Bruce Springsteen - Letter To You Album Lyrics

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One Minute You're Here

Big black train comin' down the track
Blow your whistle long and long
One minute you're here
Next minute you're gone

I lay my penny down on the rails
As the summer wind sings its last song
One minute you're here
Next minute you're gone

Baby, baby, baby
I'm so alone
Baby, baby, baby
I'm coming home

Autumn carnival on the edge of town
We walk down the midway arm-in-arm
One minute you're here
Next minute you're gone

I thought I knew just who I was
And what I'd do but I was wrong
One minute you're here
Next minute you're gone

Red river running along the edge of town
On the muddy banks
I lay my body down
This body down

Footsteps cracklin' on a gravel road
Stars vanish in a sky as black as stone

One minute you're here
Next minute you're gone
One minute you're here
Next minute you're gone
One minute you're here

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Letter to You

'Neath a crown of mongrel trees
I pulled that bothersome thread
Got down on my knees
Grabbed my pen and bowed my head
Tried to summon all that my heart finds true
And send it in my letter to you

Things I found out through hard times and good
I wrote 'em all out in ink and blood
Dug deep in my soul and signed my name true
And sent it in my letter to you

In my letter to you
I took all my fears and doubts
In my letter to you
All the hard things I found out
In my letter to you
All that I've found true
And I sent it in my letter to you

I took all the sunshine and rain
All my happiness and all my pain
The dark evening stars
And the morning sky of blue
And I sent it in my letter to you
And I sent it in my letter to you

In my letter to you
I took all my fears and doubts
In my letter to you
All the hard things that I found out
In my letter to you
All that I found true
And I sent it in my letter to you
I sent it in my letter to you

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Burnin' Train

Zero's my number
Time is my hunter
I wanted you to heal me
But instead you set me on fire

We were out over the borders
I washed you in holy water
We whispered our black prayers
And rose up in flames

Take me on your burnin' train
Take me on your burnin' train

White sun burnin'
Black wings beatin'
I ran my fingers 'cross the hollow of your stomach
As you lay breathing

With our shared faith
Rising dark and decayed
Take me and shake me from this mortal cage

Take me on your burnin' train
Take me on your burnin' train

Something's shining in the light 'neath your breast
The thick smell of you on my chest

Your bed of thorns
I brought you shining gifts
Wiped the sweat from your brow
And I touched your lips

Sheets stained with sweat
Outside the endless rain
Darlin' I'm blessed in your blood
And marked by Cain

Take me on your burnin' train
Take me on your burnin' train
Take me on your burnin' train

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Last Man Standing

Faded pictures in an old scrapbook
Faded pictures that somebody took
When you were hard and young and proud
Back against the wall running raw and loud

Snakeskin vest and a sharkskin suit
Cuban heels on your boots
Kick in the band and side by side
You take the crowd on their mystery ride

Knights of Columbus and the Fireman's Ball
Friday night at the Union Hall
Black leather clubs all along Route 9
You count the names of the missing as you count off time

Flock of angels lift me somehow
Somewhere high and hard and loud
Somewhere deep into the heart of the crowd
I'm the last man standing now
I'm the last man standing now

Out of school and out of work
Thrift store jeans and flannel shirts
The lights go down and we face the crowd
The last man standing now

Lights come up at the Legion Hall
Pool cues go back up on the wall
You pack your guitar and have one last beer
With just the ringing in your ears

Flock of angels lift me somehow
Somewhere high and hard and loud
Somewhere deep into the heart of the crowd
I'm the last man standing now
I'm the last man standing now
I'm the last man standing now

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah
Yeah

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The Power of Prayer

Meet me afternoon 'neath the summer sun
Right by the lake 'til the evening comes
I run my fingers through your sun streaked hair
Baby, that's the power of prayer

Summer nights, summer's in the air
I stack the tables with the chairs
It's closing time then you're standing there
Baby, that's the power of prayer

It's a fixed game without any rules
An empty table on a ship of fools
I'm holding hearts, I'll play the pair
Darling, it's just the power of prayer

It's a fixed game without any rules
An empty table on a ship of fools
I'm holding hearts, I play the pair
I'm going all in 'cause I don't care

They say that love of comes and goes
But darling what, what do they know
I'm reaching for heaven, we'll make it there
Darling, it's just the power of prayer
Baby, it's just the power of prayer
Darling, it's just the power of prayer

Last call, the bouncer shuts the door
This magic moment drifts across the floor
As Ben E. King's voice fills the air
Baby, that's the power of prayer

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House of a Thousand Guitars

The blood moon shines across the veil
Bells ring out through churches and jails
I tally my wounds and count the scars
Here in the house of a thousand guitars

The criminal clown has stolen the throne
He steals what he can never own
May the truth ring out from every small town bar
We'll light up the house of a thousand guitars

