA" is a recording studio Springsteen has set up at his residence on Tower Lane in Beverly Hills, CA. He purchased the estate in 1990 and used the studio between 1990 and, as far as it's known, as late as 1997 or 1998.
• "Stone Hill Studio, NJ" is a recording studio Springsteen has set up at his Stone Hill Farm, his residence and horse ranch on Muhlenbrink Road in Colts Neck, NJ. He purchased the property in 1994. He built a car garage on the property around 2007 and converted the garage to a studio in 2009 and has since been using it as a permanent recording facility.

Live History: on-tour

IDIOT'S DELIGHT was performed once during what is known as The Reunion Tour (132 dates, April 1999 to July 2000), on 25 Apr 2000 in Pittsburgh, PA. The song featured a guest appearance by Joe Grushecky.

IDIOT'S DELIGHT was performed 10 times during the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour (72 dates, April to November 2005), all in October 2005. The song was played with a bullet microphone.

Live History: off-tour

IDIOT'S DELIGHT was performed off-tour on 02 Mar 1998 at Nick's Fat City in Pittsburgh, PA, during a guest appearance with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.

IDIOT'S DELIGHT was performed during the fifth (2004) annual Light Of Day benefit. The song was played with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.

Covers

At least on artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's IDIOT'S DELIGHT.

Joe Grushecky And The Houserockers -- Coming Home

CD - Big Star (121462) - UK, 1997
CD - Viceroy Music / Lightyear Entertainment (54244-2) - USA, 1998
CD - Schoolhouse Records (SHR0042-2) - USA, 2010

This album includes 4 songs that Joe Grushecky co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen: 1945, CHEAP MOTEL, I'M NOT SLEEPING, and IDIOT'S DELIGHT.

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Available Versions

List of available versions of IDIOT'S DELIGHT on this website:

Page last updated: 10 Jul 2025