Bruce Springsteen - Nothing Man Lyrics






I don't remember how I felt
I never thought I'd live
To read about myself
In my hometown paper
How my brave young life
Was forever changed
In a misty cloud of pink vapor

Darlin' give me your kiss
Only understand
I am the nothing man

Around here everybody acts the same
Around here everybody acts like nothing's changed
Friday night club meets at Al's Barbecue
The sky is still the same unbelievable blue

Darlin' give me your kiss
Come and take my hand
I am the nothing man

You can call me Joe
Buy me a drink and shake my hand
You want courage
I'll show you courage you can understand
Pearl and silver
Restin' on my night table
It's just me Lord, pray I'm able

Darlin' with this kiss
Say you understand
I am the nothing man
I am the nothing man





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Bruce Springsteen Nothing Man Comments
  1. K.... S....

    The same un-be-liev-a-ble blue...

  2. �.... �....

    Hey guys, can someone explain to me what is the meaning of this beautiful song? What do you get of this?

    �.... �....

    @Aaron Wright thank you very much for your time!! It really makes a whole lot more sense and I didn't know this detail!

    �.... �....

    I can tell you. Google Charles Wassil. He was a childhood friend of mine that was always a good guy thats not here any more. Read his obituary and brief bio . He was a hero. He cared about everybody and died a painful death. Growing up as kids no one would ever think they would end up dying the way he died.

    �.... �....

    @Gabe Kis I really am deeply sorry for your loss sir.. I have to say, he certainly was a real hero.. I can get this clearly..

    �.... �....

    @Μίνως Ντίνας after work today, I would like to reach out to you. Thank you for the kind words.

    �.... �....

    @Gabe Kis And i thank you for your kindness and the nice sharing !! I hope you be well !!!

  3. G.... Z....

    Oh, that pink vapor, made me understand - I am the nothing man.

  4. N.... G....

    Awesome

  5. E.... J....

    Simply reflective et awesome.

  6. T.... G....

    Gets me every time

  7. J.... D....

    Never Forget.

  8. h.... h....

    Never forget

  9. M.... ....

    Easily one of my 5 favorite songs by any artist. I remember being in school in Hudde in NYC on that fateful Tuesday morning, and "how my...life was forever changed in a misty cloud of pink vapor". All of our lives were changed.

  10. M.... J....

    No your not Tess best song and story on the lp try Western Stars let me know

  11. A.... K....

    9/11/01...the sky was still unbelievably blue

  12. M.... ....

    Bruuuuce

  13. a.... i....

    Beuttiful:(

  14. r.... p....

    “Non ricordo come mi sentivo
    non avrei mai pensato di sopravvivere
    per leggere di me
    sul giornale della mia città
    come la mia giovane e coraggiosa vita
    era cambiata per sempre
    in una nebbiosa nuvola di vapor roseo

    Cara dammi il tuo bacio
    capisci, io sono l’uomo da niente

    Qui intorno, ognuno si comporta come sempre
    qui intorno, ognuno si comporta
    come se nulla fosse cambiato
    venerdì notte, ci si incontra da Al’s barbecue
    il cielo ha sempre lo stesso incredibile colore blu

    Cara dammi il tuo bacio
    vieni e prendi la mia mano
    io sono l’uomo da niente

    Puoi chiamarmi Joe
    offrirmi da bere e stringermi la mano
    tu vuoi coraggio
    ti mostrerò il coraggio che puoi capire
    il rosario che è sul mio comodino
    sono solo io Signore, prega ne sono capace

    Cara, con questo bacio
    dimmi che capisci
    io sono l’uomo da niente
    io sono l’uomo da niente”.

  15. G.... h....

    Yes still Nice

  16. S.... W....

    About a soldier who just wants someone to understand what he's seen and what he's been through

  17. E.... A....

    Bruce parabens lindo trabalho. amei lançamento. Edna do Brasil.

  18. D.... L....

    "It's just me lord. Pray I'm able."

    D.... L....

    What does it mean, sorry my lousy english? I'm Finnish. What is he praying for able to do or be what kind of?

    D.... L....

    @sulutkin You could interpret is a number of ways, but how I read it is that because of his PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) from being in combat has caused him to isolate and not be able to meaningfully connect to people any more. So when he prays, he says "it's just me," and it could be that he's praying to be able to some day be able to connect to people again. However, this is a classic kind of line for a Springsteen song, where the lyric is kind of vague and could be interpreted a number of ways. For example, you could also read it as if he's actually suicidal, and he's praying to God to 'be able" to make it through the night. Beautiful and haunting music.

  19. R.... A....

    Dedicated to the memory of American Truther #IsaacKappy

  20. L.... T....

    che melodia....una melodia rilassante....grazie the boss

  21. K.... S....

    ...The sky is still... that same unbelievable blue...

  22. L.... T....

    Stupenda melodia

  23. M.... ....

    One can almost picture his hometown from the beautiful explanatory lyrics. One of my favorites.

  24. D.... E....

    cant believe this album is almost 16 years old .. seems like yesterday it came out

    D.... E....

    This is timeless in many ways, musically but also lyrics and how Bruce bring these super beautiful songs live and albums.

  25. M.... B....

    The ultimate storytelling

  26. d.... b....

    I will never forget that day. Not as long as I live.

    d.... b....

    sulutkin hello sulutkin,
    “You can call me “Joe”. Is a tribute to the American working class, the blue collar worker. While working among them myself, I learned that they sometimes affectionately call each other. “Joe” as a way of identifying each other as fellow blue collar workers. No doubt this evolved out of the expression “average, working-class Joe”. A blue collar man. “Hey Joe!” Is the upbeat greeting used, despite the individuals actual name.

