Bobby Jean

by

Bruce Springsteen

Album: Born In The U.S.A.      Released: 1984

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This was written as a farewell message to guitarist Steven Van Zandt, who left the E Street Band during the recording of Born In The U.S.A. pursue other projects. Van Zandt returned to the band years later.

Springsteen: "A good song about youthful friendship."

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Comments:

This is a song about Little Steven when he first left the E Street Band, he eventually came back(THANK GOD!). This song is one of my favorites, it just gets to me all the times I hear it...
- Jim, Long Beach, CA

I heard this song for years and liked it alot. One day, soon after my older sister with whom I had a very close relationship committed suicide, I was listening to my old friend Bruce for some much needed comfort and this song came on. It resonated with me like no other time before and has reminded me of her in a 'not so painful' way ever since. I will be eternally grateful to him for helping me deal with the most painful loss of my life.
- Mike, Bristol, CT

One of my favorites. I remember getting this album (on cassette) on my 18th birthday in 1984. I've heard this is about little Stevie, as well, but part of what makes a song great is how you interpet them.I can think of a few people in my life that I think of when I hear this song. A best friend, a girlfriend, a brother, etc. This song is and always will be one of my favorites.
- Gerard, RONKONKOMA, NY

Oh man, I've just discovered this song, and I thought it was a love song to a girl he once knew, this has ruined it for me, well to me it's a love song, bite me.
- Chris, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

i love this song. The best on BITUSA album
- Mark, Ruapehu, New Zealand

I guess its about Steve splitting to do his own thing. A real cool song. The cool thing about Springsteen's songs is that its not hard to see yourself and the people you know in those songs too...
- Malicious Matt, Squatney, -

For me, a top 5 Boss song, very intense on the emotional aspect. Reminds me of the special friends who faded in and out of your life. Those with special bonds and memories, and when you hear a song, it just brings a smile to your face. A happy thought tempered with a slight bit of longing for days of old....
- Tom, Hershey, PA

This was also uesd on the CBS TV show "Cold Case".
- Kevin, Memphis , TN

Bobby Jean is most definately Little Steven. It is a farewell song " Good luck, good bye, Bobby Jean"
- Tyler, Hamilton

The song feels a little bizarre if Bobby Jean is a man. I always thought of Bobby Jean as a girl and that there's some specific but unstated reason why she's leaving town. That's why I like the it, it's ambiguous and that makes it intriguing. The other thing that I think is hinted at in this song is regret. I always imagined that Bobby Jean was a close female friend that the narrator always imagined he would end up with and he's shocked and sorry that she's gone because if he had known he would have made a move. Once again, that doesn't work if the title character is a man.
- Amy, Pittsburgh, PA

This song was selected over "Boys Under the Bridge," for inclusion on "Born in the USA" Both songs conveyed the same message in a fairly similar tune. "Boys Under the Bridge" was later released on Tracks. Why people continue to want to pin down song writers I just don't understand. Maybe you start with a feeling of missing a certain someone but then the "Muse" takes over and the song takes life. This ambiguity allows for everyone to draw meaning from a song not just the writer. Damn It!
- mark, worcester, MI

I'd also add that the departure of Van Zandt brought Nils Lofgren aboard the E Street Band and added a lot to the live shows. Nils is a very very good guitar player. Much better than Van Zandt.
- mark, worcester, MI

I love this song,i remember always listening to it in the car (must be 20 years ago).Those were the days !!.
- dave, redditch worcs, England

it is NOT a farewellsong, in the last sentence he sings "just to say I miss you, baby". I don't know where you got that crap from, but I don't think is is so
- thomas, faaborg, Denmark

but it doesn't mean that it isn't a farewellsong to a friend, but a female-friend
- thomas, faaborg, Denmark

Scott, what you say is true. It is, at least, the way I lived it.
- Alexander, Aguascalientes, Mexico

Just a great song
- Bobby, Valley S tream, NY

Good song about saying goodbye too old friends.
- Kyle, Belleville, Canada

I always thought of this as sort of a sequel to Backstreets. This is him saying goodbye to the girl years later after she's left town. Just my take.
- Scott, St. Louis, MO

Superb, underrated song. Funny, but I always thought of Bobby Jean as a girl. It never occured to me that it was Little Steven, but it makes sense.
- Matt, Durham, NH

One of his best in my humble opinion.
- Larry, aurora, KY

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