The Evolution of Born To Run: "Wings for Wheels" to "Thunder Road"

For the 50th anniversary of Born to Run, here's a track-by-track breakdown of the evolution of each of the songs on the record, going in order from start to finish. Up first: "Thunder Road."

Most Springsteen fans have heard the song that would become “Thunder Road,” known at the time as “Wings for Wheels,” on the recording of the February 5, 1975 show from the Main Point. It sounds tentative at that show because it was truly nascent at that moment; it is the earliest known performance of the song in any form. We have documentation that “Wings for Wheels” was performed at five shows in February of ‘75, and only have recordings for two of those: the Main Point and then the next night at Widener College. About a month later, the E Street Band ended their current live obligations in order to get back into the studio and finish Born to Run, so the song didn’t get the opportunity to gestate in front of a live audience. But its path in the studio wasn’t straightforward, either.

“Thunder Road” likely began its life in 1972 in a song titled “Angelina,” and Angelina is indeed the woman in that Main Point version. In the second edition of his first book -- Backstreets -- Springsteen: The Man and his Music -- Charley Cross (OBM) stated that there’s a 1972 song titled “Angelina" which contains the first two lines of what would later become “Thunder Road,” “...but rather than Mary, the character with the swaying dress is Angelina.” The edition of the book is important because between the first and second edition, Cross got access to Mike Appel, including documentation he had retained from that era, which is where it's believed this particular piece of information originated from.

A couple of years later, in what we believe was October of 1974, Bruce did a solo recording of a track titled “Chrissie’s Song” up at 914 Sound Studios. What’s notable about “Chrissie’s Song” is that it appears to be the first time the term “Thunder Road” was used in a Springsteen composition: “Leave what you’ve lost, leave what’s grown cold, Thunder Road.” Any fan who’s paid even the smallest bit attention to Springsteen’s work is familiar with his proclivity to use and reuse lines until he thinks he’s gotten it right (or to totally forget that he used a line, but that’s another story). It’s not a trait that’s unique to Bruce but it is an interesting thing to keep an eye on, none more so than this particular journey.

Now, let’s talk about “Walking In The Street,” also known as “Lovers In the Cold.” Anyone who bought or traded for a copy of E Ticket, one of the earliest bootlegs featuring studio material, probably remembers the first time they heard this particular track. The intro melody is the “Thunder Road” coda, the first verse talks about how the protagonists “case the promised land,” the piano melody on the verses has a very familiar feeling, the intro comes back between verses, and then there’s a line about the… seating arrangements in this particular vehicle.

Oh baby, I can’t lay the stars at your feet
But I think we could take it all, just you and me
Oh come on and see there’s a lot of room for you baby in this front seat