Well it's alright yeah, it's alright
Meet me darlin' come Saturday night
All good souls from near and far
Will meet in the house of a thousand guitars

Here the bitter and the bored
Wake in search of the lost chord
That'll band us together for as long as there's stars
Yeah, in the house of a thousand guitars

Well it's alright yeah, it's alright
Meet me darlin' come Saturday night
Brother and sister wherever you are
We'll meet in the house of a thousand guitars

So wake and shake off your troubles my friend
We'll go where the music never ends
From the stadiums to the small town bars
We'll light up the house of a thousand guitars

House of a thousand guitars, house of a thousand guitars
Brother and sister wherever you are
We'll rise together till we find the spark
That'll light up the house of a thousand guitars

Well it's alright yeah, it's alright
Meet me darlin' come Saturday night
All the souls from near and far
We'll meet at the house of a thousand guitars

La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la

A thousand guitars, a thousand guitars
A thousand guitars, a thousand guitars
A thousand guitars, a thousand guitars
A thousand guitars, a thousand guitars

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Rainmaker

Parched crops dying 'neath a dead sun
We've been praying but no good comes
The dog's howling, home's stripped bare
We've been worried but now we're scared

People come for comfort or just to come
Taste the dark sticky potion or hear the drums
Hands raised to Yahweh to bring the rain down
He comes crawlin' 'cross the dry fields like a dark shroud

Rainmaker, a little faith for hire
Rainmaker, the house is on fire
Rainmaker, take everything you have
Sometimes folks need to believe in something so bad, so bad, so bad
They'll hire a rainmaker

(Rainmaker)

Rainmaker says white's black and black's white
Says night's day and day's night
Says close your eyes and go to sleep now
I'm in a burnin' field unloadin' buckshot into low clouds

Rainmaker, a little faith for hire
Rainmaker, the house is on fire
Rainmaker, take everything you have
Sometimes folks need to believe in something so bad, so bad, so bad
They'll hire a rainmaker

Slow moving wagon drawing through a dry town
Painted rainbow, crescent moon and dark clouds
Brother patriot come forth and lay it down
Your blood brother for king and crown
For your rainmaker

They come for the smile, the firm handshake
They come for the raw chance of a fair shake
Some come to make damn sure, my friend
This mean season's got nothin' to do with them

They come 'cause they can't stand the pain
Of another long hot day of no rain
'Cause they don't care or understand
What it really takes for the sky to open up the land

Rainmaker, a little faith for hire
Rainmaker, the house is on fire
Rainmaker, take everything you have
Sometimes folks need to believe in something so bad, so bad, so bad
They'll hire a rainmaker
Rainmaker
Rainmaker
Rainmaker

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If I Was The Priest

There's a light on yonder mountain
And it's callin' me to shine
There's a girl over by the water fountain
And she's askin' to be mine

And Jesus is standing in the doorway
In a buckskin jacket, boots and spurs so fine
Says, "We need you, son, tonight up in Dodge City
'Cause there's just too many outlaws tryin' to work the same line"

Now if Jesus was a sheriff and I were a priest
If my lady was an heiress and my Mama was a thief
If Papa rode shotgun on the Fargo line
There's still too many bad boys tryin' to work the same line

Well, sweet Virgin Mary runs the Holy Grail Saloon
Well, for a nickel she'll give you whiskey
And a personally blessed balloon
And the Holy Ghost is the host with the most
And he runs the burlesque show
Where they let you in for free and they hit you when you go

Mary serving Mass on Sunday and she sells her body on Monday
To the bootlegger who paid the highest price
He don't know he got stuck with a loser, she's stone junkie
What's more, she's a user, she's only been made once or twice
By some kind of magic

If Jesus was a sheriff and I was a priest
If my lady was an heiress and my Mama was a thief
If Papa rode shotgun on the Fargo line
There's still too many outlaws tryin' to work the same line

Well, things ain't been the same in Heaven
Since big bad Bobby came to town
He's been known to down eleven, then ask for another round
Me, I got scabs on my knees from kneeling way too long
It's about time I played the man, took a stand where I belong
Yeah, forget about the old friends and the old times
There's just too many new boys tryin' to work the same line

Well, if Jesus was a sheriff and I were a priest
If my lady was an heiress and my Mama was a thief
If Papa rode shotgun on the Fargo line
There's just too many outlaws tryin' to work the same line

Well, there's a light on yonder mountain
And it's callin' me to shine
There's a girl over by the water fountain
She's asking to be mine

Jesus is standin' in the doorway
Six guns drawn and ready to fan
Said "We need you tonight, son, up in Dodge City"
Told him I was already overdue for Cheyenne

