Studio version 1
One, two, three, four
Grains in the field covered with tarp
Can't get a price to see my way clear
I'm sitting down at the Sugarland bar
Might as well bury my body right here
Tractors and combines out in the cold
Sheds piled high with the wheat we ain't sold
Silos filled with last year's crop
If something don't break, hey, we'll all gonna drop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop, bop
Baby, bop, baby, bop, baby, bop, bop
Wife's got another coming in July
She's laying up in bed, all she does is cry, cry, cry
"Tommy, oh, Tommy, I'm so alone,
Tommy, oh, Tommy, please won't you stay home"
Pa don't say nothing except when it rains
Sits by the window listening to the sound of passing trains
Roaring out of the night carrying an empty load
We got a whole lot of grain that ain't got nowhere to go
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop, bop
Baby, bop, baby, bop, baby, bop, bop
Well, if drifting prices don't get no higher
We'll fill this duster with gas and set these fields on fire
Sit up on the ridge where the bluebirds fly
And watch the flames rise up against the Sugarland sky
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop, bop
Baby, bop, baby, bop, baby, bop, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop
Baby, bop, bop, baby, bop, bop
Baby, bop, baby, bop, baby, bop, bop
SUGARLAND is a song written by Bruce Springsteen, and was planned for release in 1983 had an album seen the light that year. See the "Unreleased 1982 and 1983 Albums" section below for more details.
The above lyrics are for a rockabilly version of SUGARLAND, recorded sometime between mid-January and mid-February 1983 at Thrill Hill West, Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles, CA. This version was released on The Lost Masters Vol. 17 (Labour Of Love) [track 09] bootleg.
There are five studio versions of SUGARLAND in circulation, all recorded sometime between mid-January and mid-February 1983 at Thrill Hill West, Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles, CA. 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 to create the final product.
These versions have very minor lyrical differences. The very different arrangements of the song are just examples of how varied Bruce Springsteen can make his music. See each version for more details.
Bruce Springsteen recorded a bulk of solo demoes at his Colts Neck, NJ home studio in early January 1982. His intention was to demonstrate them to The E Street Band when they enter the studio later that month so that the recording sessions for their next album would progress faster. These studio sessions came to a halt in May when Springsteen decided to release Nebraska, an album consisting of the original solo demoes without the band treatment.
For the next month or two the focus turned to overseeing final preparations of Nebraska. However, Springsteen had already made up his mind that a few of the January home demoes should be on an E Street Band album, in addition to some more songs he recorded with the band when they were in studio. Mixing of the band material continued through June, alongside the Nebraska tracks. In fact, Springsteen even considered putting both albums out as a double record. "I had these two extremely different recording experiences going," Springsteen told Mark Hagen in an interview for Mojo magazine published in January 1999. "I was going to put them out at the same time as a double record. I didn't know what to do."
In his 2012 book E Street Shuffle: The Glory Days of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Clinton Heylin revealed that the track sequence for the band album was compiled (see list below). These tracks were all recorded with the E Street Band between January and May 1982 at The Power Station and The Hit Factory in New York City, NY.
Side 1:
Side 2:
In early October 1982, soon after the release of Nebraska, Springsteen moved to Los Angeles where he spent much of the following five months. He had recording engineer Mike Batlan install a home recording studio at his house in Los Angeles where he recorded more than an album's worth of songs over the early months of 1983, playing all the instruments himself except for a drum machine.
According to Brucebase, Springsteen has mentioned that sometime in early 1983 he also gave consideration to releasing the best of the Los Angeles home studio recordings as a thematic follow-up to Nebraska. This album concept is not known to have ever been given a working title because Springsteen quickly abandoned the concept.
A document from around March 1983 reveals that at the time Springsteen briefly considered releasing an album tentatively titled "Murder Incorporated" and consisting of eleven tracks. The document also lists six additional tracks that apparently were selected for B-sides. All these tracks were cut during two phases of recording sessions, the early 1982 sessions with the band and the early 1983 solo sessions.
Album:
B-sides:
Springsteen disregarded the album and opted for another round of recording session. These sessions took place between April and June 1983 at The Hit Factory in New York City, NY, and featured the E Street Band, apparently minus Steven Van Zandt who was busy at the time recording his second solo album and touring with his own group. Following this third phase of recording sessions major mixing sessions took place and some in CBS were talking of a possible of a pre-Christmas release. In his book, Clinton Heylin revealed a track sequence for a band album that was compiled on 26-27 Jul 1983 (see list below). This new track sequence comprised of three songs carried over from the 1982 sequence, four from the early 1983, sessions and five from the recent E Street Band sessions.
Side 1:
Side 2:
As had been the case in March, Springsteen disregarded the album again and opted for another round of recording session. This final round was scattered from autumn 1983 to the early months of 1984.
SUGARLAND was performed twice during the Born In The U.S.A. Tour (156 dates, June 1984 to October 1985), in November 1984, appropriately in Ames, IA, and Lincoln, NE. The song was played in a stripped-down full-band arrangement. Springsteen dedicated the song at both shows to the local farmers who were "having a hard time." See the live 16 Nov 1984 version and the live 18 Nov 1984 version.
At least 2 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's SUGARLAND.
Thanks David Varet, downsouth_74, and Pete Russell (Peteadmin at Brucebase) for the lyrics corrections.
Some of the above info about the studio recordings is taken from Brucebase.
The above lyrics may not be 100% correct. If you have any corrections, additions, or comments, please contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of SUGARLAND on this website:
SUGARLAND [Studio version 1]
