Happy 4th of July to All  (who celebrate it)

When I think of music that represents the real American people, the first person who comes to mind is Bruce Springsteen.

The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle is the second studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was recorded by Springsteen with the E Street Band at 914 Sound Studios in Blauvelt, New York; and released on November 11, 1973.

“4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)”, often known just as “Sandy,” is one of the best-known and most praised of Bruce’s early efforts. The song remains one of his most popular ballads.

“Sandy” showcases the wistful side of Springsteen; Los Angeles Times writer Robert Hilburn later wrote that “the verses [were] whispered as if he was singing into his girlfriend’s ear.” During recording of the song for the album, Springsteen wanted a children’s choir to sing on it, but they did not show up for the session. Instead, he recorded the high, clear voice of Suki Lahav, overdubbing it repeatedly, to give a choir-like effect. Lahav, the wife of Springsteen’s sound engineer at the time, would not be credited for her role, but would later join the E Street Band for six months as a violinist and singer.

Within the E Street Band, the song was heavily identified with Danny Federici’s accordion part, which is the main musical element. “Sandy” was played several times late on the first leg of the 2007–2008 Magic Tour, including Federici’s final regular appearance in November 2007 before taking a leave of absence for melanoma treatment. When Federici made his only return to the stage after that, on March 20, 2008, when he appeared for portions of a Springsteen and E Street Band performance at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, “Sandy” was the one song that he requested be performed. Following Federici’s April 17, 2008 death, “Sandy” was performed in tribute to him, with Roy Bittan taking over the accordion part. In July 2008, the live EP Magic Tour Highlights was released, with the final Federici performance of “Sandy” the closing track. The song has been played live about 230 times.

The “Madam Marie” mentioned in the song was a real-life fortune teller on the Asbury Park boardwalk named Marie Castello, who died June 27, 2008, aged 93. Springsteen offered memories and condolences of her on his website, saying:

“Back in the day when I was a fixture on the Asbury Park boardwalk, I’d often stop and talk to Madam Marie as she sat on her folding chair outside the Temple of Knowledge. I’d sit across from her on the metal guard rail bordering the beach, and watched as she led the day trippers into the small back room where she would unlock a few of the mysteries of their future. She always told me mine looked pretty good – she was right. The world has lost enough mystery as it is – we need our fortunetellers. We send our condolences out to her family who’ve carried on her tradition. Over here on E Street, we will miss her.”

Studio version here and live version after the lyrics.

Sandy the fireworks are hailin’ over little Eden tonight
Forcin’ a light into all those stony faces left stranded on this fourth of July
Down in town the circuit’s full of switchblade lovers so fast, so shiny, so sharp
As the wizards play down on Pinball Way on the boardwalk way past dark
And the boys from the casino dance with their shirts open like Latin lovers on the shore
Chasin’ all them silly New York virgins by the score

And Sandy, the aurora’s risin’ behind us
This pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh love me tonight for I may never see you again
Hey Sandy girl
My, my baby

Now the greasers, ah they tramp the streets or get busted for sleeping on the beach all night
Them boys in their high heels ah Sandy their skins are so white
And me I just got tired of hangin’ in them dusty arcades bangin’ them pleasure machines
Chasin’ the factory girls underneath the boardwalk where they all promise to unsnap their jeans
And you know that tilt-a-whirl down on the south beach drag
I got on it last night and my shirt got caught
And they kept me spinnin’ they didn’t think I’d ever get off

Oh Sandy, the aurora is risin’ behind us
This pier lights our carnival life on the water
laughin’ ‘neath the boardwalk, ah, with the boss’s daughter
I remember Sandy girl, na, na, na, na, na baby

Sandy that waitress I was seeing lost her desire for me
I spoke with her last night, she said she won’t set herself on fire for me anymore
She worked that joint under the boardwalk, she was always the girl you saw boppin’ down the beach with the radio
The kids say last night she was dressed like a star in one of them cheap little seaside bars
And I saw her parked with lover boy out on the Kokomo
Did you hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin’ fortunes better than they do
For me this boardwalk life’s through, babe
You ought to quit this scene too

Sandy, the aurora is rising behind us
This pier lights our carnival life forever
Oh, love me tonight and I promise I’ll love you forever
Oh, I mean it, Sandy, girl
My, my, my, my, my baby
Yeah, I promise, Sandy, girl
Sha, la, la, la, la, baby
Songwriters: Bruce Springsteen

Here’s a live version that I find very touching.  Bruce & Crew, I love you.

https://youtu.be/XqdrTiYLOlc