Lyrics

I'M A COWARD

Live 25 Feb 1988 version


[Spoken intro:] Now are there any brave men out there in the audience tonight? Are there any macho men out there tonight? Well I've known men that would climb mountains, that would swim rivers, that would wrestle with a— with a grizzly bear. But there's just one thing that they were afraid of. There's one thing that scares them to death. There's one thing that gets their knees shaking. You wanna know what that is? I'm gonna tell you what that is. It's L, U, V, love! Let me hear you say it. Well now girls, I'm talking to you too now. I've seen women that would jump out of airplanes at 30,000 feet, that'd get in a canoe and go down the Amazon river wrestling with snakes and crocodiles. I've even seen women that would date the horn section in this band. But there's just one thing that they're afraid of. There's just one thing and you know what that is, that's love. Now I'm down here tonight because I've got a confession to make. I've got something to get off my chest. I've got to lay my burden down right here now, because I have sinned! And I don't care who you bring down here tonight with you. You can bring Hulk Hogan down here, you can bring down the Road Warriors, you can bring down George "The Animal" Steele, I'll take 'em on. You can bring down André The Giant, I'll take him on. I don't care who you bring down here. I ain't afraid of those kinds of things. But what I've got to say is, what I've got to say is, what I've got to confess is, I'm a coward when it comes to love. Save me, boys!

Well I ain't afraid of no lions
I ain't afraid of no grizzly bear
Got in a wrestling match with old King Kong
He never even mussed my hair
There's just one thing in this whole wide world
That makes me doubt my stuff

Well I'm a coward when it comes to love
I'm a coward when it comes to love
I'm a coward when it comes to love

Now you can bring on King Kong Bundy
And bring on that ??? too
Send on Mike Tyson down here
I'll show him what a real man can do
They say the tougher get going
But baby that's when the going gets tough

But I'm a coward when it comes to love
I'm a coward when it comes to love
I'm a coward when it comes to love

Come on ???! Help me!

You can bring on a different sexy girl
At every night of the week
And buddy that's okay
But I start sweating, my knees get weak
Whenever I hear her say
"Do you love me baby?" Ah
"Do you love me baby?" Ah
"Do you love me baby?" Ah of course I do, honey

I got one muscle made of iron
I got another muscle made of steel
But when she starts kissing and hugging
I don't know how I feel
You may be the bravest man in the whole wide world
But buddy that ain't enough

If you're a coward when it comes to love
You're a coward when it comes to love
You're a coward when it comes to love

Hit it, horns!

I'm a coward (when it comes to love)
(He's a coward when it comes to love) Wait a minute
(He's a coward when it comes to love) But wait a minute
(He's a coward when it comes to love) Ah wait a minute, now
(He's a coward when it comes to love) Honey I just wanted to kiss
(He's a coward when it comes to love) Then get me to my analyst
(He's a coward when it comes to love) Ah come on
(He's a coward when it comes to love) Hey-hey-hey! Hey! Whoaaa!

Somebody help me

Info

I'M A COWARD is a 1962 song by Gino Washington. See the original Gino Washington version for more details.

For his version, Bruce Springsteen changed most of the lyrics to Gino Washington's I'M A COWARD (which is written by Ronald Davis) and completely rearranged the song. He performed it live in 1988 each night during the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. See the "Live History" section below for more details.

Live 25 Feb 1988 version

The above lyrics are for the live 25 Feb 1988 performance of I'M A COWARD at Centrum In Worcester in Worcester, MA, during the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. This was the tour's first date. The parts in bold are sung by Patti Scialfa.

Ticket stub for the 25 Feb 1988 show at Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
Ticket stub for the 25 Feb 1988 show at Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA

Other Official Releases

Other versions of I'M A COWARD were officially released.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Joe Louis Arena, Detroit 1988
The live 28 Mar 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit 1988 official live download in 2020.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- LA Sports Arena, California 1988
The live 23 Apr 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the LA Sports Arena, California 1988 official live download in 2015.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Los Angeles, April 1988
The live 28 Apr 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Los Angeles, April 1988 official live download in 2021.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Madison Square Garden 1988
The live 23 May 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Madison Square Garden 1988 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Stockholm Stadion, Sweden 1988
The live 03 Jul 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Stockholm Stadion, Sweden 1988 official live download in 2017.

Live History

In preparation for the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour, I'M A COWARD is known to have been practiced during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place in late January and early February 1988 at Expo Theater in Fort Monmouth, NJ, prior to the tour's first leg. The song was played in a full-band horns-heavy arrangement.

