JESSE

Oh Jesse, you better start thinking about saving you neck
Oh Jesse, you put on that leather jacket like you put on respect
You got cleats on your boots and a woman who shoots everytime you shuffle out the stage door
And darling Jesse, ahhhhhh do you know what it's all for?
Ah Jesse, your manager brought by them eight by ten glossies of your band
Oh Jesse, he says you wear a cross 'round your neck and come on with nails in your hands
With your insides showing and your New York band blowin' them old Chicago blues
Ah Jesse, can't you see you're the one Jesse
Ah sonny, this time it's you

Well, Jesse, your child is slobbering all over your pants
And Jesse, your wife has fallen into a trance
She's got eyes that tell no lies
She's seen so many wars
Ah be a good boy Jesse, tell her she don't have to look no more

Well Jesse, he knows all the tricks to get the crowd reeling
Oh and Jesse, yeah he rocks 'em with that old soul feeling
And he walks off the stage in a self-adoring haze
And gets shoved right out the door
Whoa Jesse, can't you see now boy that that's what its all about Jesse
Not even time to do that old played out encore
Whoa Jesse
Mmm Jesse

Recorded in Jun-Jul 1972 at the Media and 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, NY. Later appeared on the semi-legal CD Before The Fame.

A Laurel Canyon demo, perhaps a warning to a future Springsteen on the pitfalls of being a prisoner of rock and roll? Yet more Catholic imagery permeates this demo, a characteristic of Springsteen's song writing at this time. A very strong demo, perhaps a little too close to the bone to be considered for an album