Seen a man standin' over a dead dog lyin' by a highway in a ditch
He's lookin' down kinda puzzled, pokin' that dog with a stick
Got his car doors flung open he's standin' out on Highway thirty-one
Like if he stood there long enough that dog'd get up and run
Struck me kinda funny, seem kinda funny, sir, to me
Still, at the end of every hard day people find some reason to believe

Now Mary Lou loved Johnny with a love mean and true
She said "Baby, I'll work for you every day, bring my money home to you"
One day he up and left her and ever since that
She waits down at the end of that dirt road for young Johnny to come back
Struck me kinda funny, funny, yeah, to me
How at the end of every hard-earned day people find some reason to believe

Take a baby to the river, Kyle William they called him
Wash the baby in the water, take away little Kyle's sin
In a whitewash shotgun shack an old man passes away
Take his body to the graveyard and over him they pray
Lord won't you tell us, tell us what does it mean
At the end of every hard-earned day people find some reason to believe

Congregation gathers down by the riverside
Preacher stands with a Bible, groom stands waitin' for his bride
Congregation gone, the sun sets behind a weepin' willow tree
Groom stands alone and watches the river rush on, so effortlessly
Wonderin' where can his baby be
Still, at the end of every hard-earned day people find some reason to believe


Lyrics submitted by Hunter

Reason to Believe Lyrics as written by Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Reason To Believe song meanings
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    General Comment

    Personally I find this one of Springsteen's most touching songs. Haunting in its portrayal of people clinging to hope in the face of adversity and life's way of kicking you in the a**. Terrific, powerful song. I agree with Mobstaclique, the version from the live box set is awesome.

    rmcd0494on August 26, 2007   Link

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