Song by Song: "Born to Run" Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1975

The song was released in August of 1975 by Columbia Records. It was written by Bruce Springsteen and produced by Springsteen and Mike Appel. It spent eleven weeks on the U.S. Singles charts, where it peaked at number 23.

Answer: Glockenspiel

According to Rolling Stone magazine, Springsteen was "aiming for the impact of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound" by including "strings, glockenspiel, multiple keyboards - and more than a dozen guitar tracks." A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument that resembles a xylophone and consists of a set of tuned keys arranged like a piano's keyboard.

Answer: Highway 9

"In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on Highway 9
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and stepping out over the line."

U.S. Route 9 runs through New Jersey from Laurel, Delaware to Champlain, New York. Bruce Springsteen is quoted in Rolling Stone magazine noting that the setting wasn't important. Rather, "It's the idea behind the settings. It could be New Jersey, it could be California, it could be Alaska."

Answer: suicide

This song tells the tale, in the first person, of two lovers escaping the confines of their town racing hotrods on the highways of America. The town is a "death trap" and a "suicide rap." The song continues:

"We got to get out while we're young
Because tramps like us, baby we were born to run."

Garry Tallent played bass guitar for the song while Ernest "Boom" Carter was on drums.

Answer: Wendy

"Wendy, let me in, I want to be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions.
Just wrap your legs around these velvet rims
And strap your hands across my engines
Together we could break this trap."

The theme of "escaping" continues with the idea of breaking "this trap." "Born to Run" was Bruce Springsteen's first Top 40 hit. It was recorded at 915 Sound Studios.

Answer: Try to look so hard

"Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard
The girls comb their hair in rear-view mirrors
And the boys try to look so hard."

"Born to Run" was included in "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll." It has been covered live by musicians ranging from Melissa Etheridge and Roger Daltrey to Amy McDonald and Eric Church.

Answer: The amusement park

"The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
I want to die with you Wendy on the streets tonight
In an everlasting kiss."

"Born to Run" was included in Pitchfork's list of "The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s," coming in at number 16. National Public Radio also included it on its 1999 list of the "NPR 100."

Answer: heroes

"The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight but there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy, we'll live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
Someday girl I don't know when we're going to get to that place
Where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun
But until then tramps like us, baby we were born to run."

Bruce Springsteen played guitar and supplied vocals for the song while David Sancious was on keyboards. The song peaked at number 53 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart.

Answer: Sesame Street

The song was sung by a Muppet who was modeled on Bruce Springsteen and was intended to teach children arithmetic. This song was also included in the soundtrack of the 2019 film "Blinded by the Light."

Answer: Meeting Across the River

"Another Day in Paradise" is a song by Phil Collins while "Rhythm of My Heart" is by Rod Stewart. The single "Born to Run," with "Meeting Across the River" on the B-Side, comes from the album "Born to Run." The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.