ADAM RAISED A CAIN

Album version



In the summer that I was baptized, my father held me to his side
As they put me to the water, he said how on that day I cried
We were prisoners of love, a love in chains
He was standing in the door, I was standing in the rain
With the same hot blood burning in our veins
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)

All of the old faces ask you why you're back
They fit you with position and the keys to your daddy's Cadillac
In the darkness of your room your mother calls you by your true name
You remember the faces, the places, the names
You know it's never over, it's relentless as the rain
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)

(Yeahhh...)
In the Bible, mamma, Cain slew Abel and East of Eden, mamma, he was cast
You're born into this life paying for the sins of somebody else's past
Well Daddy worked his whole life for nothing but the pain
Now he walks these empty rooms looking for something to blame
But you inherit the sins, you inherit the flames
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)

Lost but not forgotten from the dark heart of a dream
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain (yeah)
Adam raised a Cain
(Adam raised a Cain)
(Whooaaaaaa)
(Whooaaaaaa)
(Whooaaaaaa)
(Whooaaaaaa)
(Whooaaaaaa)
(Whooaaaaaa) - Yeah!
(Whooaaaaaa) - Yeah!
(Whooaaaaaa) - Yeah!
[fades out]


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Info

ADAM RAISED A CAIN is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 1978 album Darkness On The Edge Of Town. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN as released in 1978.


Writing and Recording

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Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Despite the marvelous reception received by both Born To Run and the tour which followed, the relationship between Bruce Springsteen and his now former manager and producer Mike Appel was deteriorating. In July 1976 the storm broke; Mike Appel wrote to Springsteen saying that he would not allow Jon Landau (Springsteen's friend and co-producer of Born To Run) to produce the next album, citing a particular paragraph from their original agreement. Bruce replied on 27 Jul 1976 by firing manager Mike Appel and suing him and his management company Laurel Canyon Ltd. in Federal Court in Manhattan, claiming fraud, breach of trust, and undue influence. Appel countersued on 29 Jul 1976 in New York State Supreme Court, asking the court to prohibit Springsteen and Jon Landau from working together in studio. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band were slated to enter the studio that year for the recording of a new album, except that on 15 Sep 1976 the judge in the lawsuits case ruled that Springsteen was enjoined from any further recording with Columbia Records until Appel's suit was resolved. This would drag for about a year.

Meanwhile, Springsteen continued gigging, and in the process broke his self-imposed rule of not playing the larger arenas. This was basically because he was not able to put a record out, and it was the only way his fans would be able to hear him at all.

Bruce Springsteen reached a final settlement in his yearlong litigation with Mike Appel on 28 May 1977. Effectively this meant that for the first time in a year Springsteen was able to go into a studio and record. The Darkness On The Edge Of Town recording sessions kicked off in early June 1977 at Atlantic Studios in New York City, NY, and later shifted to The Record Plant in New York City, NY. Springsteen had a considerable amount of new material, but the songs were in various stages of writing completion. Consequently many of the songs were shaped over the course of numerous sessions spanning several months.

The sessions at Atlantic Studios were only two or three weeks old when problems surfaced. Springsteen didn't like the sound he was getting from the studio, particularly the drums. On top of that Atlantic Studios did not offer a particularly comfortable or livable environment for the musicians. A decision was taken to shift operations to the nearby Record Plant where most of the Born To Run album had been recorded. However financial commitments to Atlantic Studios were already made, and on such short notice it was hard to find un-booked studio time at the popular Record Plant. Consequently the Jul-Aug 1977 period saw Springsteen and the band recording at both studios, but mostly Atlantic Studios. From September to late December, all the recording seems to have taken place at The Record Plant, where all the recordings issued on the original album emanate from.

The actual recording sessions for Darkness On The Edge Of Town were completed by early January 1978. The mixing sessions began in early January 1978 and dragged on until late March. There was a tremendous amount of different mixes considered, with Springsteen changing his mind on the mix of THE PROMISED LAND as late as early April.

Darkness On The Edge Of Town was released on Columbia Records on 02 Jun 1978. It was produced by Bruce Springsteen and Jon Landau.

Bruce Springsteen -- Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Bruce Springsteen -- Darkness On The Edge Of Town

The album features 10 new Springsteen compositions and clocks at 42:55.

Other Official Releases

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Bruce Springsteen -- The Albums Collection Vol. 1, 1973-1984 - Radio Sampler
Bruce Springsteen -- The Albums Collection Vol. 1, 1973-1984 - Radio Sampler

CD-R - Columbia / Legacy (no catalog number) - USA, 2014

US-only promotional CD-R radio sampler tying with the release of Springsteen's box set of his first seven albums in remastered form.

