CHIMES OF FREEDOM 
Live 15 Oct 1988 version
| Bruce Springsteen: | Far between sundown's finish and midnight's broken toll |
| We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing |
| As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sound |
| Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing |
| Tracy Chapman: | Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight |
| Flashing for the refugees on an unarmed road of flight |
| And for each and every underdog a soldier in the night |
| And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing |
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| Sting: | In the city's melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched |
| With faces hidden around the walls were tightening |
| Well as the echo of the wedding bells before the blowing rain |
| Dissolved into the bells of lightning |
| Peter Gabriel: | Tolling for the rebel, oh tolling for the rake |
| Tolling for the luckless, the abandoned and forsaked |
| Tolling for the outcast, burning constantly at stake |
| We gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing |
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| Youssou N'dour: | Whoaa laaa looo |
| Ley la-la la-laaa |
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| Youssou N'dour: | Even though cloud white curtain in a far-off corner flashed |
| And the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting |
| An electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones |
| Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting |
| Sting and Peter Gabriel: | Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless seeking trail |
| For the lonesome-hearted lovers with too personal a tale |
| For each unharmful gentle soul misplaced inside a jail |
| And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing |
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| Bruce Springsteen: | Starry-eyed and laughing, I recall as we were caught |
| Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended |
| As we listened one last time and we watched with one last look |
| Spellbound and swallowed as the tolling ended |
| Everybody: | Tolling for the aching ones whose wounds cannot be nursed |
| For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones and worse |
| And for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe |
| And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing |
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| Everybody: | Whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoaaa |
Info
The above lyrics are for the live 15 Oct 1988 performance of CHIMES OF FREEDOM at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour. Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N'dour all joined Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band onthis song.
Ticket stub for the 15 Oct 1988 show at River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The 15 Oct 1988 Show
The Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour was a worldwide series of twenty benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place over six weeks in September and October 1988. The concerts were held not to raise funds but to increase awareness of Amnesty International and to publicize the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights (UDHR). They were billed as "A Concert For Human Rights Now!" and featured Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N'dour.
Promotional poster for the Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour
The 15 Oct 1988 show in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the last date of the Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour. It took place at River Plate Stadium and was broadcast worldwide live on the radio. Video segments were broadcast as part of "The Human Right Now Tour" documentary which debuted on 10 Dec 1988 on HBO in the United States, WDR in West Germany, and other TV channels around the world.
Promotional poster for the 10 Dec 1988 HBO broadcast of "The Human Right Now Tour" documentary
- GET UP STAND UP (with Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N'Dour, León Gieco, and Charly GarcÃa)
- EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE (with Sting)
- BORN IN THE U.S.A.
- THE PROMISED LAND
- COVER ME
- I'M ON FIRE
- THE RIVER (with Sting and L. Shankar)
- CADILLAC RANCH (with David Sancious)
- WAR
- MY HOMETOWN
- DANCING IN THE DARK
- GLORY DAYS (with David Sancious)
- RAISE YOUR HAND (with Branford Marsalis and David Sancious)
- TWIST AND SHOUT (with Branford Marsalis, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Youssou N'Dour, David Sancious, León Gieco, Charly GarcÃa, Jack Healey, and all)
- CHIMES OF FREEDOM (with Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N'Dour)
- GET UP STAND UP (with Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N'Dour, León Gieco, and Charly GarcÃa)
The 15 Oct 1988 broadcast from Buenos Aires (Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set) 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 -- The Human Rights Broadcast
CD - Sonic Boom (SON0323) - UK, 2015
This release contains the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Estadio River Plate, Buenos Aires, Argentina Oct 15, 1988
Digital album - BKC (no catalog number) - UK, 2015
This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Bruce Springsteen -- The Human Rights Broadcast
2xLP - Parachute Recording Company (PARA014LP) - UK, 2016
This release contains the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Human Rights Now! Tour - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 10/15/88
Digital album - Lilith Records (no catalog number) - UK, 2016
This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Estadio River Plate
LP - Payless (KXLP 16) - Australia, 2017
This release contains part of the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live: Estadio River Plate
LP - Intempo (KXLP 16) - UK, 2017
This release contains part of the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Bruce Springsteen -- River Plate Stadium
Digital album - Radioland (no catalog number) - Europe, 2017
This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Bruce Springsteen -- Live On Stage
Digital album - Aliveville (no catalog number) - Europe, 2017
This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 15 Oct 1988 broadcast of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's set from Buenos Aires.
