Born to run

Story of Song

The youthful desire to run away, to cruise and to seek something better. Springsteen called it “the song of my youth.”  In 1974, Bruce was in his home in New Jersey playing with his guitar when he wrote “Born to Run” he said:”One day I was playing my guitar on the edge of the bed, working on some song ideas, and the words ‘born to run’ came to me.” At first I thought it was the name of a movie or something I’d seen on a car spinning around the circuit. I liked the phrase because it suggested a cinematic drama that I thought would work with the music that I’d been hearing in my head.”

The lyric “Highway 9” refers to Route 9 in New Jersey, which went through Springsteen’s hometown of Freehold. This song is a love letter to a girl named Wendy, for whom Springsteen seems to possess the passion to love, just not the patience. The song was Bruce Springsteen’s final attempt to become successful.

Release date

Released on August 25, 1975

Songwriter/s

Bruce Springsteen

Label

Columbia

Chart Rankings

US – 23

UK – 16

GERMANY  –

“Born to Run” was a success in the US reaching number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. Outside the US, it didn’t achieve much success reaching number 38 in Australia, number 16 in the UK and number 53 in Canada.  In 2009 It was ranked number 3 on the annual Top 1043 songs of All Time by (Q 104.3) Radio Station. Bruce performed the song at halftime of the Super Bowl in 2009. Springsteen has played “Born to Run” at nearly every non-solo concert he had since 1975. It’s his first worldwide single release. In Springsteen’s ‘Greatest Hits’ album, he wrote in the liner notes: “My shot at the title. A 24 year old kid aimin’ at ‘the greatest rock ‘n roll record ever.”

Artist’s age on release date

Bruce Springsteen was 26 years of age when he released this song.

Cover Versions

Allan Clarke released a version a year before Springsteen’s release – Frankie goes To Hollywood – Big Daddy – Wolfsbane – Suzi Quatro – Frank Turner – Melissa Etheridge – McFly – Something for Kate (Australia) – Roger Daltrey – Light This City – Amy Macdonald – Free Wild – Eric Church – Superchunk.

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