4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)

Live 09 Apr 1974 version

Um... one, two, three, four

Sandy, the fireworks are hailing over our little Eden tonight
Forcing a light into all them stoned-out faces left stranded on this fourth of July
Down in town the Circuit's full with switchblade lovers, so fast, so shiny, and sharp
And them wizards play down on Pinball Way on the boardwalk way past dark
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open like Latin lovers along the shore
Chasing all them silly New York girls

Oh, and Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us, girl
The pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight, 'cause I may never see you again
How 'bout it, Sandy, girl?

Now the greasers, they tramp the streets or get busted for trying to sleep on the beach all night
Them boys in their high heels, ah, Sandy, their skins are so white
And me, I just got tired of hanging in them dusty arcades and banging them pleasure machines
Chasing the factory girls underneath the boardwalk, where they all promise to unsnap their jeans
You know that tilt-a-whirl down on the south beach drag
I got on it last night and my shirt got caught
And that crazy Joey kept me spinning
Didn't think I'd ever get off

Oh, Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us, girl
The pier lights our carnival life on the water
Running crazy 'neath the boardwalk with my old boss's daughter
Hey, I remember, Sandy, girl

Now, Sandy, the angels have lost their desire for us
I spoke with 'em last night, they said they won't set themselves on fire for us anymore
But still when the weather gets hot, they ride that crazy road down from heaven, on their Harleys they come and they go
You could see 'em dressed like stars in all the cheap little seashore bars
Out parked with their babies, out on the Kokomo
Did you hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie for telling fortunes better than they do
This boardwalk life for me is through
Ah, you ought to quit, you ought to quit it too

'Cause Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us, girl
Oh, the pier lights our carnival life forever
Ah, love me tonight and I promise I'll love you forever
I swear it, Sandy, girl
Won't you be my baby?
Ma ma too, ba ba
Won't you be my darling?

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 09 Apr 1974 radio performance of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) as broadcast on Boston's WBCN-FM. The song was played in an acoustic arrangement with Bruce Springsteen on guitar and Danny Federici on accordion, just like during the Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Tour. This version features a rewritten third verse, which Springsteen switched over to in spring 1974.

The 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM Radio Performance

Bruce Springsteen's 09 Apr 1974 radio performance was broadcast live on Boston's WBCN-FM. The show took place at the radio station in Boston, MA. The complete performance was recorded off the airwaves and has since circulated in excellent quality among fans.

The 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast was commercially released in Europe. Since 2005 some enterprising record labels in Europe (mostly in the UK) have been releasing Bruce Springsteen radio and TV broadcasts (and some soundboard recordings) from the seventies, eighties, and nineties. Though these releases are not authorized by Bruce Springsteen or his record company, they are lawful due to a legal loophole in Europe.

Bruce Springsteen -- Live Sessions: Houston Boston Richmond

Digital album - Wyte Myce (no catalog number) - UK, 2015

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast, part of the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- Acoustic Radio Broadcast Collection

2xCD - The Broadcast Archive (BSCD6047) - UK, 2017

This release contains the 09 Jan 1973 WBCN-FM radio broadcast, the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast, the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast. This is a repackaging of Good Ship Funke's Acoustic Radio 1973 and Acoustic Radio 1974.

Bruce Springsteen -- Acoustic Radio 1974

CD - Good Ship Funke (GS024) - UK, 2017

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast. It was also released on CD exclusively as part of the Acoustic Radio Broadcast Collection package.

Bruce Springsteen -- The Acoustic Sessions

Digital album - Radioland (no catalog number) - Europe, 2017

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- The 1974 Acoustic Radio Sessions

2xLP - Big Car (unknown catalog number) - UK, 2018

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live In The Studio - WBCN-FM Studios Boston MA USA

Digital album - Altamont Productions / Studioville (no catalog number) - Europe, 2018

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Credits

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

Available Versions

List of available versions of 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) on this website:

Page last updated: 06 Nov 2011