There are many, many songs in the rock & pop canon that employ yearning as the source material. Or maybe it’s the glue that holds things together. My baby left me and I want her back. It’s an old story that somehow never manages to get old. Maybe that’s because, if you’ve ever been in that particular situation, it feels life-changing. You’re being pulled in several directions at once and you’re afraid that you’ll never be the same.
I’ve always wondered about “Drive All Night,” since some people seem to think that the “buy you some shoes” line needed more thought, or that it rests among Bruce’s worst lyrics. But when I first heard it, it made me wonder what he was thinking about. And that’s the thing…sometimes it’s not so much what the intent was, but what the listener can bring to the situation. The great thing here is that the line — whose malleability can give it so many meanings — remains in stark contrast to “And taste your tender charms…,” which seems universal. Nearly everybody’s been there.
In any event, Bruce wears his passion on his sleeve here. Check out this version from Madison Square Garden, shot from the Big Man’s side.
This song has always felt like the true end of The River to me, but we do have one more entry…
Next Up: Wreck On The Highway
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