Johnny Bye Bye

Album: Tracks (1980)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Springsteen wrote this in memory of Elvis Presley, who died on August 16, 1977. Springsteen was a huge fan of Elvis, and in concerts stated that seeing him on TV as a 9-year-old boy marked his life, claiming, "I Wanna Be Just Like That." Weight problems and drugs took their toll on Elvis, who died alone in his bathroom - an inglorious end that made Springsteen contemplate the fate of a rock star when life stops being glamorous.
  • Springsteen performed this several times and in different versions during the River and Born in the USA tours. It was released on Tracks in 1998. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Szabo - Oradea, Romania, for above 2
  • This is based on the Chuck Berry song "Bye Bye Johnny."

Comments: 1

  • Leo from Westminster 1, MdJohnny Bye Bye is one of the saddest pieces I've heard Springsteen write. Bruce tells the story of a king-let's call him Elvis shall we?- who dies a terrible, selfish and inglorious death that is wholly unnecessary. Presley was one of those figureheads who had it all and lost it and Spring tells it with
    a sad and unflinching honesty. Michael Jackson suffered the same fate 32 years later. Both of them could not be saved from their own private hell. Presley and Jackson did not have to die!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Wedding Bell Blues

Wedding Bell BluesSong Writing

When a song describes a wedding, it's rarely something to celebrate - with one big exception.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.