Live 13 Jan 1970 version
All rise
Well the judge and the jury came into the court room
About 9:30, the 23rd of June
Now we're here to try this boy for his crime
To see if we set him free or make him serve his time
Jury all stood up in the chairs
He's guilty, he's guilty, send that boy to jail
Whoa George is speeding and running down his father
Killing his father, stabbing his lover
The court is ready to hear your plea
Well are you guilty or not guilty
The jury all stood up to hear his plea
He's guilty, he's guilty, don't let that boy go free
All rise
Well the judge and the jury came into the court room
Well about 9:30, the 23rd of June
The court is ready to try the crime
To see if we gonna kill you or let you stay alive
The jury all stood up in the chairs
He's guilty, he's guilty, send that boy to jail
He's guilty, he's guilty, send that boy to jail
He's guilty, he's guilty, send that boy to jail
The above lyrics are for the live 13 Jan 1970 performance of HE'S GUILTY (THE JUDGE SONG) at The Matrix in San Francisco, CA, with Steel Mill.
Steel Mill performed a series of concerts in January and February 1970 at The Matrix, opening for Boz Scaggs or The Elvin Bishop Band. On one of the know dates of these concerts, 13 Jan 1970, scheduled headliner Boz Scaggs cancelled due to illness and Steel Mill became the sole act on the bill. This show was attended by critic Philip Elwood who turned up intending to review Scaggs but ended up writing a highly favorable review of Steel Mill that appeared in the 14 Jan 1970 edition of The San Francisco Examiner. An excellent-quality soundboard recording from one of the California gigs is in circulation and has been released on several mainstream bootlegs. The audio very likely (but not absolutely certain) emanates from this 13 Jan 1970 show, as it seems to correspond closely to details noted in Elwood's article.
The 13 Jan 1970 show in San Francisco, CA (minus GOIN' DOWN SLOW) 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.
Most of the above info about the 13 Jan 1970 show is taken from Brucebase.
List of available versions of HE'S GUILTY (THE JUDGE SONG) on this website:
HE'S GUILTY (THE JUDGE SONG) [Official studio version]
