Springsteen has explained the meaning of this song on a few occasions.
For many years he had been driving at night to his childhood house with no apparent reason until one day he began wondering why. He then went to a psychiatrist who explained him that this 'ritual' was nothing but an attempt to make his past right and more specifically to correct something that went wrong during his childhood.
Springsteen has mentioned a few time his difficult relationship with his father, a severe and depressed man, but also a very important figure for him.
This song really talks about him freeing himself from this 'ritual' and coming to realize he is not going to be able to change his past anyway. It is of course also an homage to his dad and how important he was to him.
Springsteen has explained the meaning of this song on a few occasions.
For many years he had been driving at night to his childhood house with no apparent reason until one day he began wondering why. He then went to a psychiatrist who explained him that this 'ritual' was nothing but an attempt to make his past right and more specifically to correct something that went wrong during his childhood. Springsteen has mentioned a few time his difficult relationship with his father, a severe and depressed man, but also a very important figure for him. This song really talks about him freeing himself from this 'ritual' and coming to realize he is not going to be able to change his past anyway. It is of course also an homage to his dad and how important he was to him.