Unofficial studio version
One, two, three, four, five
Sir I am a pilgrim and a stranger in this land
Once I had a home here, my salvation was at hand
I lived in a fine home, I was respected and satisfied
I had two beautiful children and a kind and loving wife
Then one day a man came to town, a man with nothing and nowhere to go
He came to my door and mentioned something I'd done a long time ago
I allowed him into my home on his vow that nothing would be said
One night I rose from a dreamless sleep and I went to his bed
I watched as he lay sleeping, I reached out and touched his cheek
Felt a chill run through my bones and I fled into the street
I woke up in a motel room with the light rushing in
Like someone had thrust open a door and closed it tight again
I tried to understand why I felt these things that I felt
And why I walked these streets at night a stranger to myself
Last night the same dream keeps coming around
I'm standing high in the green hills looking across to the outskirts of town
The night air fills my lungs, the wind sweeps around me so strong
Stars rise in a black endless sky, grow brighter and brighter then gone, gone, gone
FUGITIVE'S DREAM is an unreleased song written by Bruce Springsteen. The above lyrics are for the only studio take of FUGITIVE'S DREAM in circulation.
The song appeared in a 2022 filing at the United States Copyright Office. See the "Copyright Filings" section below form more details. Two versions were listed, one references as "Fugitive's Dream" and another as "Fugitive's Dream (v2)".
According to Sony's logs of Bruce Springsteen's studio sessions, FUGITIVE'S DREAM was recorded on 20 Jan 1983 and 24 Mar 1983 at Thrill Hill West, Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles, CA. The studio take in circulation was most probably cut on one of these two dates.
FUGITIVE'S DREAM shares some lyrics with another outtake from the same period, UNSATISFIED HEART. In his 2012 book E Street Shuffle: The Glory Days of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Clinton Heylin wrote: "There is a distinct possibility that the transition from 'Fugitive Dream' to 'Unsatisfied Heart' occurred between takes on March 24."
Springsteen recorded more than an album's worth of songs by himself during this period. He played all the instruments himself, with the help of a drum machine only, and overdubbing was used to create the final product.
In 2022, a "Recorded Document" consisting of 539 Bruce Springsteen "musical works" was filed at the United States Copyright Office. The two filings are related to Springsteen's late 2021 deal with Sony Music in which he sold the masters of his entire catalog and the coinciding music publishing rights. They show the transfer of the songs from Bruce Springsteen to Thrill Hill Music LLC and then from Thrill Hill Music LLC to Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC and Asbury Boss LLC. Thrill Hill Music LLC and Asbury Boss LLC are limited liability companies incorporated in September 2021 and October 2021 respectively and likely created for the deal.
Copyright entry #1:
Type of Work: Recorded Document
Document Number: V15007D317
Date of Recordation: 2022-05-13
Entire Copyright Document: V15007 D317 P1-13
Date of Execution: 01Nov21; 01Mar22
Title: 100 Miles From Jackson & 538 other titles; Musical Work.
Notes: Assignment.
Party 1: Bruce Springsteen
Party 2: Thrill Hill Music LLC
Links: List of titles
Names: Springsteen, Bruce | Thrill Hill Music LLC
Copyright entry #2:
Type of Work: Recorded Document
Document Number: V15007D318
Date of Recordation: 2022-05-13
Entire Copyright Document: V15007 D318 P1-14
Date of Execution: 22Nov21; 22Nov21
Title: 100 Miles From Jackson & 538 other titles; Musical Work.
Notes: Exhibit 10.1 Assignment
Party 1: Thrill Hill Music LLC
Party 2: Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC; Asbury Boss, LLC
Links: List of titles
Names: Thrill Hill Music LLC | Sony Music Publishing (US) LLC | Asbury Boss, LLC
This version of FUGITIVE'S DREAM can be found on several bootlegs, including The Lost Masters Vol. 16 (Labour Of Love) [track 08].
As far as it's known, Bruce Springsteen has never performed FUGITIVE'S DREAM live.
As far as it's known, no artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's FUGITIVE'S DREAM.
Thanks Elke for the lyrics help.
If you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of FUGITIVE'S DREAM on this website:
FUGITIVE'S DREAM [Unofficial studio version]