INDEPENDENCE DAY

Album version



Well Papa go to bed now, it's getting late
Nothing we can say is gonna change anything now
I'll be leaving in the morning from St. Mary's Gate
We wouldn't change this thing even if we could somehow

'Cause the darkness of this house has got the best of us
There's a darkness in this town that's got us too
But they can't touch me now and you can't touch me now
They ain't gonna do to me what I watched them do to you

So say goodbye, it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day all down the line
Just say goodbye, it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day this time

Now I don't know what it always was with us
We chose the words and, yeah, we drew the lines
There was just no way this house could hold the two of us
I guess that we were just too much of the same kind

Well say goodbye, it's Independence Day
It's Independence Day, all boys must run away
So say goodbye, it's Independence Day
All men must make their way come Independence Day

[Sax solo]

Now the rooms are all empty down at Frankie's joint
And the highway she's deserted, clear down to Breaker's Point
There's a lot of people leaving town now, leaving their friends, their homes
At night they walk that dark and dusty highway all alone

Well Papa go to bed now, it's getting late
Nothing we can say can change anything now
Because there's just different people coming down here now and they see things in different ways
And soon everything we've known will just be swept away

So say goodbye, it's Independence Day
Papa now I know the things you wanted that you could not say
But won't you just say goodbye, it's Independence Day
I swear I never meant to take those things away


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Info

INDEPENDENCE DAY is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 1980 album The River. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of INDEPENDENCE DAY as released in 1980.


Writing and Recording

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Circulating Takes

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The River

Bruce Springsteen wrapped up the Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour on the first day of 1979. For the next few months, he altered between composing and practicing solo demos at his home in Holmdel, NJ (between January and June 1979), rehearsing with the band at his Telegraph Hill Road property in Holmdel, NJ (between March and May 1979), and recording in studio at The Power Station in New York City, NY (from late March to late August 1979).

By early August 1979, enough quality material had been recorded at The Power Station. According to The Ties That Bind documentary, a total of twenty-four songs had been recorded. According to Clinton Heylin's 2012 book It was looking like Springsteen's fifth album might be released in Christmas 1979. E Street Shuffle: The Glory Days of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Springsteen's initial track sequence for the album was as follows:

Side 1:

  1. THE TIES THAT BIND
  2. THE PRICE YOU PAY
  3. BE TRUE
  4. RICKY WANTS A MAN OF HER OWN
  5. STOLEN CAR

Side 2:

  1. I WANNA MARRY YOU
  2. LOOSE ENDS
  3. HUNGRY HEART
  4. THE MAN WHO GOT AWAY
  5. RAMROD

By mid-September 1979, Springsteen replaced RICKY WANTS A MAN OF HER OWN, LOOSE ENDS, and THE MAN WHO GOT AWAY by CINDY and THE RIVER. Soon after, he removed RAMROD, restored LOOSE ENDS, and added YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH). A title, "The Ties That Bind", was selected for the album and wheels put in motion to produce artwork for the cover. Around September, at least ten tracks were mixed to completion. On 04 Oct 1979, the ten selected tracks were dubbed to two half-track reel-to-reel tapes at The Power Station, and labeled "side one" and "side two". As written on the reels, the producer was Jon Landau and the engineers were Neil Dorfsman and Bob Clearmountain, assisted by Jeff Hendrickson. The new track sequence for the album was as follows:

Reel #1:

  1. THE TIES THAT BIND [take #8]
  2. CINDY [take #3]
  3. HUNGRY HEART [take #2]
  4. STOLEN CAR [take #3]
  5. BE TRUE [take #2]

Reel #2:

  1. THE RIVER [take #5]
  2. YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH) [take #3]
  3. THE PRICE YOU PAY [take #1]
  4. I WANNA MARRY YOU [take #4]
  5. LOOSE ENDS [take #2]
Bruce Springsteen -- The Ties That Bind (reel #1, front)
Bruce Springsteen -- The Ties That Bind (reel #1, front)
Bruce Springsteen -- The Ties That Bind (reel #2, front)
Bruce Springsteen -- The Ties That Bind (reel #2, front)

Mock covers with "The Ties That Bind" title were roughed out early in the planning. The cover shot was to be a picture of Bruce Springsteen in front of a barn, with the back cover being a shot of his face behind a screen door. In late September 1979, The Ties That Bind single album was scrapped as Springsteen's writing process continued.

A second phase of recording sessions was scheduled. Again, for the next few months, Springsteen altered between composing and practicing solo demos at his home in Holmdel, NJ (between September 1979 and February 1980), rehearsing with the band at his Telegraph Hill Road property in Holmdel, NJ (between September 1979 and February 1980), and recording in studio at The Power Station in New York City, NY (from October 1979 to June 1980).

The combined sessions from March 1979 to June 1980 produced the double album The River that was eventually released in October 1980. The studio sessions to some extent extended into August 1980 due to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's involvement in the recording of Gary U.S. Bonds' album Dedication, which was released April 1981).

