Lyric discussion by illcosby 

Cover art for Long Time Comin' lyrics by Bruce Springsteen

It's pretty crystal clear. It's about a man, who has been a terrible father, like his father before him, and he sees his unborn child as a sign of redemption, and a way to stop the cycle.

A fairly typical, but excellent rendition of the "sins of the father" theme and possibly a companion piece to "Straight Time".