Bruce Springsteen

Songwriter: Blind Alfred Reed

Well, the doctor comes 'round here with his face so bright
And he says, "In a little while you'll be all right"
But all he gives is a humbug pill, a dose of dope, and a great big bill
Tell me how can a poor man stand such times and live?

He said, "Me and my old school pals had some mighty high times right here
And what happened to you poor black folks, well, it just ain't fair"
He took a look around, gave a little pep talk, said, "I'm with you," then he took a little walk
Tell me how can a poor man stand such times and live?

There's bodies floating on Canal and the levee's blown to Hell
Martha, get me my sixteen gauge and some dry shells
Them who've got got out of town, them who ain't got left to drown
Tell me how can a poor man stand such times and live?

I got family scattered from Texas all the way to Baltimore
Mister, I ain't got no home in this world no more
Gonna be a judgment, that's a fact, a righteous train rolling down this track
How can a poor man stand such times and live?
Tell me how can a poor man stand such times and live?
Tell me how can a poor man stand such times and live?

Bruce Springsteen is a rock ‘n’ roll icon from the great state of New Jersey. Nicknamed “The Boss,” he’s known for spirited sax-powered anthems about working-class people making their way in the world. Backed by the trusty E Street Band, he’s sold more than 120 million records, won numerous awards (including 20 Grammys and an Oscar), sold out stadiums around the globe, and earned a place alongside his teenage heroes in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Although he’s a living legend who ranks among the most important artists in rock history, Springsteen wasn’t an overnight success. Around the time of his first album, 1973’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., he was dismissed as just another “new Dylan"—some scruffy folk singer with a decent vocabulary looking to follow in Bob’s footsteps. In the decade that followed, Springsteen proved himself to be much more.

His breakthrough came with his third album, 1975’s Born to Run. The record hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and landed the singer-songwriter on the cover of both Time and Newsweek. Bruce nabbed his first chart-topping album five years later with The River, and in 1984, he went global with Born in the U.S.A., a critical and commercial smash that produced seven Top 10 singles.

more tracks from the album

Live in Dublin

From the album

Live in Dublin (2007)

Bruce Springsteen popular songs

How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live? (Live in Dublin)Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen

Live in Dublin