Trapped (1984) – Bruce Springsteen

I felt trapped by this cover song ever since I first heard it on The Essential Bruce Springsteen released in 2003. From it’s simple guitar flicking opening to that Roy Bittan’s lamenting synthesizer overlay, Trapped builds slowly, telling the story of a person tethered and stuck in a relationship that’s beyond repair. Once it becomes clear he has been made to suffer so the other can be stronger, he realises he must escape this situation and get the hell out. It carefully unravels until, all at once in the chorus, the narrator bursts out: “Well now I’m trapped!”

Bruce’s version was first officially released on the 1985 We Are the World benefit album. Critics have often read the song beyond a personal relationship. Ken Tucker of Knight-Ridder Newspapers suggested the lyrics could be heard “in the words of a black person” railing against political oppression. Eric Thurm of The A.V. Club noted that the narrator feels personal and specific, “wearing the same old chains,” rather than speaking for a faceless crowd.

Trapped was originally written and recorded by the late reggae artist Jimmy Cliff in 1972. His version was released as a single in the UK but did not chart, and it was not included on one of his main studio albums at the time.

During the European leg of The River Tour in 1981, Springsteen bought a cassette of Jimmy Cliff’s music at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. He discovered Trapped there and soon added it to his live shows. It quickly became one of his most powerful concert staples, with many live versions circulating among fans.

Apart from the chorus, Bruce’s and Jimmy’s versions are very different. Cliff’s original has an upbeat reggae feel, while Springsteen turns it into a slower, more intense and brooding piece. In November 1989, Springsteen joined Cliff onstage at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and the two performed an extended version of Trapped that leaned closer to Cliff’s original style.

The version below included on The Essential Bruce Springsteen comes from a live performance at the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on August 6, 1984, and appears on the bonus third disc of the compilation.

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From Wikipedia: Regarding Springsteen’s version of the song, Cliff commented in 1988, “I look at it as a compliment. … He’s an artist in his own right and he’s written a lot of good songs, too. It’s good when an established artist does your work and does it in his way. I’ve also done other people’s work. I recorded Cat Stevens’ ‘Wild World’, a big hit in Europe, and I did it my way. From a commercial point of view, I didn’t gain from [‘Trapped’]. All the royalties were donated to the cause and I gained in the moral sense that I have done something for the cause.

[Verse 1]
Seems like I’m caught up in your trap again
Seems like I’ll be wearing the same old chains
Good will conquer evil and the truth will set me free
And I know someday I will find the key
I know somewhere I will find the key
Seems like I’ve been playing your game way too long
Seems the game I’ve played has made you strong
When the game is over I won’t walk out the loser
I know I’ll walk out of here again
I know someday I’ll walk out of here again

[Chorus]
Well now I’m trapped
Ooh yeah

[Verse 2]
Seems like I’ve been sleeping in your bed too long
Seems like you’ve been meaning to do me harm
But I’ll teach my eyes to see beyond these walls in front of me
Someday I’ll walk out of here again
Someday I’ll walk out of here again

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
Seems like I’ve been playing your game way too long
Seems the game I’ve played has made you strong

References:
1. Trapped (Jimmy Cliff song) – Wikipedia