From his self-assured debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. to the solemn and reflective Nebraska, Bruce Springsteen’s music has painted a portrait of the American spirit for more than half a century.
“The Boss” is often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, winning 20 Grammy Awards throughout his career, on top of the esteemed Presidential Medal of Freedom (in 2016), and a place in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (both in 1999).
Famously hailing from New Jersey, the musician helped pioneer the heartland rock genre, often using character-based storytelling to paint pictures of the American working class while invoking a relatable feeling of yearning and hope. In ambitious classics like “Born to Run” and “Dancing in the Dark,” Springsteen motivates us to hold nothing back, warns us to resist fear, and urges us to take risks to achieve our greatest goals.
In that spirit, here are 13 of the most hopeful, aspiring, and dream-driven quotes and lyrics from Springsteen’s legendary career.
So walk tall / Or baby, don’t walk at all
“New York City Serenade,” 1973
We gotta get out while we’re young / `Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
You spend your life waiting for a moment that just don’t come / Well, don’t waste your time waiting
Is a dream a lie if it don’t come true / Or is it something worse?
Well, now, everything dies, baby, that’s a fact / But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
You can’t start a fire without a spark
“Dancing in the Dark,” 1984
This house is haunted and the ride gets rough / You’ve got to learn to live with what you can’t rise above
God have mercy on the man / Who doubts what he’s sure of
“Brilliant Disguise,” 1987
When it comes to luck, you make your own
Success makes life easier. It doesn’t make living easier.
“Q Magazine” interview, 1992
Fear’s a powerful thing, baby / It can turn your heart black, you can trust / It’ll take your God-filled soul / And fill it with devils and dust
To the dead, well it don’t matter much about who’s wrong or right
You can’t be afraid of getting old. Old is good, if you’re gathering in life.
“The Guardian” interview, 2010
Featured Image Credit: Sueddeutsche Zeitung Photo/ Alamy Stock Photo
Sean Neumann
Sean Neumann is a writer and reporter based in Chicago, Illinois.
