Bruce Springsteen plays ‘Hometown’ songs on SiriusXM (TRANSCRIPT, VIDEOS)

Bruce Springsteen played songs about hometown on his SiriusXM satellite radio show.

Bruce Springsteen’s 26th DJ show on SiriusXM satellite radio, titled “My Hometown,” debuted Aug. 18 on the network’s E Street Radio channel (channel 20). It featured music by Bob Dylan (the dark and obscure “My Wife’s Home Town”), John Mellencamp, Simon & Garfunkel, Daniel Johnston, The Pogues and Springsteen himself (“My Hometown,” “Local Hero,” “Glory Days” and “Death to My Hometown”), among others.

“As I say in my Broadway show, most folks have ambivalent feelings about their hometowns,” Springsteen said after the opening song, Neko Case’s “Thrice All American.” “There’s love and hate and pride and shame.”

Speaking of pride, he did take a moment, before closing the show with “Glory Days,” to congratulate his daughter Jessica and her teammates on their silver medal win at the Tokyo Olympics, and also thanked Jessica’s mentor Nick Skelton.

The show was part of Springsteen’s “From My Home to Yours” series. You can see an index of all songs previously played (with links to what he said and videos for the songs), here.

Here is today’s transcript and videos. In some cases, a version of the song may have been played that is different from what is embedded in this post.
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Hello, folks, friends, gals and pals, listeners from coast to coast and around the world. Welcome to Vol. 26 of “From My Home to Yours,” titled “My Hometown.”

“Thrice All American,” Neko Case & Her Boyfriends

That was Neko Case, born in Alexandria, Va., in 1970, Sept. 8. And what a voice she has. There is something in the very directness of that voice that makes her stand out from her contemporaries, and she is one of my favorite singers.

Now, as I say in my Broadway show, most folks have ambivalent feelings about their hometowns. There’s love and hate and pride and shame. So during this show, we’re going to listen to a variety of outstanding artists and their take on where they come from.

Now, no show on your roots would be complete without this one from my buddy, John Mellencamp.

“Small Town,” John Mellencamp

That was “Small Town” by John Mellencamp, and we’re coming up on “(Hell’s) My Wife’s Home Town,” by the only man with the balls to sing that one, Bob Dylan.

“My Wife’s Home Town,” Bob Dylan

“Dirty Old Town,” The Pogues

That was, of course, The Pogues, with the immortal Shane MacGowan on vocals, singing the classic “Dirty Old Town.” Coming up now: “Devil Town,” by Daniel Johnston.

“Devil Town,” Daniel Johnston

“Death to My Hometown,” Bruce Springsteen

That was “Death to My Hometown,” by yours truly. And before that “Devil Town” by Daniel Johnston. Daniel Johnston was an American artist regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi and the alternative music scene. He suffered from bipolar disorder and spent some time in psychiatric institutions. His music had a purity and an unaffected innocence that made it quite unique. And he was also a visual artist whose work was shown in galleries around the world. He died in 2019 in what was suspected to have been a heart attack. Daniel Johnston, “Devil Town.”

And this is Eric Church, with “Give Me Back My Hometown.”

“Give Me Back My Hometown,” Eric Church

That was Eric Church with “Give Me Back My Hometown,” and this is “Detroit Made,” by that great voice, Bob Seger.

“Detroit Made,” Bob Seger

“Small Town Girl,” John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band

That was the lovely summer song, “Small Town Girl,” by my pal, John Cafferty. They are out of, of course, Narragansett, R.I., I believe. John’s career began in the 1970s. He had some major success with the soundtrack for the “Eddie and the Cruisers” picture. That album went triple platinum. So congratulations on that, Johnny, and thank you for that beautiful song.

Here’s Morgan Wallen, with “More Than My Hometown.”

“More Than My Hometown,” Morgan Wallen

“Home,” Dierks Bentley

Well, that voice … that was Dierks Bentley with the beautiful “Home,” written by Dierks Bentley and Dan Wilson.

I wrote this next song after driving by the J.J. Newberry’s on Main Street in Freehold and seeing my own self-portrait, bandana included, painted in black velvet with Bruce Lee to my left and a German Shepherd to my right, in their own individual paintings, and I had to go in and buy one. So I did, and I came home, and I hung it up in my hall, waiting for folks to come in and get the joke. And nobody did. And so it goes. Here’s “Local Hero.”

“Local Hero,” Bruce Springsteen

That was “Local Hero.” God forgive me, because this is the life I have chosen. And that was the E Street Band, live in Leeds, with our auxiliary E Streeters front and center: our great horn section and our great singers.

This is Kane Brown.

“Hometown,” Kane Brown

“My Little Town,” Simon & Garfunkel

That was the beautiful “My Little Town,” by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Here’s my friend and neighbor, Johnny Bon Jovi, with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, and “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”

“Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” Bon Jovi with Jennifer Nettles

“My Hometown,” Bruce Springsteen

And that is yours truly with “My Hometown,” written in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1983, during some sessions in my garage studio in the aftermath of Nebraska, and before Born in the USA. This was shortly after my 1982 road trip west with my road buddy Matt Delia. I spent a good portion of that winter in a Hollywood cottage, up towards Laurel Canyon, the previous home of Sidney Toler, star of the Charlie Chan films. And I wrote quite a bit up there, of a lot of still unreleased music, someday to see the light of day, I’m sure.

Anyway, that’s our show. I wanna say, God bless you and your hometown. And until we meet again, I want to congratulate the United States Olympic show jumping team — that’s McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and my lovely daughter, Jessica Springsteen — on their silver medal win at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. A special shout-out to my great friend and one of the kings of show jumping, Nick Skelton, for his guidance and inspiration. May all of your days forever be glorious.

“Glory Days,” Bruce Springsteen

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Springsteen has been doing “From My Home to Yours” shows since April of 2020. Click here for an index of all the songs played in the series, as well as links to videos for the songs and transcripts for each show.

The shows have lasted from about 45 minutes to about two hours each, with repeats and on-demand availability following the initial broadcasts. The “My Hometown” show will also air Aug. 18 at 6 p.m., Aug. 19 at noon, Aug. 20 at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., Aug. 21 at 2 p.m., Aug. 22 at 10 p.m., and Aug. 23 at 7 a.m. and midnight.

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