Live 22 Jan 1998 version
Tonight my bag is packed
Tomorrow I'll walk these tracks
That'll lead me across the border
Tomorrow my love and I
Will sleep 'neath auburn skies
Somewhere across the border
We'll leave behind, my dear
The pain and sadness we found here
We'll drink from the Bravo's muddy waters
Where the sky grows gray and white
We'll meet on the other side
There across the border
For you I'll build a house
High up on a grassy hill
Somewhere across the border
Where pain and memory
Pain and memory have been stilled
There across the border
And sweet blossoms fill the air
Pastures of gold and green
Roll down into cool clear waters
And in your arms 'neath open skies
I'll kiss the sorrow from your eyes
There across the border
[Spoken:] Accordion.
For what are we
Without hope in our hearts
That someday we'll drink from God's blessed waters
Eat the fruit from the vine
I know love and fortune will be mine
Somewhere across the border
Hoo-hoo...
Hoo-hoo...
Hoo-hoo...
Hoo-hoo...
The above song lyrics are for the live 22 Jan 1998 performance of ACROSS THE BORDER at Sony Music Studios in New York City, NY, during the taping for the Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State Of The Union documentary. The song was played in its full-band album arrangement. Springsteen skipped two verses on this version.
Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State Of The Union is a TV documentary celebrating Rolling Stone magazine's 30th anniversary. The two-hour special includes interview snippets with Bruce Springsteen as well as full-band performances of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD and ACROSS THE BORDER. This was the live premiere of the full-band version of both songs. Springsteen was backed by musicians from The Ghost Of Tom Joad album sessions: Danny Federici on keyboards (on THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD) and accordion (on ACROSS THE BORDER), Jim Hanson on bass, Marty Rifkin on pedal steel guitar, and Gary Mallaber on drums. His interview and performances were filmed by director Joe Berlinger on 22 Jan 1998 at Sony Music Studios in New York City, NY.
Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State Of The Union premiered on ABC on 21 May 1998 and was later aired on MTV and VH-1. It was not commercially released on home video but it was promotionally distributed on VHS.
List of available versions of ACROSS THE BORDER on this website:
ACROSS THE BORDER [Album version]