Album version
For two days the river keeps you down
Then you rise to the light without a sound
Past the playgrounds and empty switching yards
The turtles eat the skin from your eyes, so they lay open to the stars
Your clothes give way to the current and river stone
'Till every trace of who you ever were is gone
And the things of the earth they make their claim
That the things of heaven may do the same
Goodbye, my darling, for your love I give God thanks
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros banks
Over rivers of stone and ancient ocean beds
I walk on twine and tire tread
My pockets full of dust, my mouth filled with cool stone
The pale moon opens the earth to its bones
I long, my darling, for your kiss, for your sweet love I give God thanks
The touch of your loving fingertips
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros banks
Your sweet memory comes on the evening wind
I sleep and dream of holding you in my arms again
The lights of Brownsville across the river shine
A shout rings out and into the silty red river I dive
I long, my darling, for your kiss, for your sweet love I give God thanks
A touch of your loving fingertips
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros banks
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros
Meet me on the Matamoros banks
MATAMOROS BANKS is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 2005 album Devils & Dust. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of MATAMOROS BANKS as released in 2005.
In the album's booklet, an epigraph of the song's lyrics reads: "Each year many die crossing the deserts, mountains, and rivers of our southern border in search of a better life. Here I follow the journey backwards, from the body at the river bottom, to the man walking across the desert towards the banks of the Rio Grande."
SECTION NOT YET COMPLETED
Matamoros is a city and port in northeastern Mexico, near the mouth of the Rio Grande and across the river from Brownsville, Texas.
On this track, Bruce Springsteen sings vocals and plays guitar and keyboards, and is accompanied by Nashville String Machine on strings.
Devils & Dust is Bruce Springsteen's thirteenth studio album. It was released on 26 Apr 2005 on Columbia Records. The album was recorded between 1996 and 2004 at Thrill Hill East (Springsteen's home studio in Rumson, NJ) and Thrill Hill West (Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles, CA). Horns and some instrument overdubbing were recorded in 2004 at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, GA. Strings were recorded in 2004 at Masterfonics in Nashville, TN.
In an April 2005 New York Time article, Jon Pareles wrote that "Springsteen recorded nearly all of the [album's] songs in a few days, nearly a decade ago, sitting with his guitar in the living room of his farmhouse in New Jersey, doing just a take or two." This probably took place sometime in 1996 or 1997. It's very possible that many of the songs on the album are none other than the solo recordings from 1996 or 1997, with some additional instruments overdubbed in 2004.
ALL THE WAY HOME and LONG TIME COMIN' were produced by Brendan O'Brien, Bruce Springsteen, and Chuck Plotkin. The rest of the album was produced by Brendan O'Brien. All horn and string arrangements were done by Eddie Horst. BLACK COWBOYS, JESUS WAS AN ONLY SON, LEAH, and MATAMOROS BANKS were mixed by Toby Scott. The rest of the album was mixed by Brendan O'Brien. Toby Scott was the recording engineer at Thrill Hill East, Thrill Hill West, and Southern Tracks, and Nick Didia was the recording engineer at Southern Tracks and Masterphonics.
The album includes a bonus DVD featuring filmed acoustic performances of DEVILS & DUST, LONG TIME COMIN', RENO, ALL I'M THINKIN' ABOUT, and MATAMOROS BANKS, with spoken commentary on their writing and creation. They were filmed live by director Danny Clinch in February 2005 in New Jersey. The DVD also includes the full album in 5.1 surround sound and in 2-channel stereo, with lyrics to the songs accompanying the audio in a karaoke style.
Devils & Dust debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, becoming Springsteen's seventh number one album in the U.S. It also peaked at number one in several European countries including the UK. The album was nominated for two 2006 Grammy Awards, Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Long Form Music Video, but failed to win.
The album features 12 tracks and clocks at 50:55. It was issued on DualDisc, CD + DVD, and LP.
Side 1:
Side 2:
Side 3:
Side 4:
Other versions of MATAMOROS BANKS were also officially released.
In preparation for the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour, MATAMOROS BANKS was performed during both of the tour's two public warm-up rehearsal shows that took place in April 2005 in Asbury Park. The song is also known to have been practiced during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place in March and April 2005 in Asbury Park prior to the tour's first leg.
MATAMOROS BANKS was performed 71 times during the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour (72 dates, April to November 2005), missing only the 11 Nov 2005 show in Norfolk, VA. The live 25 Jun 2005 version of MATAMOROS BANKS was released on the Stockholm 2005 official live download in 2020. The live 31 Jul 2005 version of MATAMOROS BANKS was released on the Schottenstein Center, Ohio 2005 official live download in 2015. The live 03 Aug 2005 version of MATAMOROS BANKS was released on the Van Andel Arena, Michigan 2005 official live download in 2018. The live 22 Nov 2005 version of MATAMOROS BANKS was released on the Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ 2005 official live download in 2019.
At least 3 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's MATAMOROS BANKS.
List of available versions of MATAMOROS BANKS on this website:
MATAMOROS BANKS [Album version]