List of Tunnel Of Love Express Tour rehearsals performances

  1. 28 Jan 1988 at Expo Theater, Fort Monmouth, NJ[/SONG] [SPOKEN](private rehearsal)

I'M A COWARD was performed 67 times during the 67-date-long Tunnel Of Love Express Tour. On this tour, the song was played in a full-band horns-heavy arrangement. The live 28 Mar 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Joe Louis Arena, Detroit 1988 official live download in 2020. The live 23 Apr 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the LA Sports Arena, California 1988 official live download in 2015. The live 28 Apr 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Los Angeles, April 1988 official live download in 2021. The live 23 May 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Madison Square Garden 1988 official live download in 2019. The live 03 Jul 1988 version of I'M A COWARD was released on the Stockholm Stadion, Sweden 1988 official live download in 2017.

Tunnel Of Love Express Tour performances list

  1. 25 Feb 1988 at Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
  2. 28 Feb 1988 at Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
  3. 29 Feb 1988 at Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
  4. 03 Mar 1988 at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC
  5. 04 Mar 1988 at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC
  6. 08 Mar 1988 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
  7. 09 Mar 1988 at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
  8. 13 Mar 1988 at Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH
  9. 14 Mar 1988 at Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH
  10. 16 Mar 1988 at Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL
  11. 17 Mar 1988 at Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL
  12. 20 Mar 1988 at Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
  13. 22 Mar 1988 at The Omni, Atlanta, GA
  14. 23 Mar 1988 at The Omni, Atlanta, GA
  15. 26 Mar 1988 at Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
  16. 28 Mar 1988 at Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI
  17. 29 Mar 1988 at Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI
  18. 01 Apr 1988 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
  19. 02 Apr 1988 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
  20. 04 Apr 1988 at Capital Centre, Largo, MD
  21. 05 Apr 1988 at Capital Centre, Largo, MD
  22. 12 Apr 1988 at The Summit, Houston, TX
  23. 13 Apr 1988 at The Summit, Houston, TX
  24. 15 Apr 1988 at Frank Erwin Center, University Of Texas, Austin, TX
  25. 17 Apr 1988 at St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO
  26. 20 Apr 1988 at McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO
  27. 22 Apr 1988 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  28. 23 Apr 1988 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  29. 25 Apr 1988 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  30. 27 Apr 1988 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  31. 28 Apr 1988 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  32. 02 May 1988 at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
  33. 03 May 1988 at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
  34. 05 May 1988 at Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
  35. 06 May 1988 at Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
  36. 09 May 1988 at Metropolitan Sports Center, Bloomington, MN
  37. 10 May 1988 at Metropolitan Sports Center, Bloomington, MN
  38. 13 May 1988 at Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN
  39. 16 May 1988 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
  40. 18 May 1988 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
  41. 19 May 1988 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
  42. 22 May 1988 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
  43. 23 May 1988 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
  44. 11 Jun 1988 at Stadio Comunale, Turin, Italy
  45. 15 Jun 1988 at Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy
  46. 16 Jun 1988 at Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy
  47. 19 Jun 1988 at Hippodrome De Vincennes, Paris, France
  48. 21 Jun 1988 at Villa Park, Birmingham, England
  49. 22 Jun 1988 at Villa Park, Birmingham, England
  50. 25 Jun 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London, England
  51. 28 Jun 1988 at Stadion Feyenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
  52. 29 Jun 1988 at Stadion Feyenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
  53. 02 Jul 1988 at Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
  54. 03 Jul 1988 at Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
  55. 07 Jul 1988 at RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
  56. 09 Jul 1988 at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, England
  57. 10 Jul 1988 at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, England
  58. 12 Jul 1988 at Waldstadion, Frankfurt, West Germany
  59. 14 Jul 1988 at St. Jakob Stadion, Basel, Switzerland
  60. 17 Jul 1988 at Olympia Reitstadion Reim, Munich, West Germany
  61. 19 Jul 1988 at Radrennbahn Weissensee, East Berlin, East Germany
  62. 22 Jul 1988 at Waldbuhne, West Berlin, West Germany
  63. 25 Jul 1988 at Idraetsparken, Copenhagen, Denmark
  64. 27 Jul 1988 at Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway
  65. 30 Jul 1988 at Weserstadion, Bremen, West Germany
  66. 02 Aug 1988 at Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
  67. 03 Aug 1988 at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

Covers

At least one artist has recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's I'M A COWARD.

Lorenzo Bertocchini -- Hearts Of Stone: Some Bruce Springsteen Songs
Lorenzo Bertocchini -- Hearts Of Stone: Some Bruce Springsteen Songs

CD - no label (GOMB 16) - Italy, 2009

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.

Available Versions

List of available versions of I'M A COWARD on this website:

I'M A COWARD [Live 25 Feb 1988 version]
I'M A COWARD [Live 23 Apr 1988 version]
I'M A COWARD [Live 03 Jul 1988 version]
I'M A COWARD [Original Gino Washington version]
Page last updated: 03 Nov 2017