Warren Zevon's album version
I was born down by the river where the dirty water flows
And the cold wind cut through me, it cut right through my clothes
And the anger and the yearning, like fever in my veins
Set the fire burning
She came down from Knightstown with her hands hard from the line
From the first time I laid eyes on her I knew that she'd be mine
Her father was a lawman, he swore he'd shoot me dead
'Cause he knew I wanted Jeannie and I'd have her like I said
Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter like me
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter on her side
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter
We met down by the river on the final day in May
And when I leaned down to kiss her she did not turn away
I drew out all my money and together we did vow
To meet that very evening and to get away somehow
Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter like me
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter, shooter on her side
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter
Jeannie needs a shooter
The night was cold and rainy down by the borderline
I was riding hard to meet her when a shot rang out behind
As I lay there in the darkness with a pistol by my side
Jeannie and her father rode off into the night
Jeannie needs a shooter
JEANNIE NEEDS A SHOOTER is a song written by Warren Zevon and Bruce Springsteen and released by Zevon on his 1980 album Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School. The above lyrics are for Warren Zevon's album version of JEANNIE NEEDS A SHOOTER as released in 1980.
Sometime between September 1976 and May 1977, when a court injunction was preventing Springsteen from recording in studio until his lawsuit with Mike Appel was resolved, Jon Landau mentioned to Warren Zevon some songs that Springsteen had written but could not record. Among the songs that Landau mentioned was JANEY NEEDS A SHOOTER, which Zevon misheard as "Jeannie Needs A Shooter". Borrowing the misheard title from Springsteen, Zevon went on to write a song of his own that he described as a cowboy song. "Every time I saw Springsteen I asked him about it and pleaded to hear the song," Zevon recalled. "On the one day Springsteen takes off from recording [Darkness On The edge Of Town], [I play] him... [my] interpretation of Jeannie and her shooter. Bruce loves the arrangement, and likes the first verse... [but then] realizes the real reason I invited him over. [We] sit down and write the next five verses [together], unfolding a romantic saga of an outlaw pursuing a maiden whilst her father tries to gun him down. Then he played me the original [song], and it was done in completely the opposite way... the line wasn't important at all."
In addition to its release on Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School, Warren Zevon's album version of JEANNIE NEEDS A SHOOTER was also released as a single and was included on various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album.
Bruce Springsteen has never performed JEANNIE NEEDS A SHOOTER live.
At least 2 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's JEANNIE NEEDS A SHOOTER.
List of available versions of JEANNIE NEEDS A SHOOTER on this website:
JEANNIE NEEDS A SHOOTER [Warren Zevon's album version]
