GROWIN' UP

Live 07 Apr 1976 version

Well...
I...
Stood stone-like at midnight suspended in my masquerade
And I combed my hair till it looked just right and commanded the night brigade, whoa!
I was open to pain and crossed by the rain and I walked on a crooked crutch
Well I strode all alone into a fallout zone, well and came out with my soul untouched
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, they said "sit down" I stood
Ooh, ooh, growin' up

Well the flag of piracy flew from my mast, my sails were set wing to wing
Well I had a jukebox graduate for first mate, she couldn't sail but she sure could sing
I pushed B-52, bombed 'em with the blues, my gear set stubborn on standing
I broke all the rules, strafed my old high school, never once gave thought to landing
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, they said "come down" I threw up
Yeah, yeah, growin' up

Hey Big Man!

I took month-long vacations in the stratosphere, you know it's really hard to hold your breath
I swear I lost everything I ever loved or feared, I was the cosmic kid
My feet they finally took root on the earth, well I got me a nice little place in the stars
I swear I found the key to the universe in the engine of an old parked car
Well I hid in the mother breast of the crowd, when they said "pull down" I pulled up
Whoa, yeah, growin' up
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, growin' up
Whoa!

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 07 Apr 1976 performance of GROWIN' UP at Allen Theater in Cleveland, OH, during the so-called Chicken Scratch Tour. The song was played in a full-band, album-style arrangement.

This tour (35 know dates, March to May 1976) was nicknamed the "Chicken Scratch Tour" by the road crew because of the high proportion of secondary markets in the South.

The 07 Apr 1976 Show

During the so-called Chicken Scratch Tour, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performed two consecutive shows at Allen Theatre in Cleveland, OH, on 07 and 08 Apr 1976. Soundboard recordings for both concert are in circulation among collectors. The recording from the second night is incomplete, but the one from the second night is complete and is of higher quality.

Ticket stub for the 07 Apr 1976 show at Allen Theatre, Cleveland, OH
(Taken from Brucebase)

The 07 Apr 1976 show at Allen Theatre 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 Gap Year Broadcast – Live In Cleveland 7th April 1976

2xCD - Sonic Boom (SON0345) - UK, 2017

This release contains the 07 Apr 1976 show at Allen Theatre.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- The Gap Year Broadcast - Live In Cleveland 7th April 1976 Vol. 1

2xLP - Parachute Recording Company (PARA158LP) - UK, 2019

This release contains part 1 of 2 of the 07 Apr 1976 show at Allen Theatre.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- The Gap Year Broadcast - Live In Cleveland 7th April 1976 Vol. 2

2xLP - Parachute Recording Company (PARA160LP) - UK, 2019

This release contains part 2 of 2 of the 07 Apr 1976 show at Allen Theatre.

Credits

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

Available Versions

List of available versions of GROWIN' UP on this website:

Page last updated: 18 Jan 2016