Waitin’ On A Sunny Day (2002) – Bruce Springsteen

Waitin’ On A Sunny Day is a song from The Rising, released by Bruce Springsteen in 2002 after the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11th, 2001. The record was dedicated to the victims, survivors and spirit of that terrible day.

The Rising was symbolically named to honour the heroism of the firefighters and emergency workers climbing the stairwells of the Twin Towers before they collapsed.

In another sense, one could say The Rising also represented Bruce’s own resurgence after his long break away from recording with the E Street Band, apart from the 1999 reunion tour, and his largely solo acoustic work throughout the 1990s.

The Rising is such a great record and felt like an amazing return to form, though that is not to dismiss his 1990s output, which contains plenty of fine songs, many of which have featured here. It was Springsteen’s first studio album in seven years and became his first to top the US Billboard chart since Tunnel of Love in 1987.

After the album’s release, a live concert film from Barcelona for The Rising tour was released shortly afterwards. It remains one of my favourite live performances and, such is my fascination with it, I have presented today’s featured track, Waitin’ On A Sunny Day, from that very show.

Waitin’ On A Sunny Day is about a man in a low emotional state, expressed through the imagery of gloomy weather, hoping his spirits will be lifted by someone special – a girl who means everything to him and whom he hopes will stay and pull him out of his despair. The lyrics are simple:

I’m waitin’, waitin’ on a sunny day
Gonna chase the clouds away
Waitin’ on a sunny day.

Despite the downbeat subject matter, the music is bright, catchy and uplifting, representing a ray of hope, much like the girl in the song who helps break the man out of his negative frame of mind. The track combines a fairly simple arrangement powered by drums, acoustic guitars and Soozie Tyrell’s violin. I really like Clarence Clemons’s saxophone solos here, along with the backing vocals singing the “oohs” and “aahs”.

I always assumed the song was written about somebody affected by the 2001 attacks, but Waitin’ On A Sunny Day was actually written earlier. Springsteen wrote and recorded the song around 1998 or 1999, though that original recording has never been officially released. The song was reportedly used during soundchecks on the E Street Band reunion tour.

Springsteen described the song as “a good example of pop songwriting” and also as the type of song he often wants to “throw out… directly into the trash can” until former producer Jon Landau talks him out of it.

The song was not released as a single in the United States, but it was released across Europe and became a modest hit in Sweden, reaching No. 15, while also charting in Australia at No. 51.

[Verse 1]
It’s raining, but there ain’t a cloud in the sky
Must have been a tear from your eye
Everything will be okay
Yeah, funny, I thought I felt a sweet summer breeze
Must have been you sighing so deep
Don’t worry, we’re gonna find a way

[Chorus]
I’m waiting
Waiting on a sunny day
Gonna chase the clouds away
Yeah, I’m waiting on a sunny day

[Verse 2]
Without you I’m working with the rain falling down
I’m half a party in a one-dog town
I need you to chase these blues away
Without you I’m a drummer girl that can’t keep a beat
Ice cream truck on a deserted street
I hope that you’re comin’ to stay

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
Hard times, baby, well, they come to us all
Sure as the ticking of the clock on the wall
Sure as the turning of the night into day
Your smile, girl, brings the morning light to my eyes
Lifts away the blues when I rise
I hope that you’re coming to stay

[Chorus]

References:
1. Waitin’ on a Sunny Day – Wikipedia