The Hitter (Bruce Springsteen, Devils and Dust, 2005)

"The Hitter"

Come to the door, Ma, and unlock the chain
I was just passin' through and got caught in the rain
There's nothin' I want, nothin' that you need say
Just let me lie down for a while and then I'll be on my way

I was no more than a kid when you put me on the Southern Queen
With the police on my back I fled to New Orleans
I fought in the dockyards and with the money that I made
And the fight was my home and any blood was my trade

Baton Rouge, Ponchatoula, and La Fayette town
Well they paid me the moon, Ma, to knock the men down
I did what I did, when it come easily
Restraint and mercy were always strangers to me

I fought champion Jack Thompson in a field full of mud
Rain poured through the tent to the canvas and mixed with our blood
In the twelfth, I slipped my tongue over my broken jaw
And I stood over him, pounded his blooded body into the floor

Well the bell rang and rang, still I kept on
'Til I felt my glove leather slip 'tween his skin and bone
And the women and the money came fast, in the days I lost track
The women red, the money green, but the numbers were black
I fought for the men in their silk suits to lay down their bets
Well I took my good share, Ma, and I had no regret

I took the fixed staid hombre with Big Diamond Don*
From high in the rafters I watched myself fall
So he raised his arms, my stomach twisted, and the sky it went black**
I stuffed my bag with their good money, and I never looked back
Understand me, and Ma, every man plays a game
If you know anyone different, then speak out his name

Well Ma, if my voice, now you don't recognize
And just open the door and look into your dark eyes
I ask of you nothin', not a kiss, not a smile
Just open the door and let me lie down for a while

Now the grey rain is fallin' and my ring fighting's done
So in the work fields and alleys, I take them who'll come
If you're a better man than me then just step to the line
And show me your money and speak out your crime
There's nothin' I want, Ma, nothin' that you need say
Just let me lie down for a while and then I'll be on my way

Well tonight in the shipyard, a man draws a circle in the dirt
Like I always do, I move to the centre and I take off my shirt
I study him for the cuts, the scars, the pain man no time can erase
I move hard to the left and I strike to the face

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Hitter
• Bruce
• Springsteen
• Brett
• Wolff
• Cover

[joeminutes11]

Good Job. !st time I heard this. Beautiful.

[johnnyM809]

Very good version of one of my favourite songs from the brilliant Devils and Dust album.

[AbiSmythe]

You are really, really good. Nice job on one of my favorite songs. Keep playing.

[bubbaw1234]

@23SCRS23 what I am doing isn't too hard. It goes back and forth between G and C chords plucking the bass note with my thumb on the low e and a stings. I pick the G and B strings with my index and middle fingers. Fool around with it. The number of beats on each chord changes depending on the melody. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. You will learn more from that than me telling you how I do it in a video. One thing though, on the G chord, I finger the B string on the 3rd fret (d), so 320033. BAW

[llvidaloca]

hey nice singing :) i like ur cover of this song.keep up!

[Tunnelof]

Good cover

[TheWolfDogMoon]

great job. well done. I love Devils and Dust, one of the best albums ever. The Hitter is awesome. I have trouble remembering the last 3 verses, but have been working on it on guitar. I'll get it eventually. Might post a version. Or Reno. Stay tuned.

[ilgeneralisimo]

Excellent! You rule!

[minger43]

Very good take on a haunting song, like you said....

How about 'Goodbye' by Steve Earle? I think you could pull it off.....

[ThunderRoadBluebird]

Marry me! You sing that absolutly beautiful. Blown away, I can not stop listening.