OUTLAW PETE

Album's version

He was born a little baby on the Appalachian Trail
At six months old he'd done three months in jail
He robbed a bank in his diapers and his little bare baby feet
All he said was "Folks my name is Outlaw Pete."
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

At twenty-five a Mustang pony he did steal
And he rode her 'round and 'round on heaven's wheel
Father Jesus I'm an outlaw, killer and a thief
And I slow down only to sow my grief
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?

He cut his trail of tears across the countryside
And where he went women wept and men died

One night he woke from a vision of his own death
Saddled his pony and rode her deep into the West
Married a Navajo girl and settled down on the res
And as the snow fell he held their beautiful daughter to his chest
I'm Outlaw Pete, I'm Outlaw Pete, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Out of the East on an Irish stallion came bounty hunter Dan
His heart quickened and burned by the need to get his man
He found Pete peacefully fishing by the river, pulled his gun and got the drop
He said, "Pete you think you've changed but you have not."

He cocked his pistol, pulled the trigger and shouted "let it start"
Pete drew a knife from his boot, threw it, and pierced Dan through the heart
Dan smiled as he lay in his own blood dying in the sun
And whispered in Pete's ear, "We cannot undo these things we've done."
You're Outlaw Pete, you're Outlaw Pete, Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

For forty days and nights Pete rode and did not stop
Till he sat high upon an icy mountaintop
He watched the hawk on a desert updraft, slip and slide
Moved to the edge and dug his spurs deep into his pony's side

Some say Pete and his pony vanished over the edge
And some say they remain frozen high up on that icy ledge
The young Navajo girl washes in the river, skin so fair
And braids a piece of Pete's buckskin chaps into her hair
Outlaw Pete, Outlaw Pete, Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Page last updated: 14 Jan 2009

Intro

Music and lyrics by Bruce Springsteen, OUTLAW PETE is from Bruce Springsteen's 2009 album Working On A Dream. The first (partial) public preview of the song was on 15 Dec 2008 when 30-second samples of the album tracks were published on Amazon.co.uk.

The Song

The track duration is 8:00, the longest on the album, and the longest studio song since 1980. "It is a beast of music," producer Brendan O'Brien told Rolling Stone. "We actually cut it in pieces, one step at a time. In Bruce's mind, it was 'Let's make every moment as interesting as we can.'"

Working On A Dream

Working On A Dream is Springsteen's 24th album (and 16th studio album). It was released on 27 Jan 2009 on Columbia Records. The album was officially announced, along with its track listing, on 17 Nov 2008. The album is produced by Brendan O'Brien and was recorded with the E Street Band during breaks on their 2007-2008 Magic Tour. It was recorded and mixed at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, GA with additional recording in New York City, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.

Springsteen said about the album, "Towards the end of recording 'Magic,' excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going.' Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope 'Working on a Dream' has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."

The album features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus a bonus track and clocks at 51:08.

Track list:

1. OUTLAW PETE
2. MY LUCKY DAY
3. WORKING ON A DREAM
4. QUEEN OF THE SUPERMARKET
5. WHAT LOVE CAN DO
6. THIS LIFE
7. GOOD EYE
8. TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS
9. LIFE ITSELF
10. KINGDOM OF DAYS
11. SURPRISE SURPRISE
12. THE LAST CARNIVAL

Bonus track:

13. THE WRESTLER

A deluxe edition of Working On A Dream features a bonus DVD that contains a 38-minute behind-the-scenes footage of the recording of the album. Produced, directed, and edited by Thom Zimny, it includes studio footage edited to the tracks of MY LUCKY DAY, QUEEN OF THE SUPERMARKET, KINGDOM OF DAYS, WORKING ON A DREAM, LIFE ITSELF, and THE LAST CARNIVAL. It also contains demos and early band versions of the songs as they were worked up. The DVD also includes video for A NIGHT WITH THE JERSEY DEVIL.

The album was also available as a vinyl record.

Credits

Thanks John Eick, Daniel Baldwin, Adam, Kyle Mayne for the help.