    I think the song itself could refer to 9-11, but more likely refers to a fire incident in the small town where Joe lives. He is praised in the local newspaper as a hero, then questions the everyday actions and ways of those around him, saying, “Everyone acts the same.”
    Having had a major depressive episode myself, following a car accident and head trauma, I can completely relate to what Bruce is saying here. Is Joe, am I, still the Nothing Man? It surely can feel like it, and unfortunately all too often does...

    d.... b....

    “Pearl and silver resting in my night table” is a hand gun. “It’s just me Lord, I pray that I’m able” could be taken two ways; self defense or suicide. Given the post traumatic stress of 9-11 and similar traumas, suicide is the theme here.

    d.... b....

    @Was Somebody Pearl and Silver reference is spot on. It's a gun that he keeps close by because he is struggling with why he survived and is not sure that he can or wants to still live. This is a song about survivor's guilt after 9-11. "You want courage, I'll show you courage you can't understand" referencing the courage that so many others had to accept that they were not going to get out of the towers alive and had to make last phone calls to wives, spouses and others to say goodbye.

    d.... b....

    @sulutkin Springsteen channels hundreds of men (and woman) who are struggling with life and purpose after surviving 9-11-2001. the "read about myself in my hometown paper" is a reference to him reading about himself being missing on 9-11 and shortly thereafter only to have been found and survived. But now he is so wrought with guilt and sorrow in thinking about all of the others who died that day but that did not survive, and that is why he considers himself the "Nothing Man".

    d.... b....

    @sulutkin the "read about myself in my hometown paper" is a reference to him reading about himself being missing on 9-11 and shortly thereafter only to have been found and survived. But now he is so wrought with guilt and sorrow in thinking about all of the others who died that day but that did not survive, and that is why he considers himself the "Nothing Man".

  27. h.... v....

    Just Gold👌😊it makes me happy

  28. M.... O....

    so sad but yet so beautiful ...

  29. M.... O....

    what a beautiful song ...

  30. t.... s....

    am i the only one who thinks this song is incredibly beautiful but also quite haunting?

    t.... s....

    No you are not the only one

    t.... s....

    First time listening to Bruce?

    t.... s....

    Nope not at all.. Great song

  31. D.... K....

    Holy crap! The lyrics

  32. t.... 4....

    love ma daddy xxxx 😢

  33. c.... ....

    hope.dog it out and see the light

  34. b.... k....

    awesome,awesome!!!!!thx for sharing Erpera

  35. P.... H....

    Masterclass

  36. a.... e....

    efficient than cocaine

  37. m.... ....

    <3 thanks for sharing

  38. N.... E....

    Thought provoking.  He is a poet. 

    N.... E....

    not a poet a Word smith.

  39. R.... q....

    Super!!! The Boss number One!

  40. P.... T....

    Simply sublime !

  41. R.... ....

    Nice :)

  42. k.... ....

    brings the world together

  43. B.... K....

    The sky is stil the same unbeliveable blue....Great song.

    B.... K....

    Bob Ketcheson my favourite line in the song that. Good choice sir.

  44. j.... ....

    Another masterpiece of a song from as far as I am concerned the most talented songwriter there has ever been.

    j.... ....

    johnnyM809 he's always been low key my fav artist even when i was younger (my dad was always playing his albums) his music is so meaningful its on a whole other level ❤

  45. c.... ....

    My favorite track on "The Rising."

  46. T.... ....

    Come on man. Taste is everything.
    In my opinion it's definitely NOT his best song. But to some, it may be. That's the best thing about music. We don't all have to conform to a bog-standard !

  47. k.... ....

    "The Boss" is right

  48. p.... ....

    This is it. That's my life in a nutshell.Even if it hasn't been as splendid as your's. Thank you for this song :)

  49. W.... R....

    You don't know Bruce Springsteen if you say 'Nothing Man' is his best song...

    W.... R....

    Songs reach individual hearts.
    You can’t quantify it.
    Time, place, where we are in life.
    Music touches our hearts.
    Bruce has a way of touching it.

    W.... R....

    Any song could be his best song like Born in the USA, Fire, to me Nothing man and My city of ruins are absolutely Top 5 ever composed like also Paradise, You're missing, The River. To me Youngstown is so touching in every ways and Nils Löfgren guitar solo live is supersolo ever played in rock history with amazing technique and full of nuances of genious music.

    W.... R....

    I don't know what makes a song "best". Buuuut, this is absolutely one of my favorite songs of his, right up there with Point Blank, Walk Like a Man, My Father's House (the Broadway recording of that is incredible, and I was lucky enough to be at one of the shows to see it live), as well the Live in New York City recording of The River

    W.... R....

    @MrRUKnight Brothers under the bridge is a good one

    W.... R....

    Only the Boss is qualified to say such a thing without sounding ignorant.

  50. k.... s....

    So sad.

  51. l.... d....

    un dia depois de uma noite de amor nois dois so nos ouvimos esta musica vc si lenbra eu sim so que hoje eu estou so nao tenho mais vc sinto sua fauta hilda vouta amor

  52. l.... ....

    One of the most emotional songs on the Rising (2002) and it's impossible to deny it.

  53. b.... ....

    My favorite Bruce song.......brings me to a place......reminds me of 9/11 and the firefighters who were brave that day.......

    b.... ....

    I think you’re the only one who got it...this is a 9/11 tribute he wrote...