# What was the first song of your first Springsteen show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 9, 2014, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848 "2014-10-09T11:32:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/1 "2014-10-09T11:32:50Z")
Mine was Buddy Holly’s _Rave On_ in November 1978 at the Munn Ice Arena/East Lansing MI. I’ve been trying to catch the beginning of the shows they play daily on Sirius XM and haven’t heard one in which he did that song. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/2 "2014-10-09T11:37:12Z")
If we’re allowed to count seeing him live on TV (which is the only way I’ve ever seen Springsteen in concert), then “No Surrender”. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/3 "2014-10-09T11:39:28Z")
My first Springsteen concert was at Towson University (then called Towson State) on March 13, 1977. The first song he played was Night from the Born To Run album. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/4 "2014-10-09T11:52:53Z")
If I ever go to one, I’ll let you know… 😃 I know his name, but I don’t know that I associate it with any song beyond Born in the USA. That was him, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/5 "2014-10-09T12:28:34Z")
I can’t remember what I had for dinner last night, and you expect me to remember a concert over 30 years ago? OK, I probably can. IIRC it was “Prove It All Night.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/6 "2014-10-09T12:36:09Z")
Despite (or maybe because of) being a Jersey native I have never been a Springsteen fan. The only time I have seen him live was at the 12-12-12 concert for Sandy Relief. I was at the Garden, I did not see it on TV. He opened the show with _Land of Hope and Dreams_. I have to admit, he was really good live. I enjoyed it. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/7 "2014-10-09T12:46:53Z")
Born in the USA. RFK Stadium 1985. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/8 "2014-10-09T12:59:21Z")
12/17/92, Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY. “Better Days”. [This might be helpful.](http://brucebase.wikispaces.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/9 "2014-10-09T13:18:07Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > Born in the USA. RFK Stadium 1985. I was at that show, the only time I have been in the front row for a concert. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/10 "2014-10-09T13:52:53Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > 12/17/92, Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY. “Better Days”. > > [This might be helpful.](http://brucebase.wikispaces.com/) I sit corrected. It was “Born In the USA.” I saw 4 of the 7 shows at the LA Memorial Sports Arena. I caught the last performances of “Candy’s Room” and “Rosalita” for more than a decade. Good times. I also caught 3 of the last 4 shows of that tour, when Bruce wrapped it all up at the LA Coliseum next door. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/11 "2014-10-09T15:32:23Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > Born in the USA. RFK Stadium 1985. Same song, but different stop along that tour. The Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/12 "2014-10-09T16:07:05Z")
I’ve only been to one Springsteen show, 11/30/12 at Oracle Arena in Oakland. I had to look up the setlist; the first song was [Land of Hope and Dreams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTDNW9BfzfY). ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/13 "2014-10-09T16:11:36Z")
Lived here my whole life, have Never heard him play. (Joe Walsh, yes. Was a tiny kid & couldn’t help hear him practice. Pretty sure my substitute teacher in grade school was an aunt of his.) Missed him by a day a Hundred different times at a hundred different places; from the the Brighton Bar… to Atlantic Highlands restaurants; from the Wildwood Boardwalk to Ocean City; from New Brunswick streets to The Sussex Horse Show. (someone said they saw him there the day before). If there weren’t pictures & music, I’d think he was JD Salinger. Had tix to see him in '78 (with yellow money back vouchers from MSG-Ticketron as all they had were upper deck seats). Wasn’t allowed to see him. Always hoped to give him one of the vouchers if he’d sign the other one. Not to be. (…and Good Luck getting MSG to pay up) ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/14 "2014-10-09T17:15:43Z")
Only saw him once, as part of the Amnesty International benefit concert on 9/23/88. According to the setlist, his first song that night was “War”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/15 "2014-10-09T17:42:28Z")
It’s been so long ago that I don’t recall. It was in the fall of 1974. I do remember the last song was “Rosalita.” My girlfriend _hated_ him and insisted we leave. We would have left earlier but I held out to hear “Rosalita.” I see the setlist is online, so the first was “Incident on 57th Street.” Looks like I missed out on “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy).” Damn. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/16 "2014-10-11T12:47:49Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > 12/17/92, Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY. “Better Days”. > > [This might be helpful.](http://brucebase.wikispaces.com/) Thanks for that link. Interestingly enough it lists “High School Confidential” as the opener. One of the reviews refers to that song and the other calls it “High School Rock”…hmm, hope she wasn’t getting paid for the review. Either way I’d be willing to bet that it was Rave On. I made a mix tape of the songs from the show shortly afterwards so it stuck in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/17 "2014-10-11T12:56:50Z")
Human Rights Now show for Amnesty International in Philly. During the show set up Springsteed, Youssou N’Dour, Joan Baez, Tracey Chapman, Sting and Peter Gabriel performed ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ a cappella. It was good. Bruce appeared during Sting’s set on ‘Every Breath You Take’ and then opened his own set with ‘Born in the USA’. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/18 "2014-10-11T17:08:45Z")
Not sure. Back in 1975, Columbia was supposedly wondering how to promote Springsteen. The East Coast critics were creaming their jeans over him but–would he play in Peoria? The local Columbia rep suggested they send him to Houston, it being even more un-Yankeelike than Peoria. So he & his band came down on the train & played Liberty Hall. I saw all the shows. He went over real well & Columbia decided he might be worth it… ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/19 "2014-10-11T18:56:33Z")
I’d have to go digging for the ticket to confirm whether or not it was 5/7/2000 or 5/8/2000 at the Hartford Civic Center opening with Don’t Look Back and Roulette respectively. It’s the only show of his I’ve seen, and it was one of the most epic moments of my life. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848/20 "2014-10-11T19:32:57Z")
I hope he still plays. I’d love to see him on the “missed out back in the day” tour. Sure. Maybe that’ll happen with: Paul McCartney Sting The Who The Stones Jackson Browne James Taylor Stevie Nicks Pink Katy Perry …and just about anyone else who’d rather be audited by the IRS rather than have me at a show… Maybe they’d call it the ‘IRS Tax Show’. They could list whose on the bill\*… \*Proceeds to benefit _[BackTaxes.Org](http://BackTaxes.Org)_ a charity created to help those people who aren’t Cayman Island Republo Tax Cheats, can’t afford the Big4, never earned 6 digits, and are still being foreclosed on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-song-of-your-first-springsteen-show/700848.md?page=2)