Born to Run, the title track is a frenzied anthem about the idealism and escapism of youth, similar to the spirit and message of another song on the record called Backstreets which I presented here in 2019. I was so awestruck by Born to Run (the album) I wrote a lyrics booklet in my youth of the whole album; complete with a little nice string to thread the pages together. Lyrics weren’t so accessible back then so I transcribed what I thought he sung. I felt like a devoted scribe of a great musical sermon. This album remains one of my favourites of all time. Today’s featured song, Born to Run (the title track) is easily his most recognisable from the record, and arguably one of the most celebrated and landmark songs of his entire career.
I’m not as enamoured by this song as I once was, since I prefer to listen to other songs from the record including the opener Thunder Road, She’s the One, Night and Backstreets. But there’s no disputing the legacy and immensity of the title track as a ‘timeless’ piece of American music which resonates with listeners across different generations. The song became a desperate call for freedom and a search for a better life.
Springsteen and the E Street Band spent six months in the studio perfecting the song, with Springsteen obsessing over every detail. He was determined to create something that would catapult him into rock stardom, and he wanted the song to sound like “Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan, produced by Phil Spector“. The result is a wall of sound, a dense and powerful mix that captures the urgency and grandeur of the song’s themes. Upon release, music critic Robert Christgau took note of its wall of sound influence and called it “the fulfillment of everything Be My Baby was about and lots more“. The soaring saxophone solo by Clarence Clemons, the intricate guitar work, and the anthemic chorus all contribute to the song’s epic feel.
[Verse 1]
In the day, we sweat it out on the streets
Of a runaway American dream
At night, we ride through mansions of glory
In suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on Highway 9
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin’ out over the line
Oh, baby this town rips the bones from your back
It’s a death trap, it’s a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we’re young
‘Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
Yes, girl, we were
[Verse 2]
Wendy let me in, I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs ’round these velvet rims
And strap your hands across my engines
Together we could break this trap
We’ll run ’til we drop, baby we’ll never go back
Oh, will you walk with me out on the wire?
‘Cause baby I’m just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta know how it feels
I want to know if love is wild, babe
I want to know if love is real
Oh, can you show me?
[Saxophone Solo]
[Bridge]
Beyond the palace, hemi-powered drones
Scream down the boulevard
The girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard
The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the streets tonight
In an everlasting kiss
Huh
[Instrumental Break]
(One, two, three, four)
[Verse 3]
The highways jammed with broken heroes
On a last chance power drive
Everybody’s out on the run tonight
But there’s no place left to hide
Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness
I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul
Oh, someday girl, I don’t know when
We’re gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go, and we’ll walk in the sun
But ’til then, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run
[Outro]
Born to Run was Springsteen’s first worldwide single release, although it achieved little initial success outside of the United States. Within the U.S., however, it received extensive airplay on progressive or album-oriented rock radio stations. The single was also Springsteen’s first Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No 23. It was ranked number 27 on Rolling Stone’s 2021 list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time“, the highest placement for a song by Springsteen.
It is unsurprisingly his most-performed song live. Most of the time the house lights are turned fully on and fans consistently sing along with Springsteen’s signature wordless vocalizations throughout the song’s performance.
References:
1. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
It’s a classic, no doubt, but my favorite song on this album is Thunder Road, followed closely by Jungleland. I believe this is the perfect rock album.
I agree with you about it being the perfect rock album (or as close as I’ve heard). ‘Thunder Road’ is also my favourite from the record, although ‘Backstreets’ and ‘She’ s the One’ give it some run for its money. I’m not as big a fan of Jungleland as I used to be. It’s still epic of course.
This song is outstanding…I think a lot of people are tired of it…doesn’t matter…great song period. I love the Be My Baby reference as well by the usually grumpy Christgau.
My favorite off the album which we have discussed and I did on your original post is Backstreets but Born To Run was the key for Springsteen for a wide audience.
I couldn’t agree more with everything you said Max. Especially it being the key for Springsteen for a wide audience.