Cautious Man

Album: Tunnel of Love (1987)
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Songfacts®:

  • This mellow Springsteen story song is about an honest, industrious man who meets the girl of his dreams. They get married, but he's plagued by vision of her cheating on him, even though there's no evidence that she is. He wakes from a dream where she's being unfaithful only to find her next to him in bed.

    At the time, Sprinsteen was keenly aware of the struggles and doubts that can come with marriage; he was a few years into his marriage to his first wife, Julianne Phillips. They ended up getting divorced in 1989, and two years later, Springsteen married Patti Scialfa, a singer in his E Street Band.
  • Springsteen rarely plays this song live, but when he does, he describes it as one of his favorites. At a 2005 show at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, he said the song was about "brinksmanship," adding, "Those were the kinds of characters that interested me - on the brink of learning something."
  • "Cautious Man" is part of the Tunnel Of Love album, which Springsteen recorded by himself in his home studio in Rumson, New Jersey. On some tracks, band members added overdubs, but this one is all Bruce. He programmed the drum machine and also played guitar, mandolin, bass, harmonica, and keyboards.

    After touring to support the album, Springsteen broke up the E Street band and started a family - all three of his kids were born in the '90s. He got the band back together in 1999.
  • The character in this song may be cautious, but he has tattoos: "Love" on one hand and "Fear" on the other, symbolizing his inner conflict.

Comments: 4

  • Girl E from Florida I think this is a great song - well the whole album is! This song tells me about a man who has doubts and lots of questions... like we all do in relationships. He loves her, way over thinks, only to find himself with nothing but road... the road of life. In the end he returns to her, enjoying what he has in spite of uncertainty... life.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyI guess my hearing was off the first time I heard this song; I thought the opening line was "The warden was a cautious man" {Well, I was 43 years old when 'Tunnel of Love' was released, so maybe that explains it}...
  • Scott from Detroit, MiI think James from Chattanooga has some anger issues...good luck with that.
  • James from Chattanooga, TnWhat a farce? He promised his roadies if they sacrificed for him on the way to the top, he would reward them. They ended up in court with Bruce losing Big Time Bucks. He spoke of his roadies as common dirt labor. Contrast this with a Elvis that gave out bonus's to all after every concert. Bruce's lyrics are less than mature and sophistacated. On one hand he "FEARS" that his narcissic "LOVE" will be his downfall.
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