Other versions of ADAM RAISED A CAIN were also officially released.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Berkeley, July 1, 1978
The live 01 Jul 1978 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Berkeley, July 1, 1978 official live download in 2021.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live/1975-85
The live 07 Jul 1978 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Live/1975-85 box set in 1986.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Joe Louis Arena, Detroit 1988
The live 28 Mar 1988 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit 1988 official live download in 2020.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- LA Sports Arena, California 1988
The live 23 Apr 1988 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the LA Sports Arena, California 1988 official live download in 2015.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Los Angeles, April 1988
The live 28 Apr 1988 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Los Angeles, April 1988 official live download in 2021.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Madison Square Garden 1988
The live 23 May 1988 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Madison Square Garden 1988 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Stockholm Stadion, Sweden 1988
The live 03 Jul 1988 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Stockholm Stadion, Sweden 1988 official live download in 2017.
Bruce Springsteen -- Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993
The live 24 Jun 1993 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993 official live download in 2018.
Bruce Springsteen -- King's Hall, Belfast March 19, 1996
The live 19 Mar 1996 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the King's Hall, Belfast March 19, 1996 official live download in 2017.
Bruce Springsteen -- Freehold, NJ 1996 Saint Rose Of Lima School Gym
The live 08 Nov 1996 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Freehold, NJ 1996 Saint Rose Of Lima School Gym official live download in 2018.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Chicago September 30, 1999
The live 30 Sep 1999 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Chicago September 30, 1999 official live download in 2018.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Los Angeles October 23, 1999
The live 23 Oct 1999 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Los Angeles October 23, 1999 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Madison Square Garden, New York 06/27/2000
The live 27 Jun 2000 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Madison Square Garden, New York 06/27/2000 official live download in 2021.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO 8/23/2008
The live 23 Aug 2008 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on the Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO 8/23/2008 official live download in 2017.
Bruce Springsteen -- The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story
The live 13 Dec 2010 version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN was released on The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story box set in 2010.

Live History: on-tour

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Live History: off-tour

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ADAM RAISED A CAIN was performed off-tour on 13 Dec 2009 at Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ, during the taping of Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park 2009 homes video, which was included on The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story box set in 2010. See the live 13 Dec 2010 version for more details.

Appearance in Movies

Bruce Springsteen's album version of ADAM RAISED A CAIN appears in one movie.

Promotional poster for the film "Baby It's You"
Baby It's You

It was used in the 1983 film Baby It's You, directed John Sayles and starring Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano.

Director John Sayles used five Bruce Springsteen songs in the soundtrack of Baby It's You. These were IT'S HARD TO BE A SAINT IN THE CITY, THE E STREET SHUFFLE, JUNGLELAND, SHE'S THE ONE, and ADAM RAISED A CAIN. Sayles told Backstreets magazine in 1983, "We sent him the script and he really liked it. He sent his manager to see it and then Bruce said we could have [the songs]. We didn't even have to pay a whole bunch of money for them. I was really honored." The relation continued through the years, as Sayles would direct Springsteen's videos for BORN IN THE U.S.A. in 1984 and I'M ON FIRE and GLORY DAYS in 1985. Springsteen would later record LIFT ME UP for Sayles' 1999 film Limbo.

Contrary to common beliefs, Baby It's You was not the first ever theatrical film to feature the music of Bruce Springsteen. The first was Dead End Street, a 1982 Israeli film directed by Yaky Yosha.

Covers

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At least 10 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's ADAM RAISED A CAIN.

Various artists -- Tribute To Bruce Springsteen: Made In The U.S.A.
Various artists -- Tribute To Bruce Springsteen: Made In The U.S.A.

CD - Purple Pyramid (CLP 1049-2) - USA, 2001

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album. ADAM RAISED A CAIN is performed by Sandra Stephens.
Various artists -- For You 2: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen
Various artists -- For You 2: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen

2xCD - Route 66 Music (DTCDA005-2) - Italy, 2010

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album. ADAM RAISED A CAIN is performed by Rusties.
Roy Orbitron -- Darkness On The Edge Of Town
Roy Orbitron -- Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Digital EP - no label (no catalog number) - USA, 2012

This is a free download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute EP.
Various artists -- I Hear You're From Australia - My Name's Bruce Too
Various artists -- I Hear You're From Australia - My Name's Bruce Too

2xCD - Laughing Outlaw (LOR160CD) - Australia, 2013

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album. ADAM RAISED A CAIN (two versions, one in English and one in Spanish) is performed by Bambino Koresh.
Hungry Hearts -- Tortona City Serenade
Hungry Hearts -- Tortona City Serenade

Digital album - no label (no catalog number) - Italy, 2014

This is a download-only digital live Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Sergio Gisbert -- Loose Ends: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen's 78-80 Era
Sergio Gisbert -- Loose Ends: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen's 78-80 Era

CD - no label (no catalog number) - Spain, 2014

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Hungry Hearts -- Darkness Night
Hungry Hearts -- Darkness Night

Digital album - no label (no catalog number) - Italy, 2015

This is a download-only digital live Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Murder By Death -- As You Wish: Kickstarter Covers Vol. 2
Murder By Death -- As You Wish: Kickstarter Covers Vol. 2

2xLP - Tent Show Records (no catalog number) - USA, 2015
The Bruceband -- 40th Anniversary - Bruce Springsteen's Darkness On The Edge of Town
The Bruceband -- 40th Anniversary - Bruce Springsteen's Darkness On The Edge of Town

CD - no label (no catalog number) - Holland, 2018

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
David Furtado -- Tribute to Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
David Furtado -- Tribute to Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Digital album - no label (no catalog number) - Portugal, 2020

This is a download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute album.

Available Versions

List of available versions of ADAM RAISED A CAIN on this website:

ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Album version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Outtake version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 07 Jul 1978 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 28 Feb 1988 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 28 Jun 1988 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 01 Jun 1993 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 19 Mar 1996 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 11 Feb 1997 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 01 Sep 1999 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 19 Feb 2003 version]
ADAM RAISED A CAIN [Live 13 Dec 2009 version]

Page last updated: 13 Nov 2016