There’s some debate as to the actual name of this unreleased, never-performed Springsteen original composition.
In Bruce’s handwritten notes, he refers to it as “I Heard the Word,” and certainly that line is oft-repeated. It was eventually copyrighted in 1995 under the title “The Word.”
But in the actual studio recording from 1972, it’s referred to verbally as “The Song,” and so that’s what we’ll go with.
Regardless of what you call the song, “The Song” is rather typical of Bruce’s early songwriting: lyrically lush with colorful nicknames, religious imagery, and dense metaphor describing the unknowable, unattainable, unchainable object of his desire.
Well you flash your tongue like diamonds
You tied me to your wildcat schemes
And you forced me to into a power dive
And left your mark on my jeans
And I heard the word on your soldiers
And I heard the word on Jesus too
I heard the word on the country
But I never heard the word on you
Your love was like a machine gun
I wore your bugle in my belt
And I was your kid glove lover
All the cards were yours, you always dealt
And I stood before your soapbox
Noiseless and shoeless playing my pantry boy’s games
You had your raised up, you had your hands raised up
You were raised up to the sky shouting, “Oh Sunday deity
Oh Big Daddy Longlegs, come down and bless your sister please”
You were shouting orders about the construction going on down the highway
Doing the Virginia reel, you were naming names, blaming blames
And you blamed me
You wore your heart like a challenge
Far and apart for anyone who came
Open and wide like the river
With rocks on both sides to keep the water tame
But I heard the word on your high tides
And I felt the pain when I tried to rip your floodgates wide
And pull your body on over to my side where we both could hide
But you heard about the freedom ride
And you heard about the highway crew
Who could cut the light a little bit faster than you
So you left me just your shoes
And I heard the word on Jesus
And I heard the word on his marching troops
I heard the word on the country
But I never heard the word on you
It’s not one of Bruce’s strongest songs, even when considered just among his early work. It’s not surprising it was left off of Greetings from Asbury Park. But it’s still a fascinating peek at an artist still developing his voice and his style.
The Song
Recorded: April/May, 1972
Never Released
Never Performed
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