4th of July
Asbury Park
Springsteen has characterized 4th of July as a farewell to the small town Jersey scene as his music matured and began to take on a wider perspective. His attachment to the town is evident, from the title of his first album, Greetings From Asbury Park to his tribute song, My City of Ruins. He still makes unscheduled appearances at a local Asbury club, The Stone Pony. His current home is a short drive from Asbury. There are various versions of 4th of July, as he seems to change the lyrics with each performance. The song struck a more intense chord with those who grew up within "vacation" distance of the Jersey shore. His plea to Sandy, "love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever," was recognizable to both the factory girls and the factory boys.CLICK TO PLAY SONG
Sandy the fireworks are hailin' over Little Eden tonight
Forcin' a light into all those stoney faces
Left stranded on this 4th of July
Down in town the circuit's full of switchblade lovers
So fast so shiny so sharp
As the wizards play down on Pinball Way
On the boardwalk way past dark
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open
Like Latin lovers on the shore
Chasin' all them silly New York virgins by the score
Sandy the aurora is risin' behind us
This pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh love me tonight for I may never see you again
Hey Sandy girl
"Asbury Park Casino"
Now the greasers, ah they tramp the streets or get busted
For sleepin' on the beach all night
Them boys in their high heels
Ah Sandy their skins are so white
And me I just got tired of hangin' in them dusty arcades
Bangin' them pleasure machines
Chasin' the factory girls underneath the boardwalk
Where they all promise to unsnap their jeans
And you know that tilt-a-whirl down on the south beach drag
I got on it last night and my shirt got caught
And they kept me spinnin'
Didn't think I'd ever get off
Oh Sandy the aurora is risin' behind us
This pier lights our carnival life on the water
Runnin' last night 'neath the boardwalk with the boss's daughter
I remember Sandy girl
Nah Nah Nah Nah my baby
"Asbury Park Boardwalk"
Sandy, that waitress I was seein' lost her desire for me
I spoke with her last night
She said she won't set herself on fire for me anymore
She worked that joint under the boardwalk
She was always the girl you saw boppin' down the beach with the radio
The kids say last night she was dressed like a star
In one of them cheap little seaside bars
And I saw her parked with lover boy out on the Kokomo
Did ya hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie
For tellin' fortunes better than they do
For me this boardwalk life's through babe
You ought to quit this scene too
Sandy the aurora is rising behind us,
This pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh love me tonight
And I promise I'll love you forever
Oh I mean it Sandy girl
Nah nah nah nah my baby
Yeah, I promise Sandy girl
Sha la la la my baby
