For every song that made it onto Born in the U.S.A., Bruce wrote five more that didn’t. We’ve listened to many of them on this blog over the past four years, and we’ll listen to more before we bring this journey to a close.
“Don’t Back Down” is one of those coulda-been-a-contender songs, if only Bruce had released it.
Bruce actually had two different works-in progress by that name during his L.A. Garage sessions, one of which became “Don’t Back Down On Our Love,” and both of which were finally released in 2025 on L.A. Garage Sessions ’83.
Its origins begin at least a year before Bruce recorded the released version, in this brief and very rough home demo from late 1981 or early 1982.
By early 1983, Bruce had fashioned a full song and recorded it alone, accompanied by a drum machine.
Lyrically, I’d argue that the released version of “Don’t Back Down” is still a work in progress: the third verse is just the first verse repeated and the second verse sounds at least lightly bluffed–but this is still a fully formed pop song with verses in the mold of “Two Hearts” and a refrain reminiscent of “No Surrender.”
If you’re out on your own and you ain’t got a home
And it feels like the whole world’s just gonna fall on you
You’re just running scared, look around, there’s nothing there
And you ain’t got the strength and your friends all just stall on you
A roar comes up loud and you’re lost in the crowd
Once you thought you might make it, but babe, these days you doubt it
If you need a hand, honey, I understand
Just stand on up, yeah, stand up and shout it girl
Don’t back down, don’t back down
Don’t back down, don’t back down
Don’t back down, don’t back down
Don’t back down, don’t back down
Now you see all the ones worn out and tired
There’s a fool all broken down by the wayside
With two hearts call out for hire
Filled with hurt, defeated by their foolish pride
Girl, you hear the sound of a one comin’ down
And you don’t think that these days you can make it, babe
Just step on up, I’ll give a hand
And if you ain’t got a problem, maybe we can shake it, baby
Don’t back down, don’t back down
Don’t back down, don’t back down
Don’t back down, don’t back down
Don’t back down, don’t back down
These aren’t Bruce’s deepest lyrics, but with a hook like that and a beat that doesn’t let up for even a moment’s breath, “Don’t Back Down” didn’t need depth to be a hit.
It just needed to be released.
Don’t Back Down
Recorded: Early 1983
Released: L.A. Garage Sessions ’83 (2025)
Never performed
© January 6, 2022 / December 28, 2025
Ken – That’s an interesting listen… I used to have a lot of outtakes digitally–via the old Stone Pony site I think? Still in the relatively Wild West days of music sharing but long after AudioGalaxy was out of control. Now I have zero Brucelegs.
Back then I zeroed in on a specific version that I liked that sounded like the one here, but was one of the tragic love versions. Lyrics I couldn’t quite make out but included stuff like… hmm, from memory: “Now I stand on Black Mountain and look out to the sea…….. and the love we swore would last as long as the water rolls on, I awoke in the darkness, it was gone gone gone/Don’t back down on our love”.
Do you know if the recent Sony music sale likely included all of his unreleased material as well?
I’ve been listening to all the versions of “Don’t Back Down”/“Don’t Back Down On Our Love” that are basically “The Klansman” with entirely different lyrics. It is such a haunting tune along with his reverbed voice, I certainly hope he will release it in one form or another. I’d love to hear a full band treatment, but do really love the Nebraska-esque solo versions.