Official Releases
The 15 Oct 1988 show was partially released in 2013 on various CD and DVD releases benefiting Amnesty International. The released songs on which Bruce Springsteen appears are his performance of EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE with Sting during Sting's set, his performances of BORN IN THE U.S.A., I'M ON FIRE, THE RIVER, and RAISE YOUR HAND with the E Street Band, plus the joint renditions of TWIST AND SHOUT, CHIMES OF FREEDOM, and GET UP STAND UP.
Various artists -- ¡Released! The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1988
2xCD - Shout! Factory (826663-13568) - USA, 2013
Includes the live 15 Oct 1988 versions of EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE, BORN IN THE U.S.A., and
CHIMES OF FREEDOM and the live 10 Dec 1998 versions of NO SURRENDER and
GET UP STAND UP.
Various artists -- Get Up! Stand Up! Highlights From The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998
2xCD - Eagle Records (EDGCD505) - Europe (made in Germany), 2013
3xCD - Eagle Records / Ward Records (VQCD-10336/8) - Japan, 2013
Includes the live 15 Oct 1988 versions of BORN IN THE U.S.A. and I'M ON FIRE and the live 10 Dec 1998 versions of NO SURRENDER and
GET UP STAND UP. The Japanese edition includes four bonus songs not available on the European edition, but none of these feature Bruce Springsteen.
Various artists -- ¡Released! The Human Rights Concerts 1988: Human Rights Now!
2xCD - Eagle Records (EDGCD518) - Europe (made in Germany), 2013
2xCD - Eagle Records / Ward Records (VQCD-10356/7) - Japan, 2013
Includes the live 15 Oct 1988 versions of EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE, BORN IN THE U.S.A., I'M ON FIRE, THE RIVER, RAISE YOUR HAND, TWIST AND SHOUT,
CHIMES OF FREEDOM, and
GET UP STAND UP.
Various artists -- ¡Released! Highlights Of The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1988
DVD - Shout! Factory (826663-14648) - USA, 2013
Includes the live 15 Oct 1988 versions of EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE, BORN IN THE U.S.A., and
CHIMES OF FREEDOM, and the live 10 Dec 1998 versions of NO SURRENDER and
GET UP STAND UP.
Various artists -- ¡Released! The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1988
6xDVD - Shout! Factory (826663-13562) - USA, 2013
6xDVD - Eagle Vision (EREDV929) - Europe (made in Germany), 2013
6xDVD - Eagle Vision / Ward Records (VQBD-10163/8) - Japan, 2013
6xDVD - Eagle Vision / Shock (KAL3414) - Australia, 2013
Includes the live 15 Oct 1988 versions of EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE, BORN IN THE U.S.A., I'M ON FIRE, THE RIVER, RAISE YOUR HAND, TWIST AND SHOUT,
CHIMES OF FREEDOM, and
GET UP STAND UP and the live 10 Dec 1998 versions of
GET UP STAND UP, NO SURRENDER, BORN IN THE U.S.A., and WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY. Also includes interviews with Bruce Springsteen. The US and European editions have identical content. The Japanese edition includes four bonus songs not available on the US and European editions, but none of these feature Bruce Springsteen.
Various artists -- Get Up! Stand Up! Highlights From The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998
DVD - Eagle Vision (EREDV981) - Europe (made in Germany), 2013
2xDVD - Eagle Vision / Ward Records (VQBD-10137/8) - Japan, 2013
2xDVD + 3xCD - Eagle Vision / Ward Records (VQBD-10135/6) - Japan, 2013
Includes the live 15 Oct 1988 versions of BORN IN THE U.S.A. and I'M ON FIRE and the live 10 Dec 1998 versions of NO SURRENDER and
GET UP STAND UP. The Japanese edition includes four bonus songs not available on the European edition, but none of these feature Bruce Springsteen. The 2-DVD/3-CD issue of the Japanese edition includes the same tracks on both the DVDs and the CDs.
Request
If you know of any other official releases containing portions of the 15 Oct 1988 show that are not mentioned on this page, or if you have any corrections to the above list of official releases, or if you have any additions, comments, or corrections to this page, please contact me via the below form or by email: .
Available Versions
List of available versions of CHIMES OF FREEDOM on this website:
CHIMES OF FREEDOM [Live 01 Sep 1978 version]
CHIMES OF FREEDOM [Live 03 Jul 1988 version]
CHIMES OF FREEDOM [Live 19 Jul 1988 version]
CHIMES OF FREEDOM [Live 15 Oct 1988 version]
CHIMES OF FREEDOM [Original Bob Dylan version]
Page last updated: 05 Aug 2015
