Bruce Springsteen’s Manager: ‘Thunder Road’ Lyrics Will Be Corrected

For almost half a century, anyone who trusts the artist’s lyrics and official websites has been certain of one thing: Bruce Springsteenof “Thunder Road,” Mary’s skirt waved, and it didn’t sway. Regardless of how some people might think they heard him sing, it was written right there, from the lyrics included in the original 1975 track to the songs still posted on the site. artist’s web site in July 2021. “Sways” isn’t a perfect tune for “plays,” but Springsteen has never been obsessed with perfection. Is the guy leaning against the role of Clarence Clemons fooling us, writing?

Trust in print turned out to be misplaced. After a two-week national debate that threatened to turn into a civil war, the matter was resolved, not entirely by Springsteen but by his longtime manager. Jon Landau, who co-produced the album “Born to Run”.

“The word is ‘sways,” Landau to David Remnick of the New Yorker, who contacted him via email to resolve the issue. .

About how it’s always featured in album covers – and still posted, as of this writing, on his boss/client’s website?

“Any typos in Bruce’s official documents will be corrected,” Landau said.

To anyone who has trusted the other throughout the decades, the manager doesn’t seem particularly sympathetic. “By the way, the ‘dresses’ don’t know how to ‘waggle,'” Landau said in the summing up.

Ahem, yes, exactly, let’s say the “wobble” supporters who have insisted that they can count on their own ears for the print, and the dress fabric is clearly not of the right quality . What the other side can counter: What Was Star Banner again?

(And really, don’t all make sense? Maybe waving, like the flag, if reacting to a light breeze, but shaking if more dependent on a combination of gravitational forces and Mary’s changing posture as she considers the suggestion of traveling across the country in a possibly dirty car without AC?)

Anyway, Landau further explained the “sway”: “That’s how he wrote it in his original notebook, that’s how he sang it in 1975’s ‘Born to Run,’ that’s how he’s always sung it at thousands of shows, and that’s how he sings it now on Broadway. And, he might add, that’s how Springsteen presented it when he cited “Thunder Road” in his 2016 autobiography, at which point reasonable doubt began to surface in the minds of those who have always assumed that people should have a little faith in the original album jacket to make it right. is already wrong – wrong like a fan rushing through a new hip-hop album on Genius.com on Thursday night.

In case anyone is wondering why this became a national issue in the summer of ’21, you can thank Maggie Haberman of the New York Times, who know serious national concern. However, she didn’t seem to realize this before, when she attended”Springsteen on Broadway“July 3 and innocence tweeted out what turned out to be the correct “sways” line, immediately outraged about half of America, as some of Haberman’s tweets would not.

The screen door slams shut, Mary’s skirt sways pic.twitter.com/EcFpwPtyjr

– Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 3, 2021

The firestorm continued on social media for nearly two weeks before Los Angeles Times contributor Published by Rob Tannenbaum one of the most compelling investigative journalism in the music space since Jim DeRogatis’ R. Kelly. However, Tannenbaum’s questions led to a “Rashomon” dead end. The writer notes that Sotheby’s two years ago auctioned Springsteen’s original handwritten lyrics, which read “The screen door slams the swaying Anne dress”, which seems revealing but also poses the question of whether to trust a man who had promised even to Anne. and Mary, he’ll take them away. The artists who have covered the song over the years help keep them singing “wave,” and Melissa Etheridge, who sang it as a duet with Springsteen on “MTV Unplugged,” told the Times she discussed the lyrics. song with him afterwards and ” he would tell me if it wasn’t ‘waves’. ‘ He’ll say, ‘You’re singing it wrong, honey.’ So it’s definitely ‘wave.’ “Country star Eric Church, who also often covers tunes:” “Sways” more attractive. Assessing the empirical evidence in hand, Tannenbaum concluded firmly: “Springsteen was not one of rock’s great messengers.”

Meanwhile, Steven Van Zandt, who may have driven to the rescue, and who explains a lot of topics on Twitter, has found someone he considers to be below him. In response to questions, the E Street Band guitarist wrote: “Oy vey. Get this Bruce lyrics off my feed! “

Wow! Get this Bruce lyrics off my feed! https://t.co/9NndRYbucU

– Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) July 5, 2021

Springsteen’s camp declined to comment on the Los Angeles Times story two days ago, suggesting that the man himself may have liked to remain such a mystery. But when New Yorker editor David Remnick himself is emailing Jon Landau, it’s easier to get a definitive response. And, now, the long sought answer no longer follows (or sways ‘, or whatever) in the wind.

Mary cannot be reached for comment on this or is not particularly beautiful.