Land of Hope and Dreams

Album: Wrecking Ball (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • A long standing encore staple on E Street Band tours, Springsteen first performed this song of hope for America's immigrants back in 1999.

    This train carries saints and sinners
    This train carries losers and winners
    This train carries whores and gamblers
    This train carries lost souls
    This train, dreams will not be thwarted
    This train faith will be rewarded


    The tune was reworked for Wrecking Ball with the addition of electronic drums and the Victorious Gospel Choir. It incorporates Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" into the mix.
  • This is one of only two songs on the album to include the late Clarence Clemons' saxophone, the other one being the title track. Said Springsteen at the unveiling of Wrecking Ball in Paris of his colleague who died in June 2011: "I met Clarence when I was 22, my son's age, still a child really. Something happened when we got close, it fired my imagination. So losing Clarence was like losing something elemental, the air or the rain. There's just something missing. We were lucky to get him on 'Land of Hope and Dreams.' When the sax solo comes up, its a lovely moment for me." (reported by The Daily Telegraph)
  • Speaking with NPR correspondent Ann Powers, Bruce said they spent a lot of time laying down this song, "because it was difficult to match or beat the live version." He added, "We played with it rhythmically, we played with it arrangementally; didn't know if we were gonna get it; didn't know if we had it. And then Bob Clearmountain came up with a mix of it that suddenly presented it to us and we said, 'OK, that's great.'"
  • The night of Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration, Springsteen opened the Celebrating America concert special with a solo performance of this song at the Lincoln Memorial. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, traditional inaugural balls were canceled and performances were either virtual or socially distanced.

    Springsteen threw his support to Biden during the election, appearing in promos for his campaign and allowing use of his songs.
  • Bruce Springsteen played this song to Clarence Clemons when he visited the longtime E Street Band saxophonist in hospital after he suffered a stroke. "I had a feeling he could hear me, because he could squeeze your hand," Springsteen recalled on The Howard Stern Show. "I took the hunch and brought the guitar, and strummed 'Land of Hope and Dreams.'" Clemons passed away soon after.

Comments: 1

  • James Mcmillin from Louisville, KyThank you for your song "land of hope and dreams". I and a friend host a radio program on the nonprofit station, forward radio in louisville. Our program is titled "solutions to violence" and has been successfully interviewed over 250 authors, professors, peace organization founders and ceos, opinion writers, politicians, humorists and others, including musicians. We are putting together a holiday program of music on "peace" and would like to include your song "land of hope and dreams". In order to do this, we need your isrc #. Please allow us and our listeners the honor of including your music to help bring our country together in this time of unprecedented unrest and dissention. We would so appreciate your help in doing this. Thank you again for your efforts in helping our nation realize the greatness we can all achieve together.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Andrew Farriss of INXS

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.