42. Open All Night (Nebraska, 1982)

Dags för det andra bidraget från mörka Nebraska. Open All Night får väl sägas vara det muntraste ögonblicket på en annars becksvart samling låtar. Det här uttalandet förstärks väl ganska väl av att låten omvandlades till en över tio minuter lång sprakande, hejdundrande fest på The Seeger Sessions-turnén. Men titta närmare på texten. Den är inte så värst glad den heller. Ännu en trasig människa vars illusioner har spruckit. Chefen gillar inte honom, så han blev satt på nattskiftet. Och dessutom är det an all night run to get back to where my baby lives.

I min text om The Ties That Bind nämner jag ryktena om Electric Nebraska, det vill säga Nebraska-låtarna i The E-street Band-versioner. Det intressanta är att det är rätt lätt att få en hum om hur det skulle kunna låta. Låtar som Born In The USA och Working On The Highway är skrivna i samma veva som Nebraska-låtarna, och finns även inspelade i versioner snarlika de låtar som finns på Nebraska. Born In The USA finns att avnjuta på Tracks och Working On The Highway finns att hitta på The Lost Masters. Där finns förresten även Child Bride, som i stora delar har samma text som Working On The Highway. Och Atlantic City gjordes med hela E-street Band på Born In The USA-turnén.
Open All Night finns också - om man vill spetsa till det - i en E-street Band-version. Eller åtminstone texten. Låten Living On The Edge Of The World har nämligen i mångt och mycket samma text som Open All Night. Titta själva:


Open All Night
Well, I had the carburetor, baby, cleaned and checked with her line blown out she's hummin' like a turbojet
Propped her up in the backyard on concrete blocks for a new clutch plate and a new set of shocks
Took her down to the carwash, check the plugs and points
Well, I'm goin' out tonight. I'm gonna rock that joint
Early north Jersey industrial skyline I'm a all-set cobra jet creepin' through the nighttime
Gotta find a gas station, gotta find a payphone this turnpike sure is spooky at night when you're all alone
Gotta hit the gas, baby. I'm running late, this New Jersey in the mornin' like a lunar landscape

Now, the boss don't dig me, so he put me on the nightshiftIt's an all night run to get back to where my baby lives
In the wee wee hours your mind gets hazy radio relay towers, won't you lead me to my baby?Underneath the overpass, trooper hits his party light switch
Goodnight good luck one two power shift

I met Wanda when she was employed behind the counter at route 60 Bob's Big Boy Fried Chicken on the front seat, she's sittin' in my lap
We're wipin' our fingers on a Texaco roadmap
I remember Wanda up on scrap metal hill with them big brown eyes that make your heart stand still
Well, at five a.m., oil pressure's sinkin' fast
I make a pit stop, wipe the windshield, check the gas
Gotta call my baby on the telephoneLet her know that her daddy's comin' on home
Sit tight, little mama, I'm comin' 'round I got three more hours, but I'm coverin' ground

Your eyes get itchy in the wee wee hours sun's just a red ball risin' over them refinery towers
Radio's jammed up with gospel stations lost souls callin' long distance salvation
Hey, mister deejay, woncha hear my last prayer hey, ho, rock'n'roll, deliver me from nowhere

Living On The Edge Of The World
Early North Jersey industrial skyline
I'm an all-set cobra jet creepin' through the night time
Gotta find a gas station, gotta find a pay phoneThis turnpike sure is spooky at night when you're all alone

I'm living on the edge of the world
Tryin' to get my girl on the line
Livin' on the edge of the world
But I think it's just a waste of my time
Some jerk keeps breaking my connection, girl
'Cause I'm living on the edge of the world

Radio, radio, hear my tale of heartbreak
New Jersey in the morning like a lunar landscape
Got a counter girl at the Exit 24 HoJo
Down past teh refinery towers where the great black river flows

I'm living on the edge of the world
Tryin' to get a message throughI gotta make a connection, girl
Because I'm living on the edge of the world
Living on the edge of the world

Radio's jammed with gospel stations
Lost souls callin' long distance salvation
Hey mister deejay gotta hear my last prayer
It's a hey ho rock and roll, deliver me from nowhere

I'm living on the edge of the world
Tryin' to get back to you, girl
Living on the edge of the world
Tryin' to get a message throughI gotta make some connection, girl
Because I'm living on the edge of the world
Living on the edge of the world

Now my boss don't dig me 'cause he put me on the night shift
It takes me two hours to get back to where my baby lives
In the wee wee hours my mind gets hazy
Relay towers, won't you lead me to my baby
'Neath the overpass the trooper hits his party lights switch
Good night, good luck, one, two powershift

Att Open All Night är cirka hundra gånger bättre visar på att Bruce gjorde ett bra val som släppte Nebraska i sitt ursprungsskick.

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