If Jesus was a sheriff and I were a priest
If my lady was an heiress and my Mama was a thief
If Papa rode shotgun on the Fargo line
There's still too many bad boys tryin' to work the same

If Jesus was a sheriff and I were a priest
If my lady was an heiress and my Mama was a thief
If Papa rode shotgun on the Fargo line
There's still too many bad boys tryin' to work the same

If Jesus was a sheriff and I were a priest

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Ghosts

I hear the sound of your guitar
Comin' from the mystic far
Stone and the gravel in your voice
Come in my dreams and I rejoice

It's your ghost moving through the night
Your spirit filled with light
I need, need you by my side
Your love and I'm alive

I can feel the blood shiver in my bones
I'm alive and I'm out here on my own
I'm alive and I'm comin' home

Old buckskin jacket you always wore
Hangs on the back of my bedroom door
Boots and the spurs you used to ride
Click down the hall but never arrive

It's just your ghost moving through the night
Your spirit filled with light
I need, need you by my side
Your love and I'm alive

I can feel the blood shiver in my bones
I'm alive and I'm out here on my own
I'm alive and I'm comin' home

Your old Fender Twin from Johnny's Music downtown
Still set on ten to burn this house down
Count the band in, then kick into overdrive
By the end of the set we leave no one alive

Ghosts runnin' through the night
Our spirits filled with light
I need, need you by my side
Your love and I'm alive

I shoulder your Les Paul and finger the fretboard
I make my vows to those who've come before
I turn up the volume, let the spirits be my guide
Meet you, brother and sister, on the other side

I'm alive, I can feel the blood shiver in my bones
I'm alive and I'm out here on my own
I'm alive and I'm comin' home
Yeah, I'm comin' home

(One, two, one-two-three-four)

La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la
La-la-la-la, la-la, la, la, la

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Song for Orphans

Well the multitude assembled
And tried to make the noise
Them black blind poet generals
And restless loud white boys
Times grew thin
And the axis grew somehow incomplete
Where instead of child lions
We had aging junkie sheep

Well how many wasted
Have I seen signed "Hollywood or bust"
They left to ride the ever ghostly Arizona gusts
Cheerleader tramps
And kids with big amps sounding in the void
High society vamps
Ex-heavyweight champs mistaking soot for soil

So break me now big Mama
As Old Faithful breaks the day
Believe me my good Linda
The aurora will shine your way
The confederacy's in my name now
The hounds are held at bay
The axis needs a stronger arm
Do you feel your muscles play

Well the doorstep blanket weaver
Madonna pushes bells
From house to house
I see her giving last kisses and wishing well
To every gypsy mystic hero
That the kids might find a place
Who get lost forever to mom and pop
On their weekends out in space

Well sons they search for fathers
But the fathers are all gone
The lost souls search for saviors
But saviors don't last long
Those nameless questless renegade brats
Who live their lives in song
They run the length of a candle
With a goodnight whisper, then they're gone

So break me now big Mama
As Old Faithful breaks the day
Believe me my good Linda
The aurora will shine your way
The confederacy's in my name now
The hounds are held at bay
The axis needs a stronger arm
Do you feel your muscles play

Yeah

Well the missions are filled with hermits
They're looking for a friend
The terraces are filled with cat-men
Just looking for a way in
Those orphans jumped on silver mountains
Lost in celestial alleyways
They wait for that old tramp Dog Man Moses
He takes in all the strays

Now don't you grow on empty legends
Or lonely cradle songs
Billy the Kid was just a bowery boy
Who made a living twirling his guns
The night she's long and lanky
And she speaks in a mother tongue
She lullabies the refugees with amplifier's hum

So break me now big Mama
As Old Faithful breaks the day
Believe me my good Linda
The aurora will shine your way
The confederacy's in my name now
The hounds are held at bay
The axis needs a stronger arm
Do you feel your muscles play
The confederacy's in my name now
The hounds are held at bay
The axis needs a stronger arm
Do you feel your muscles play

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I'll See You in My Dreams

The road is long and seeming without end
The days go on, I remember you my friend
And though you're gone
And my heart's been emptied it seems
I'll see you in my dreams

I got you guitar here by the bed
All your favorite records
And all the books that you read
And though my soul feels like
It's been split at the seams
I'll see you in my dreams

I'll see you in my dreams
When all the summers have come to an end
I'll see you in my dreams
We'll meet and live and love again
I'll see you in my dreams
Yeah, up around the river bend
For death is not the end
And I'll see you in my dreams

I'll see you in my dreams
When all the summers have come to an end
I'll see you in my dreams
We'll meet and live and love again
I'll see you in my dreams
Yeah, up around the river bend
For death is not the end
And I'll see you in my dreams
(See) You in my dreams
See you in my dreams

Go

And I'll see you in my dreams