Cadillac Ranch (Bruce Springsteen song)

"Cadillac Ranch" is a song written by Bruce Springsteen that was first released on Springsteen's 1980 album The River. In 1981 it was released as a single in Europe, backed by "Be True" in France and by "Wreck on the Highway" in the UK. Although it was not released as a single in the US, it did reach #48 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. A favorite in concert, a live version was included on Live/1975–85. A version was also included on the documentary film Blood Brothers.

Music and lyrics

"Cadillac Ranch" is an exuberant, playful rocker with rockabilly influences. According to music critic Dave Marsh, it "made dinosaurs dance." It is highlighted by Clarence Clemons' saxophone solo. Author June Skinner Sawyers called the song "pure rowdy fun" and listed it as one of Springsteen's ten funniest songs. John Cruz of Sputnik Music called the song "just plain fun," noting its infectious beat. However, the theme of the song is "the transitoriness of all existence" and the inevitability of death. Marsh called the song "one of the smartest songs ever about the inevitability of death". Marsh further noted that although the protagonist of "Cadillac Ranch" seems similar to the protagonists of earlier Springsteen records, in this song he appears naive and vulnerable rather than bold and innocent.

The song's title comes from Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Cadillac Ranch is a sculpture showing ten Cadillac automobiles with their hoods buried in the ground. Springsteen used Cadillac Ranch as a metaphor for his theme; that these once elite cars are now expendable.

Burt Reynolds, Junior Johnson, and James Dean are namechecked in the song.

Personnel

According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:

Bruce Springsteen – vocals, guitars
Roy Bittan – piano, backing vocals
Clarence Clemons – saxophone, backing vocals
Danny Federici – organ
Garry Tallent – bass
Steven Van Zandt – guitars, vocal harmonies, backing vocals
Max Weinberg – drums

Covers

Warren Zevon covered "Cadillac Ranch" during his 1982 tour and the song was featured in an MTV broadcast from the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey on October 1, 1982.

Status Quo originally recorded the song for their 1983 album Back to Back, but the song was cut and was later released on the 1999 album Back to the Beginning.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band covered the song on their 1984 album Plain Dirt Fashion as well as the 1991 live album Live Two Five.

In 1986, Savoy Records (in the UK), released a 12" single, by Lord Horror, which was a cover of Blue Monday (by New Order), but with its lyrics replaced by the lyrics to "Cadillac Ranch" instead. The single didn't chart though, mainly because it wasn't stocked in many record shops, due to its controversial artwork. The track is also available on a Savoy Records compilation album, Savoy Wars, which was released in 1994.

Rick Trevino's version appears on the compilation albums NASCAR: Runnin' Wide Open (1995) and Highway Fever: All Time Greatest Country Road Songs (2006).

Daniel Johnston's song "Funeral Home" takes its melody from "Cadillac Ranch".

In 2023, country music artist Brett Kissel released a cover of "Cadillac Ranch" on his album The Compass Project - South Album.

