Red-Headed Woman

Album: In Concert/MTV Plugged (1992)
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Songfacts®:

  • Springsteen wrote this song about his second wife, the red-headed Patti Scialfa, whom he married in 1991. She joined his E Street Band in 1984 and has released a few solo albums, including Rumble Doll (1993) and 23rd Street Lullaby (2004).
  • Well listen up stud
    Your life's been wasted
    Til you've got down on your knees and tasted
    A red headed woman


    Yes, this means what you think it does. In concert, Springsteen has said that the song is about cunnilingus.
  • Springsteen never recorded a studio version of "Red-Headed Woman" but it's the opening track on his Plugged: In Concert MTV special, which aired on November 11, 1992. These concerts were designed to be unplugged, acoustic, which is how Bruce performed the song. But then he and his band plugged in and did the rest of the show electric, making quite a statement (not quite Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival, but a statement nonetheless). The E Street Band was on hiatus for this performance, which was released as an album and on video in 1993. When the DVD was released, it contained some additional tracks.
  • Springsteen played this song live for the first time in 1990 at two benefit concerts where he was joined by Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. He said that Raitt was his other favorite redhead, along with Scialfa.

Comments: 3

  • Spencer from Port Moody, BcThe song appears as the first track on Bruce Sprinsteen's In Concert MTV (Un)Plugged album.
  • Neil from Philly, Pathe song is about Patti Scialfa his wife and band member
  • Jillian from Cincinnati, OhEvery redheaded woman *loves* this song! :)
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