AMERICAN LAND

Live 18 Nov 2006 version



One, two, one two three

Whoa!

What is this land America, so many travel there
I'm going now while I'm still young, my darling meet me there
Wish me luck my lovely, I'll send for you when I can
And we'll make our home in the American land

Over there the women wear silk and satin to their knees
Children dear, the sweets, I hear, are growing on the trees
Gold comes rushing out the rivers straight into your hands
If you make your home in the American land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who'll make his home in the American land
Whoa!

I docked at Ellis Island in the city of light and spire
Wandered to the valley of red-hot steel and fire
Made the steel that built the cities with the sweat of our two hands
We made our home in the American land

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who will make his home in the American land

The McNicholas, the Posalskis, the Smiths, Zerillis too
The Blacks, the Irish, Italians, the Germans and the Jews
Come across the water a thousand miles from home
With nothing in their bellies but the fire down below

They died building the railroads, worked to bones and skin
Died in the fields and factories, names scattered in the wind
Died to get here a hundred years ago, they're dying now
The hands that built the country we're always trying to keep down

There's diamonds in the sidewalk, there's gutters lined in song
Dear, I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long
There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man
Who'll make his home in the American land
Who'll make his home in the American land
Who'll make his home in the American land
Come on!

Whoa!

(Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo hoo-hoo)
(Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo hoo-hoo)
(Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo-hoo-hoooo hoooo)


Info

The above lyrics are for the live 18 Nov 2006 performance of AMERICAN LAND at Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, during The Seeger Sessions Tour. The live 18 Nov 2006 version of AMERICAN LAND was released on the Live In Dublin album and home video in 2007.

Ticket stub for the 18 Nov 2006 show at Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
Ticket stub for the 18 Nov 2006 show at Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
(Taken from Brucebase)


Live In Dublin

At the end of the Seeger Sessions Tour, the three-night stand at Point Theater in Dublin, Ireland, (17-18-19 Nov 2006) was filmed with nine High Definition cameras. A selection of 23 songs from these three nights was officially released on 05 Jun 2007 on the Live In Dublin album and home video, credited to "Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band". "Seeger" was dropped from the band's name for this release, apparently due to the fact that many of the songs are Springsteen originals from his earlier records, or covers that are not related to Pete Seeger.

Live In Dublin is available in four formats: 2-CD set, standard DVD, 2-CD/1-DVD combo set, and Blu-ray disc.

Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (album cover art)
Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (album cover art)
Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (DVD cover art)
Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (DVD cover art)

The album charted in several countries, but only made it to #1 in Ireland.

Country Chart Peak position
Australia 40
Canada 31
Denmark 5
Ireland 1
Italy 4
New Zealand 14
Spain 3
Sweden 2
The Netherlands 4
UK 21
USA Billboard 200 23

The video was edited by Emmy- and Grammy-winner Thom Zimny, with audio mixed by Bob Clearmountain (including 5.1 surround) and mastered by Bob Ludwig.

Side 1:

  1. ATLANTIC CITY [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OLD DAN TUCKER [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  3. EYES ON THE PRIZE [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  4. JESSE JAMES [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 2:

  1. FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD) [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  3. ERIE CANAL [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  4. IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]

Side 3:

  1. MY OKLAHOMA HOME [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  2. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  3. MRS. MCGRATH [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  4. HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 4:

  1. JACOB'S LADDER [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  2. LONG TIME COMIN' [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  3. OPEN ALL NIGHT [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 5:

  1. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. GROWIN' UP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  3. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  4. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  5. AMERICAN LAND [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 6:

  1. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  2. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE [Live 24 Oct 2006 version]
  3. WE SHALL OVERCOME [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]

Disc 1:

  1. ATLANTIC CITY [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OLD DAN TUCKER [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  3. EYES ON THE PRIZE [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  4. JESSE JAMES [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  5. FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD) [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  6. O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  7. ERIE CANAL [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  8. IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  9. MY OKLAHOMA HOME [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  10. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  11. MRS. MCGRATH [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  12. HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  13. JACOB'S LADDER [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Disc 2:

  1. LONG TIME COMIN' [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OPEN ALL NIGHT [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  3. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  4. GROWIN' UP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  5. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  6. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  7. AMERICAN LAND [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  8. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  9. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE [Live 24 Oct 2006 version]
  10. WE SHALL OVERCOME [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  1. ATLANTIC CITY [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OLD DAN TUCKER [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  3. EYES ON THE PRIZE [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  4. JESSE JAMES [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  5. FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD) [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  6. O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  7. ERIE CANAL [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  8. IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  9. MY OKLAHOMA HOME [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  10. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  11. MRS. MCGRATH [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  12. HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  13. JACOB'S LADDER [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  14. LONG TIME COMIN' [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  15. OPEN ALL NIGHT [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  16. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  17. GROWIN' UP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  18. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  19. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  20. AMERICAN LAND [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  21. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  22. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE [Live 24 Oct 2006 version]
  23. WE SHALL OVERCOME [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  • The last three songs are bonus tracks on the album release and the last two tracks are bonus tracks on the home video releases.
  • All songs were recorded during the three-night stand in Dublin except for LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE which was recorded in Barcelona.
  • Five more songs recorded during the three-night stand in Dublin were exclusively released on the Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band PBS Exclusive promo EP:
    - BOBBY JEAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
    - THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
    - JOHNNY 99 [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
    - FOR YOU [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
    - MY CITY OF RUINS [Live 17 Nov 2006 version].

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of AMERICAN LAND on this website:

AMERICAN LAND [Album version]
AMERICAN LAND [Live 22 Jun 2006 version]
AMERICAN LAND [Live 25 Jun 2006 version]
AMERICAN LAND [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
AMERICAN LAND [Live 28 Jun 2009 version]
AMERICAN LAND [Live 29 May 2020 version]

Page last updated: 24 Jan 2012