Bruce Springsteen

Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?

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Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street? Lyrics

Hey bus driver keep the change, bless your children, give them names
don't trust men who walk with canes
drink this and you'll grow wings on your feet
Broadway Mary, Joan Fontaine, advertiser on a downtown train
Christmas crier bustin' cane, he's in love again

Where dock worker's dreams mix with panther's schemes to someday own the rodeo
Tainted women in Vistavision perform for out-of-state kids at the late show

Wizard imps and sweat sock pimps, interstellar mongrel nymphs
Rex said that lady left him limp. Love's like that (sure it is)
Queen of diamonds, ace of spades, newly discovered lovers of the everglades
They take out a full page ad in the trades to announce their arrival
And Mary Lou she found out how to cope, she rides to heaven on a gyroscope
The Daily News asks her for the dope
She says, "Man, the dope's that there's still hope"

Senorita, Spanish rose, wipes her eyes and blows her nose
Uptown in Harlem she throws a rose to some lucky, young matador

Submitted by

fearofmusic On Aug 23, 2002

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fearofmusic

Submitter

2002-08-23 19:34:33

1 Meaning

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by jebso

20y ago

Now this is a song I've wondered about.

It makes me think of a guy riding a bus through a rough urban neighborhood that he's familiar with, reflecting on the things he sees.

Lines like "dock work's dreams mix with panther's schemes to someday own the rodeo" make me think this song is referencing the news of the time. Like the Black Panthers were doing something, working alongside dock workers on strike... I don't know though, that sort of thing was before my time.

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by sourire0947 17y ago

it's just stram of conciousness. and i heard it was about him riding the bus in asbury park but i live 5 mins from asbury so that might just be a rumor

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