Southside Johnny's album version
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Southside Johnny: | We lived in a time and a world of our own |
| Making up the rules as we went along | |
| Steven Van Zandt: | Just one coat between us and we never felt cold |
| We were never gonna get old | |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Playing cards 'till the sun came up, rolling dice |
| Down to the club and listening to the blues all night | |
| Southside Johnny: | Girls out on the corner get lonely now and then |
| Van Zandt and Springsteen: | We'd never be that free again |
| All: | It's been a long time since we laughed together |
| It's been a long time since we cried | |
| Raise your glass for the comrades we've lost | |
| My friend it's been a long, long time | |
| Southside Johnny: | Working just enough to pay the rent |
| Steven Van Zandt: | ??? money got made baby and money got spent |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Sleeping when we had nothing left to do |
| Southside and Springsteen: | Under the boardwalk and up on the roof |
| Southside Johnny: | Now we never quite fit baby, we never played the game |
| Steven Van Zandt: | Came out exploding like a runaway train |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Up all night talking 'bout dreams of better days |
| Southside and Van Zandt: | Ain't it funny how some things don't change |
| All: | It's been a long time since we laughed together |
| It's been a long time since we cried | |
| Raise your glass for the comrades we've lost | |
| My friend it's been a long, long time | |
| Southside Johnny: | Oh oh |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Southside Johnny: | We lived in a time and a world of our own |
| Making up the rules as we went along | |
| Steven Van Zandt: | Just one coat between us and we never felt cold |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Woah we were never gonna get old |
| All: | It's been a long time since we laughed together |
| It's been a long time since we cried | |
| Raise your glass for the comrades we've lost | |
| My friend it's been a long, long time | |
| All: | It's been a long time since we laughed together |
| It's been a long time since we cried | |
| Raise your glass for the comrades we've lost | |
| My friend it's been a long, long time | |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Southside Johnny: | It's been a long, long time |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Steven Van Zandt: | Oh yesterday |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Raise your glass baby |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Southside Johnny: | Ah yeah |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Southside Johnny: | It's been a long, long time |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Steven Van Zandt: | One more time baby |
| Bruce Springsteen: | One more time baby |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Steven Van Zandt: | Come on, come on, raise your glass now |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Southside Johnny: | I've been waiting since a long |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Steven Van Zandt: | Such a long long long time |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Raise your glass baby |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Southside Johnny: | Come on baby |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Bruce Springsteen: | Come on up, come on up |
| Backing vocalists: | Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa | |
| Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa... | |
| [Fades out] |
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME is a song written by Steven Van Zandt and released by Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes on their 1991 album Better Days. Bruce Springsteen contributed to the recording of the song, singing second lead vocal. The above lyrics are for Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes' album version of IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME as released in 1991.
Bruce Springsteen also donated and contributed to the recording of ALL THE WAY HOME from the same album. The album, or at least Springsteen's parts, were recorded in mid-1991 at Sigma Sound Studios in New York City, NY.
In addition to its release on Better Days, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes' album version of IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was also released as a single and included on some other official releases.
Other versions of IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME were also officially released.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 26 Sep 1991 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 27 Dec 1992 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 16 Jul 1994 at The Stone Pony Tent in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, during The Stone Pony's twentieth anniversary celebration.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 31 Jan 1998 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, during the "Come Together: Jon Bon Jovi & Friends" benefit concert. The song was played with Southside Johnny and Steven Van Zandt. See the live 31 Jan 1998 version for more details.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 16 Oct 2012 at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, NY, during a guest appearance at Right To Rock 2012, an event celebrating the tenth anniversary of the non-profit charity Little Kids Rock. The song was played with Southside Johnny.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 22 Apr 2017 at Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance at a Little Steven concert.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 27 May 2017 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, during a guest appearance at a Little Steven concert.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed off-tour on 21 Sep 2017 at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ, during a guest appearance at the Laid Back Festival. The song was played with Steven Van Zandt.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed once during World Tour 1992-1993 (104 dates, June 1992 to June 1993), on 24 Jun 1993 in East Rutherford, NJ. The song was played with Southside Johnny, Steven Van Zandt, and The Miami Horns. The 24 Jun 1993 show in East Rutherford, NJ, was billed as "Concert To Fight Hunger" (see the live 24 Jun 1993 version). The live 24 Jun 1993 version of IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993 official live download in 2018.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME was performed during all five 2003 Asbury Park holiday shows and all three 2003 Asbury Park holiday shows. These concerts were billed as "Bruce Springsteen with The Max Weinberg 7 and Friends", with The Max Weinberg 7 serving as the house band, and Springsteen bringing guests on and off the stage throughout the shows. On these shows the song was played with Southside Johnny in 2001 and with Southside Johnny and Steven Van Zandt in 2003.
Please contact me if you have scans for or info about any official release containing Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes' album version of IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME that's not mentioned on this page. I also need scans for the following releases:
Any additions, comments, or corrections to this page are welcome. You can contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME on this website:
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME [Southside Johnny's album version]
