Born to Run
Born to Run would become Springsteen's biggest hit to date. It became the rock anthem of the 70's and has been rated as one of the top 50 all-time rock songs. Again Springsteen concentrates on the issue of escape and searching, as the narrator tries to convince Wendy to hit the road with him. The setting is Asbury Park. He mentions landmarks in the town; the amusement park and the palace. His music continues to have a distinct New Jersey flavor. He identifies with the average person....tramps like us. He continues to frame his dreams with images of escape with a woman or lover. Whether it's Sandy, Mary, Rosie or Wendy, he realizes that dreams are only attainable with others. On a humorous note, the state of New Jersey officially adopted the song as it's rock anthem in 1979. Did they read the lyrics?
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In the day we sweat it out on the streets
Of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory
In suicide machines
Sprung from cages on highway 9,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected
And steppin' out over the line
Oh this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
'Cause tramps like us,
Baby we were born to run
Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
And strap your hands cross my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
Oh will you walk with me out on the wire
'Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta know how it feels
I want to know if love is wild
Babe I want to know if love is real
Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones
Scream down the boulevard
Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist
I wanna die with you Wendy on the street tonight
In an everlasting kiss
The highway's jammed with broken heroes
On a last chance power drive
Well everybody's out on the run tonight
But there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy we can live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Oh someday girl I don't know when
We're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go
And we'll walk in the sun
But till then, tramps like us
Baby we were born to run
Ahh honey, tramps like us
Baby we were born to run
C'mon Wendy, tramps like us
Baby we were born to run