Charts

Chart (1981)	Peak position
UK Singles Top 100 (Record Business)	70

References

"Great Rock Discography". p. 773.
"Bruce Springsteen: Cadillac Ranch". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
"Bruce Springsteen Charts & Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
Ruhlmann, W. "Live/1975–85". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
^ Humphries, P. (1996). The Complete Guide to the Music of Bruce Springsteen. Omnibus Press. p. 30. ISBN 0-7119-5304-X.
Seibert, P. "Blood Brothers". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
Kirkpatrick, R. (2007). The Words and Music of Bruce Springsteen. Praeger. pp. 74–75. ISBN 978-0-275-98938-5.
^ Symynkywicz, J.B. (2008). The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 67–68. ISBN 978-0-664-23169-9.
^ Marsh, D. (1981). Born to Run. Dell. pp. 255–256. ISBN 0-440-10694-X.
Marsh, D. (2004). Bruce Springsteen: two hearts : the definitive biography, 1972-2003. Psychology Press. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-415-96928-4.
Marsh, D. (1996). Glory Days. Thunder's Mouth Press. pp. 85, 277. ISBN 1-56025-101-8.
Sawyers, J.S. (2006). Tougher Than the Rest. Omnibus Press. pp. 248, 256. ISBN 0825634709.
^ Cruz, J. "Bruce Springsteen: The River". Sputnik Music. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
^ Marsh, D. (2006). Bruce Springsteen on tour, 1968-2005. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-59691-282-3.
Springsteen, B. "Cadillac Ranch". brucespringsteen.net. Archived from the original on 2011-10-25. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2020). Bruce Springsteen All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-78472-649-2.
"Warren Zevon - Live in Passaic NJ, 1982 (The Full Concert)". YouTube. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
"Cadillac Ranch (from the album Back to Back)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
Worbois, J. "Plain Dirt Fashion". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
Fink, M. "Live Two Five". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
"Savoy Records: Blue Monday". Savoy.abel.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
"Nascar: Runnin Wide Open". Amazon. 1995. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
"Highway Fever: All-Time Greatest Country Road Songs". Amazon. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
"Cadillac Ranch: Rick Trevino". Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
"'Devil's' details make musician documentary a worthy DVD". chicagotribune.com. 19 September 2006. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
Hollabaugh, Lorie (January 10, 2023). "Brett Kissel To Release Four-Part 'The Compass Project'". Music Row Magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
"Singles Top 100". Record Business. Vol. 4, no. 27. September 21, 1981. p. 7. ISSN 0144-0691.

External links

Lyrics & Audio clips from Brucespringsteen.net

Bruce Springsteen songs

1970s

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.	"Blinded by the Light" "Growin' Up" "Mary Queen of Arkansas" "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" "Lost in the Flood" "The Angel" "For You" "Spirit in the Night" "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City"
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle	"4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" "Incident on 57th Street" "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"
Born to Run	"Thunder Road" "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" "Night" "Backstreets" "Born to Run" "She's the One" "Meeting Across the River" "Jungleland"
Darkness on the Edge of Town	"Badlands" "Adam Raised a Cain" "Racing in the Street" "The Promised Land" "Prove It All Night" "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

1980s

The River	"The Ties That Bind" "Sherry Darling" "Independence Day" "Hungry Heart" "Out in the Street" "The River" "Point Blank" "Cadillac Ranch" "Fade Away" "Stolen Car" "Ramrod" "Wreck on the Highway"
Nebraska	"Nebraska" "Atlantic City" "Johnny 99" "Highway Patrolman" "Open All Night" "My Father's House"
Born in the U.S.A.	"Born in the U.S.A." "Cover Me" "Darlington County" "Working on the Highway" "Downbound Train" "I'm on Fire" "No Surrender" "Bobby Jean" "I'm Goin' Down" "Glory Days" "Dancing in the Dark" "My Hometown"
Tunnel of Love	"Tougher Than the Rest" "Spare Parts" "Tunnel of Love" "Brilliant Disguise" "One Step Up"

1990s

Human Touch	"Human Touch " "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" "Pony Boy"
Lucky Town	"Better Days" "If I Should Fall Behind"
The Ghost of Tom Joad	"The Ghost of Tom Joad" "Youngstown" "The New Timer"

2000s

The Rising	"Lonesome Day" "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" "The Rising" "My City of Ruins"
Magic	"Radio Nowhere" "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" "Long Walk Home"
Working on a Dream	"Outlaw Pete" "My Lucky Day" "Working on a Dream" "The Wrestler"

2010s

Wrecking Ball	"We Take Care of Our Own" "Death to My Hometown" "Wrecking Ball" "Rocky Ground" "Land of Hope and Dreams"
High Hopes	"High Hopes" "American Skin (41 Shots)" "Just Like Fire Would" "Hunter of Invisible Game" "Dream Baby Dream"
Western Stars	"Tucson Train" "Western Stars" "There Goes My Miracle" "Hello Sunshine"

2020s

Letter to You	"Letter to You" "Last Man Standing" "The Power of Prayer" "Ghosts" "I'll See You in My Dreams"
Only the Strong Survive	"Only the Strong Survive" "Nightshift" "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" "Turn Back the Hands of Time" "When She Was My Girl" "Hey, Western Union Man" "I Wish It Would Rain" "Don't Play That Song" "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" "7 Rooms of Gloom" "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" "Someday We'll Be Together"

Other singles

Other songs

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