You need two things to remain very, very present. You need to continue to write well and engage yourself in the issues of the day. And you have to continue to make good, relevant records. Bruce Springsteen More Quotes by Bruce Springsteen More Quotes From Bruce Springsteen Politics and life go hand in hand. Bruce Springsteen hand-in-hand hands Every song has a piece of you in it, because just general regret, love. You have to basically zero in on the truth of those particular emotions. Bruce Springsteen regret zero song It's always felt natural, because I'm generally very comfortable with people. Bruce Springsteen felt natural people When you`re onstage you have a certain faith that somebody's gonna yell somethin' back. Some nights it's louder than other nights and some nights they do, and on some songs they don't. But that's the idea. I think when you begin to expect a reaction from an audience, it's a mistake. Bruce Springsteen mistake song night They wanted to know why I did what I did. Well, sir I guess there's just meanness in the world. Bruce Springsteen law order world From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap, through the Badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path. Bruce Springsteen wyoming lap insanity Music doesn't tell you where to go. It says, go find your own place. That's what it told me. Bruce Springsteen I tend to be pessimistic. I want to believe in hope. Bruce Springsteen pessimistic want believe My dad had a very difficult life, a hard struggle all the time at work. I've always felt like I'm seeking his revenge. Bruce Springsteen dad revenge struggle I heard a political message in rock music. A liberation message. A message of freedom. I heard it in Elvis' voice. Bruce Springsteen rocks political voice I want to spit in the face of these badlands. Bruce Springsteen expression faces want "Born To Run," that expands every time we go out. It just seems to you - more of your life fills it in, fills in the story. And when we hit it every night, it's always a huge catharsis. It's fascinating to see the audience singing it back to me. It's quite wonderful, you know, to see people that intensely singing your song. Bruce Springsteen running song night You have moments of clarity, things become clear to you that you didn't understand before. But there's never any making ends meet or finding any time of longstanding peace of mind about something. Bruce Springsteen clarity moments mind Sometimes I do an automatic songs, songs that you don't really think about, or work on. You just look back and it sorta surprises you. Bruce Springsteen song looks thinking My only general rule was to steer away from things I played with the band over the past couple of tours. I was interested in re-shaping the Rising material for live shows, so people could hear the bare bones of that. Bruce Springsteen couple people past Well everybody's got a secret, son, something that they just can't face. Some folks spend their whole lives trying to keep it, they carry it with them every step that they take Till some day they just cut it loose, cut it loose or let it drag 'em down Where no one asks any questions or looks too long in your face In the darkness on the edge of town. Bruce Springsteen cutting long son I was unrecognizable to myself; I saw my reflection in a window; I didn't know my own face. Bruce Springsteen saws reflection faces There is a real patriotism underneath the best of my music but it is a critical, questioning and often angry patriotism. Bruce Springsteen questioning patriotism real The country we carry in our hearts is waiting. Bruce Springsteen waiting heart country I've found that giving 100% to your job isn't the same as giving 100% of your life to your job. Very often when I thought I was giving 100% of my life to my job, I was simply obsessing over something. Bruce Springsteen found jobs giving