Roulette by Bruce Springsteen

Album: Tracks (1988)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This song is about the meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979. At the time, there was a great deal of debate over the use of nuclear energy, as it presented safety and environmental concerns.
This was the first song recorded during sessions for The River, but Springsteen decided not to use it on the album. Even though it was recorded in 1979, it was not released until 1988 as the B-side of "One Step Up." It resurfaced on the 1998 album Tracks, a collection of Springsteen outtakes.

Comments: 2

Andy Caulton from New HampshireSays everything you need to know about the quality of Springsteen's songs, that a song as dynamic as this DID NOT make The River. Driven, passionate new wavesque lyrics...[the Costello comparison is excellent], all framed by Max Weinberg's incomparable drumming.
Steve from Fenton, MoI always thought this song was written and sung in the style of Elvis Costello with the breakneck pace and the cramming of lyrics into the song so that Bruce can barely get them out and keep up with the tempo. A great song and great performance of the song in my opinion.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Justify My LoveMadonna

Madonna's "Justify My Love" was co-written by Lenny Kravitz.

Old ManNeil Young

Neil Young's song "Old Man" was inspired by the caretaker of the ranch he bought in 1970. Neil was the young man at the time, just 25.

Call Me MaybeCarly Rae Jepsen

"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen was the song of the summer in 2012 and a major meme. It got some help from her fellow Canadian Justin Bieber, who tweeted that it was "possibly the catchiest song I've ever heard."

Born In The U.S.A.Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." was inspired by the book (later a movie) Born On The Fourth Of July by Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran who protested the war when he returned home.

BeautifulChristina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera did her "Beautiful" vocal in one take; the opening line, "Don't look at me," is something she said to her friend in the studio who was there to offer support.

I Will Always Love YouWhitney Houston

Dolly Parton is just fine with Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You." Said Parton: "She can have the credit. I just want my cash."