I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE

Album version



Pour me a drink Theresa in one of those glasses you dust off
And I'll watch the bones in your back like the Stations of the Cross
'Round your hair the sun lifts a halo, at your lips a crown of thorns
Whatever other deals gone down, to this one I'm sworn

I'll work for your love dear
I'll work for your love
What others may want for free
I'll work for your love

The dust of civilizations and love's sweet remains
Slip off of your fingers and come drifting down like rain
The pages of Revelation lie open in your empty eyes of blue
I watch you slip that comb through your hair and this I promise you

I'll work for your love dear
I'll work for your love
What others may want for free
I'll work for your love

[Instrumental]

Well tears, they fill the rosary at your feet, my temple of bones
Here in this perdition we go on and on
Now our city of peace has crumbled, our book of faith's been tossed
And I'm just down here searching for my own piece of the cross
In the late afternoon sun fills the room with the mist in the garden before the fall
I watch your hands smooth the front of your blouse and seven drops of blood fall

I'll work for your love dear
I'll work for your love
What others may want for free
I'll work for your love
What others may want for free
I'll work for your love
What others may want for free
I'll work for your love


Info

I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE 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 I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE as released in 2007.


Writing and Recording

It's unknown when exactly I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE 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. Soozie Tyrell contributes violin on this track.

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

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY 11/22/2009
The live 22 Nov 2009 version of I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was released on the HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY 11/22/2009 official live download in 2016.
live.brucespringsteen.net
Audio recordings for most High Hopes Tour shows were officially released on live.brucespringsteen.net. These include three versions of I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE.

  1. 07 Feb 2014 at Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
  2. 12 Feb 2014 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, Australia
  3. 17 May 2014 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
live.brucespringsteen.net
Audio recordings for all The River Tour 2016 shows were officially released on live.brucespringsteen.net. These include one version of I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE.

  1. 05 Jun 2016 at Wembley Stadium, London, England

Live History: on-tour

In preparation for the Magic Tour, I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE is known to have been practiced during at least two of the private rehearsals that took place in September 2007 in Asbury Park prior to the tour's first leg.

  1. 10 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  2. 12 Sep 2007 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)

I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was performed 18 times during the Magic Tour (100 dates, October 2007 to August 2008).

  1. 05 Nov 2007 at The Palace Of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI
  2. 11 Nov 2007 at Verizon Center, Washington, DC
  3. 15 Nov 2007 at Times Union Center, Albany, NY
  4. 18 Nov 2007 at TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA
  5. 25 Nov 2007 at Palacio De Deportes De La Comunidad De Madrid, Madrid, Spain
  6. 26 Nov 2007 at Bizkaia Arena, Bilbao, Spain
  7. 28 Nov 2007 at Datch Forum, Milan, Italy
  8. 08 Dec 2007 at Forum København, Copenhagen, Denmark
  9. 10 Dec 2007 at Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
  10. 13 Dec 2007 at Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany
  11. 15 Dec 2007 at Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  12. 07 Mar 2008 at HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
  13. 28 May 2008 at Old Trafford, Manchester, England
  14. 21 Jun 2008 at HSH Nordbank Arena, Hamburg, Germany
  15. 08 Jul 2008 at Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway
  16. 11 Jul 2008 at Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
  17. 27 Jul 2008 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
  18. 18 Aug 2008 at Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA

I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was performed once during the Working On A Dream Tour (83 dates, April to November 2009), on 22 Nov 2009 in Buffalo, NY (the tour's final date). The live 22 Nov 2009 version of I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was released on the HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY 11/22/2009 official live download in 2016.

  1. 22 Nov 2009 at HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY

I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was performed 3 times during the Wrecking Ball Tour (133 dates, March 2012 to September 2013). The song was played solo acoustic.

  1. 31 Jul 2012 at Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
  2. 08 May 2013 at HK Areena, Turku, Finland
  3. 18 Jul 2013 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, Ireland

I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was performed four times during the High Hopes Tour (34 dates, January to May 2014). The song was played solo on acoustic guitar. Audio recordings for most High Hopes Tour shows are officially available for purchase. See the live 12 Feb 2014 version for more details.

  1. 01 Feb 2014 at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa (during the pre-show)
  2. 07 Feb 2014 at Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
  3. 12 Feb 2014 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, Australia
  4. 17 May 2014 at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT

I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was performed once during The River Tour 2016 (75 dates, January to September 2016), on 05 Jun 2016 in London, England. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. Audio recordings for all The River Tour 2016 shows are officially available for purchase. See the live 05 Jun 2016 version for more details.

Live History: off-tour

Bruce Springsteen appeared at a total of six Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers concerts at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh, PA, in 2010, 2011, and 2014. I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was performed on 03 Nov 2011, 04 Nov 2011, and 23 May 2014. The song was played in a solo acoustic arrangement.

  1. 03 Nov 2011 at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
  2. 04 Nov 2011 at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
  3. 23 May 2014 at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum, Pittsburgh, PA

Bruce Springsteen has been performing on almost all the annual Stand Up for Heroes benefits since 2007. I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE was performed during the tenth (2016), twelfth (2018), thirteenth (2019), fifteenth (2021), and sixteenth (2022) annual benefits. The song was played solo acoustic. See the live 01 Nov 2016 version for more details.

  1. 01 Nov 2016 at The Theater At Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (during the tenth annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit)
  2. 05 Nov 2018 at Hulu Theater At Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (during the twelfth annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit)
  3. 04 Nov 2019 at Hulu Theater At Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (during the thirteenth annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit)
  4. 08 Nov 2021 at Alice Tully Hall, New York City, NJ (during the fifteenth annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit)
  5. 07 Nov 2022 at David Geffen Hall, New York City, NJ (during the sixteenth annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit)

Covers

At least one artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE.

Svante Karlsson Band -- Live 2012
Svante Karlsson Band -- Live 2012

CD - Carland Productons (CPCD1211) - Sweden, 2012

This is a live album. It includes two Bruce Springsteen covers: I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE and I WISH I WERE BLIND.

Credits

Thanks Ugo C, Silvio, and Antholis for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE on this website:

I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE [Album version]
I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE [Live 01 Feb 2014 version]
I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE [Live 12 Feb 2014 version]
I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE [Live 05 Jun 2016 version]
I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE [Live 01 Nov 2016 version]

Page last updated: 13 Nov 2016