Live 20 Oct 1995 version
Woke up from a dream, took a walk downstairs
That's when I saw him standing there
I swore I heard you down here singing
And next thing you know I was talking to the king
I was talking to the king in the promised land
He just flew in for a one night stand
All dressed in leather, guitar in his hand
I was talking to the king in the promised land
There's so many questions that I'd like to ask
He said go ahead and started to laugh
I lost a few pounds and quit dyeing my hair
I'm keeping clean, there ain't no pills up there
But one thing I miss is a place to sing in
I grabbed my guitars, started jamming with the king
And I was jamming with the king in the promised land
He just flew in for a one night stand
All dressed in leather, guitar in his hand
I was talking to the king in the promised land
Come on!
Talking to the king
Talking to the king
You better be careful or you'll lose everything
It ain't no fun to be a king
You make me mad when you start to complain
You should be glad nobody knows your name
You got two lovely kids and a wife at home
And I died alone on my throne
Sometimes I think I sold my soul
To become the king of rock and roll
I was talking to the king in the promised land
He just flew in for a one night stand
All dressed in leather, guitar in his hand
I was talking to the king in the promised land
I was talking to the king in the promised land
He just flew in for a one night stand
All dressed in leather, guitar in his hand
I was talking to the king in the promised land
You got two lovely kids and a wife at home
And I died alone on my throne
Sometimes I think I sold my soul
To become the king of rock and roll
Talking to the king in the promised land
He just flew in for a one night stand
All dressed in leather, guitar in his hand
I was talking to the king in the promised land, whoa!
Talking to the king
Talking to the king in the promised land
Talking to the king
Talking to the king in the promised land, come on!
Talking to the king
Talking to the king
Talking to the king
Talking to the king
TALKING TO THE KING is a 1992 song by Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. See the original Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers version for more details.
The above lyrics are for the live 20 Oct 1995 performance of TALKING TO THE KING at Nick's Fat City in Pittsburgh, PA, during Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers' October Assault Tour. Bruce Springsteen plays guitar and sings backup vocals on this song.
In October 1995, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers kicked off the release of their American Babylon album with a six-stop tour dubbed the "October Assault." Introduced as "honorary Houserocker of the week" on the first night, Bruce Springsteen joined the band for the majority of the set on all six dates, playing guitar and sharing vocals with Grushecky. At each show, Springsteen came out for American Babylon's WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR and remained on stage for the remainder of the set. The fourth date of the mini-tour (20 Oct 1995 in Pittsburgh, PA) was broadcast on radio. Eight songs from the fourth date and two songs from the fifth date (21 Oct 1995 in Pittsburgh, PA) were officially released.
This live 20 Oct 1995 version of TALKING TO THE KING appears on four official releases.
TALKING TO THE KING was performed 6 times during the 6-date-long October Assault Tour with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers. The live 20 Oct 1995 version was first officially released in 1996.
TALKING TO THE KING was performed during the first (2000), second (2001), fourth (2003), fifth (2004), seventh (2006), tenth (2010), eleventh (2011), twelfth (2012), fourteenth (2014), and fifteenth (2015) annual Light Of Day benefits. The song was played with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.
Bruce Springsteen appeared at a total of six Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers concerts at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh, PA, in 2010, 2011, and 2014. TALKING TO THE KING was performed on 04 Nov 2010, 05 Nov 2010, 03 Nov 2011, 04 Nov 2011, 22 May 2014, and 23 May 2014.
TALKING TO THE KING was performed off-tour on 02 Mar 1998 at Nick's Fat City in Pittsburgh, PA, during a guest appearance with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.
TALKING TO THE KING was performed off-tour on 09 Jul 1999 at Hooligans in Long Branch, NJ, during an acoustic guest appearance with Joe Grushecky.
TALKING TO THE KING was performed off-tour on 17 Jul 2004 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.
TALKING TO THE KING was performed off-tour on 02 Dec 2004 at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, PA, during the "Flood Aid '04" benefit concert.
TALKING TO THE KING was performed off-tour on 18 Jul 2015 at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers.
Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.
Info about the October Assault Tour is taken from Backstreets magazine issue #50/51.
If you have any corrections or additional info, please contact me via the below form or by email: .
List of available versions of TALKING TO THE KING on this website:
TALKING TO THE KING [Live 20 Oct 1995 version]