Bruce Springsteen -- The River
Bruce Springsteen -- The River

The album features 20 new Springsteen compositions and clocks at 83:47. It was produced by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau, and Steven Van Zandt, engineered by Neil Dorfsman, and mixed by Bob Clearmountain, Chuck Plotkin, and Toby Scott.

According to recording engineer Neil Dorfsman, about 50 songs were recorded to a completed state during The River sessions. 20 were released on The River and 14 were released as B-sides and on official compilations. 14 songs are circulating via the unofficial route, but the majority of them are poor recordings of band rehearsals at the Telegraph Hill Road property, though it is likely that most of them exist as completed takes from The Power Station.

Other Official Releases

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Bruce Springsteen -- Ballads Vol. 1 (1973 - 1982)
Bruce Springsteen -- Ballads Vol. 1 (1973 - 1982)

CD-R - Sony (no catalog number) - Japan, 2005

Japan-only promotional "Digest" CDR advance sampler tying in with the release of the first six Japanese 2005 "mini-LP"-style Springsteen CD album reissues. This disc comes in a plain slimline jewel case with no artwork.

Other versions of INDEPENDENCE DAY were also officially released.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- The Roxy July 7, 1978
The live 07 Jul 1978 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on The Roxy July 7, 1978 official live download in 2018.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- September 19, 1978
The live 19 Sep 1978 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the September 19, 1978 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ September 20, 1978
The live 20 Sep 1978 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ September 20, 1978 official live download in 2017.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- September 30, 1978
The live 30 Sep 1978 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the September 30, 1978 official live download in 2020.
Bruce Springsteen -- The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story
The live 08 Dec 1978 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story box set in 2010.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Winterland 12/16/78
The live 16 Dec 1978 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Winterland 12/16/78 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Arizona State University, Tempe 1980
The live 05 Nov 1980 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Arizona State University, Tempe 1980 official live download in 2015.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Nassau Coliseum, New York 12/29/80
The live 29 Dec 1980 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Nassau Coliseum, New York 12/29/80 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Nassau Coliseum, New York 1980
The live 31 Dec 1980 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Nassau Coliseum, New York 1980 official live download in 2015.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Wembley Arena June 5, 1981
The live 05 Jun 1981 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Wembley Arena June 5, 1981 official live download in 2018.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Brendan Byrne Arena 1981
The live 09 Jul 1981 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena 1981 official live download in 2020.
Bruce Springsteen -- Asbury Park 11/24/96
The live 24 Nov 1996 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Asbury Park 11/24/96 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Chicago September 30, 1999
The live 30 Sep 1999 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY 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 INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the Los Angeles October 23, 1999 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- MSG Nov 08, 2009
The live 08 Nov 2009 version of INDEPENDENCE DAY was released on the MSG Nov 08, 2009 official live download in 2018.

Live History: on-tour

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Live History: off-tour

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Covers

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At least 6 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's INDEPENDENCE DAY.

Ostbahn-Kurti & Die Chefpartie -- Trost & Rat - Die Natur Kur
Ostbahn-Kurti & Die Chefpartie -- Trost & Rat - Die Natur Kur

CD - Amadeo (521 599-2) - Austria, 1994

This is a live album. Includes three Bruce Springsteen covers: FACTORY and INDEPENDENCE DAY. INDEPENDENCE DAY is a German adaptation titled "Feiertog".
The Section -- Hometown: The String Quartet Tribute To Springsteen
The Section -- Hometown: The String Quartet Tribute To Springsteen

CD - Vitamin (CD 8678) - USA, 2002

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Session musicians featuring David West -- Pickin' On Springsteen Volume 2
Session musicians featuring David West -- Pickin' On Springsteen Volume 2

CD - CMH (CD-8463) - USA, 2003

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Various artists -- Born To Run 2003 Volume Two
Various artists -- Born To Run 2003 Volume Two

CD - Uncut (2003 04B) - UK, 2003

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album. It's a free CD (volume 2 of 2) issued exclusively with the April 2003 issue of Uncut magazine. INDEPENDENCE DAY is performed by The Waterboys.
Himalayan Bear -- Moonlight And Rain: Two
Himalayan Bear -- Moonlight And Rain: Two

Digital EP - no label (no catalog number) - Canada, 2015

This is a download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute EP.
Zerbo -- Never Ending Volume I
Zerbo -- Never Ending Volume I

CD - no label (no catalog number) - Italy, 2019

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.

References

Some of the above info about the studio recording and the live performances is taken from Brucebase.

Available Versions

List of available versions of INDEPENDENCE DAY on this website:

INDEPENDENCE DAY [Album version]
INDEPENDENCE DAY [Live 07 Jul 1978 version]
INDEPENDENCE DAY [Live 20 Sep 1978 version]
INDEPENDENCE DAY [Live 08 Dec 1978 version]
INDEPENDENCE DAY [Live 09 Jul 1981 version]

Page last updated: 25 Dec 2015