GROWIN' UP

Live 09 Mar 1974 (KLOL-FM) version

[Spoken:] Do Growin' Up. Come on, we haven't done that, we haven't done
that, why don't we just do that.
(Yeah, that's nice)
Oh yes
[laughs]
[tuning]
[Clarence (spoken):] Hey I asked first, where is that at?

Well I stood stone-like at midnight suspended in my masquerade
And I combed my hair till it looked just right and commanded the night brigade
I was open to pain and crossed by the rain, and I walked on a crooked crutch
Well, I strode all alone into a fallout zone and came out with my soul untouched
I hid in the clouded wrath of the crowd, when they said "sit down" I stood up
Ooh, ooh, growin' up

Well the flag of piracy flew from my mast, my sails were set wing to wing
I had a jukebox graduate for first mate, she couldn't sail but she sure could sing
I pushed B-52 and bombed 'em with the blues with my gear set stubborn on standing
I broke all the rules, strafed my old high school, and never once gave thought to landing
I hid in the clouded warmth of the crowd, when they said "come down" I threw up
Ooh, ooh, growin' up

Somebody take it! [laughs]

Ah, well, I took month-long vacations in the stratosphere, and you know it's really hard to hold your breath
Swear I lost everything I ever loved or feared, I was the, the cosmic kid in full costume dress
My feet they finally took root in the earth, but I got me a nice little place here in the stars
Well I swear I found the key to the universe in the engine of an old parked car
Oh, and I hid in the mother breast of the crowd, when they said "pull down" I pulled up
Ooh, ooh, growin' up
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh, growin' up

Yeah

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 09 Mar 1974 radio performance of GROWIN' UP as broadcast on Houston's KLOL-FM. The song was played in a full-band acoustic arrangement.

The 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM Radio Performance

Bruce Springsteen's 09 Mar 1974 radio performance was broadcast live on Houston's KLOL-FM. The show took place on the afternoon of 09 Mar 1974 at the radio station in Houston, TX. This was lengthiest of all Springsteen radio station performances. The complete performance was recorded off the airwaves and has since circulated among fans.

The 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast was commercially released in Europe. Since 2005 some enterprising record labels in Europe (mostly in the UK) have been releasing Bruce Springsteen radio and TV broadcasts (and some soundboard recordings) from the seventies, eighties, and nineties. Though these releases are not authorized by Bruce Springsteen or his record company, they are lawful due to a legal loophole in Europe.

Bruce Springsteen -- On The Crest Of The Airwaves

Digital album - Rock Melon (no catalog number) - UK, 2014

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, the 05 Feb 1975 broadcast from The Main Point, and various TV appearances from the nineties.

Bruce Springsteen -- Live Sessions: Houston Boston Richmond

Digital album - Wyte Myce (no catalog number) - UK, 2015

This is a download-only digital album. It contains the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast, part of the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- Sentimental Journey

CD - Broadcasting Radio Records (BRR5032) - UK, 2015

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, plus three bonus tracks.

Bruce Springsteen -- Sentimental Journey

LP - Broadcasting Radio Records (BRR4032) - UK, 2015

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, plus three bonus tracks.

Bruce Springsteen -- Live In Studio 1974 + Bonus 1973

LP - DOL (DOR2109H) - Russia, 2016

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and part of the 09 Jan 1973 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- Acoustic Radio Broadcast Collection

2xCD - The Broadcast Archive (BSCD6047) - UK, 2017

This release contains the 09 Jan 1973 WBCN-FM radio broadcast, the 31 May 1973 WGOE-FM radio broadcast, the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast. This is a repackaging of Good Ship Funke's Acoustic Radio 1973 and Acoustic Radio 1974.

Bruce Springsteen -- Acoustic Radio 1974

CD - Good Ship Funke (GS024) - UK, 2017

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast. It was also released on CD exclusively as part of the Acoustic Radio Broadcast Collection package.

Bruce Springsteen -- Live In Studio 1973-1974

LP - BRR (BRR4035LPP) - Europe, 2017

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and part of the 09 Jan 1973 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- Live Houston '74

CD - Rox Vox (RVCD2107) - UK, 2018

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- The 1974 Acoustic Radio Sessions

2xLP - Big Car (unknown catalog number) - UK, 2018

This release contains the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast and the 09 Apr 1974 WBCN-FM radio broadcast.

Bruce Springsteen -- The Great American Road Trip

10xCD - Evolution Music (EMG01) - UK, 2020

This release contains the 31 Jul 1973 broadcast from My Father's Place, the 03 Mar 1974 late show broadcast from Georgetown University, the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, the 05 Feb 1975 broadcast from The Main Point, the 30 Sep 1978 broadcast from Fox Theatre, plus some various TV performances from 1992-1995.

Bruce Springsteen -- Thunder Road - Live

20xCD - KP Music (SPRING01) - Europe, 2020

This release contains the 31 Jul 1973 broadcast from My Father's Place, the 03 Mar 1974 late show broadcast from Georgetown University, the 09 Mar 1974 KLOL-FM radio broadcast, the 05 Feb 1975 broadcast from The Main Point, the 15 Aug 1975 early show broadcast from Bottom Line, the 17 Oct 1975 early show broadcast from The Roxy Theatre, the 09 Aug 1978 broadcast from The Agora, the 30 Sep 1978 broadcast from Fox Theatre, the 05 Jun 1992 broadcast from Hollywood, the 20 Aug 1994 show with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers at Marz American Style, plus some various TV performances from 1992-1995.

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of GROWIN' UP on this website:

Page last updated: 08 Jan 2012