WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY 
Album version
Friday night's pay night guys fresh out of work
Talking about the weekend scrubbing off the dirt
Some heading home to their families, some are looking to get hurt
Some going down to Stovell wearing trouble on their shirts
I work for the county out on 95
All day I hold a red flag and watch the traffic pass me by
In my head I keep a picture of a pretty little miss
Someday mister I'm gonna lead a better life than this
Working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
Woo!
I met her at a dance down at the union hall
She was standing with her brothers back up against the wall
Sometimes we'd go walking down the union tracks
One day I looked straight at her and she looked straight back
So I'm working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
Woo!
I saved up my money and I put it all away
I went to see her daddy but we didn't have much to say
"Son can't you see that she's just a little girl
She don't know nothing about this cruel cruel world"
We lit out down to Florida and we got along all right
One day her brothers came and got her and they took me in a black and white
The prosecutor kept the promise that he made on that day
And the judge got mad and he put me straight away
I wake up every morning to the work bell clang
Me and the warden go swinging on the Charlotte County road gang
I'm working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
Working on the highway laying down the blacktop
Working on the highway all day long I don't stop
Working on the highway blasting through the bedrock
Working on the highway, working on the highway
Woo woo woo woo
Woo woo woo
Woo woo woo woo
Alright! Come on!
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Info
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 1984 album Born In The U.S.A.. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY as released in 1984.
Writing and Recording
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Born In The U.S.A.
Born In The U.S.A. is Bruce Springsteen's seventh studio album. It was released on 04 Jun 1984 on Columbia Records. It was recorded between January 1982 and February 1984 at The Hit Factory and The Power Station in New York City, NY.
Bruce Springsteen -- Born In The U.S.A.
The album features 12 tracks and clocks at 46:57. It is produced by produced by Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen, and Steven Van Zandt.
Other Official Releases
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Other versions of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY were also officially released.
The live 27 Sep 1985 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Sept 27, 1985 official live download in 2019.
The live 25 Jul 1992 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on the Meadowlands July 25, 1992 official live download in 2019.
The live 24 Nov 1996 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on the Asbury Park 11/24/96 official live download in 2019.
The live 18 May 1997 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on the Nice, France 1997 official live download in 2021.
The live 19 Nov 2007 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on the TD Banknorth Garden, Boston 11/19/07 official live download in 2018.
The live 20 Oct 2009 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on the Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 10/20/09 official live download in 2017.
The live 22 Sep 2012 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on East Rutherford, NJ 09.22.12 official live download in 2019.
The live 11 Jul 2013 version of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was released on the Ippodromo Delle Capannelle, Rome 2013 official live download in 2015.
Live History: on-tour
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Live History: off-tour
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Bruce Springsteen has been performing on almost all the annual Stand Up for Heroes benefits since 2007. WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY was performed during the sixth (2012), eighth (2014), ninth (2015), tenth (2016), thirteenth (2019), and seventeenth (2023) annual benefits. The song was played solo acoustic.
Covers
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At least 12 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY.
Various artists -- Light Of Day: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen
2xCD - Schoolhouse Records / Big Daddy (SHR0022-2) - USA, 2003
2xCD - Schoolhouse Records / Revolver (REV XD244) - UK, 2004
2xCD - Revolver / Sony (MHCP 928-9) - Japan, 2005
This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album. There are five issues of this album (with three track configurations) and this track was only included on the three issue listed above. WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY is performed by Joe Ely.
Lorenzo Bertocchini -- Hearts Of Stone: Some Bruce Springsteen Songs
CD - no label (GOMB 16) - Italy, 2009
This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
The Hit Co. -- A Tribute To The Best Of Bruce Springsteen Box Set
Digital album - Planet Music (unknown catalog number) - unknown country, 2010
This is a download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute album. It was also released the same year as three separate volumes: Long Live The Boss: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen Vol. 1 1973-1985, Long Live The Boss: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen Vol. 2 1980-1989, and Long Live The Boss: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen Vol. 3 1990-2009. A Tribute To The Best Of Bruce Springsteen Box Set however includes two tracks not found on the three separate volumes. In 2012, the same tracks found on A Tribute To The Best Of Bruce Springsteen Box Set were distributed over three download-only digital Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp tribute albums: Working Class Heroes: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, Vol. 1, Working Class Heroes: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, Vol. 2, and Working Class Heroes: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, Vol. 3.
The Boss Band -- The Ultimate Tribute To Bruce Springsteen
Digital album - Big Eye Music (unknown catalog number) - USA, 2011
This is a download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Ameritz Tribute Club -- Working On The Highway - A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen
Digital album - Ameritz Music (unknown catalog number) - UK, 2012
This is a download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Déjà Vu -- Tribute To Working Class Hero Bruce Springsteen - Vol. 2
Digital album - Zulu (unknown catalog number) - USA, 2012
This is a download-only digital Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Boo Hoo & The Burning Hell -- Sing For The Lonely
CD - no label (no catalog number) - Germany, 2014
This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Various artists -- Dead Man's Town: A Tribute To Born In The U.S.A.
LP - Lightning Rod Records (LRR25523) - USA, 2014
CD - Lightning Rod Records (LRR25523) - USA, 2014
This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album. WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY is performed by Blitzen Trapper.
Rob Hirsch -- A Tribute To The Boss
CD - no label (no catalog number) - Austria, 2015
This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
The Waybacks & Friends -- Merlefest Hillside Album Hour 2015: Back In The U.S.A.
CD - no label (no catalog number) - USA, 2016
This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
The Bruceband -- Born In The U.S.A. Live
Digital album - Dr K Music (no catalog number) - Holland, 2021
This is a download-only digital live Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
The Boss Brothers -- Live
Digital album - 729285 Records DK (no catalog number) - The Netherlands, 2023
This is a download-only digital live Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Available Versions
List of available versions of WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY on this website:
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY [Album version]
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY [Live 01 Nov 2016 version]
Page last updated: 05 Nov 2016
