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Bruce Springsteen — 57 Channels (And Nothin' On)
Album: Human Touch
Avg rating:
5.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 124









Released: 1992
Length: 2:22
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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I bought a bourgeois house in the Hollywood hills
With a trunkload of hundred thousand dollar bills
Man came by to hook up my cable TV
We settled in for the night my baby and me
We switched 'round and 'round 'til half-past dawn
There was fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

Well now home entertainment was my baby's wish
So I hopped into town for a satellite dish
I tied it to the top of my Japanese car
I came home and I pointed it out into the stars
A message came back from the great beyond
There's fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

Well we might'a made some friends with some billionaires
We might'a got all nice and friendly
If we'd made it upstairs
All I got was a note that said "Bye-bye John
Our love is fifty-seven channels and nothin' on"
(Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on)

So I bought a .44 magnum it was solid steel cast
And in the blessed name of Elvis well I just let it blast
'Til my TV lay in pieces there at my feet
And they busted me for disturbin' the almighty peace
Judge said "What you got in your defense son?"
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on

I can see by your eyes friend you're just about gone
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and nothin' on
Fifty-seven channels and...nothin' on
Comments (32)add comment
I love Bruce Springsteen but this is the worst single he has ever released. It should have been a b-side at best, or one of those songs released as a 3rd disc with the Essential disc set. (Not that all of that disc is bad, after all, it has Trapped !!!) You could pick blindly from Born to Run, Darkness, Born in the USA, Tunnel of love, Seeger sessions, any live album, and find better songs no problem. Of all the great songs the man had done, to pick this throwaway... the mind boggles
Posted 17 years ago by gernick    [ Reply ]
Life in the modern times is really tough...
Posted 17 years ago by matchball    [ Reply ]
davin wrote:
Never liked Springsteen but always enjoyed this tune.
Tulfan wrote: My sentiments exactly - both your own and Bruce's in this song.
Posted 17 years ago by tulfan    [ Reply ]
davin wrote:
My sentiments exactly - both your own and Bruce's in this song. Never liked Springsteen but always enjoyed this tune.
Posted 17 years ago by tulfan    [ Reply ]
Even though I'm a huge Boss fan, I always hated this song. Here's a guy that went from writing about big dreams, getting out of the lowly life that you came from, and living a wild life to whining about what's on TV. Big let down. Luckily his last couple albums have restored my faith in Springsteen.
Posted 17 years ago by Imkirok    [ Reply ]
TJOpootertoot wrote:
It's not Bruce's best song but: -it's different for him -it's got a groovin' little bass line (played by Bruce) -it's seemingly disposable lyrics have only become more relevant as time has gone on. And since he's basically talking the RP Bruce Hating Contingent can't really complain about his singing this time... TJ
Posted 17 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
Never liked Springsteen but always enjoyed this tune.
Posted 17 years ago by davin    [ Reply ]
So no 10's eh? LOL
Posted 17 years ago by djblitz    [ Reply ]
As a Jersey boy originally who now lives in the South, I've always been bothered by The Boss' put-on accent. Ick.
Posted 17 years ago by ploafmaster    [ Reply ]
Hate it.
Posted 17 years ago by BigPete    [ Reply ]
It's not Bruce's best song but: -it's different for him -it's got a groovin' little bass line (played by Bruce) -it's seemingly disposable lyrics have only become more relevant as time has gone on. And since he's basically talking the RP Bruce Hating Contingent can't really complain about his singing this time... TJ
Posted 17 years ago by TJOpootertoot    [ Reply ]
Zep wrote:
Just got satelite TV. It's nine hundred and 57 channels, and nothing on.
You can make an additional channel by running through all of them at 29.97 channels per second (25 for Europeans). It may be more interesting to watch than the separate channels.
Posted 18 years ago by DrLex    [ Reply ]
Just got satelite TV. It's nine hundred and 57 channels, and nothing on.
Posted 18 years ago by Zep    [ Reply ]
It sounds like nothing else. A nice change.
Posted 18 years ago by nmgridl    [ Reply ]
45RPM wrote:
well let's just smile and enjoy the music.
Music? For that we'll have to wait.
Posted 18 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
bobrk wrote:
It's nice to hear Bruce do something that isn't anthemic.
At some level, yes. However, it's not very good...
Posted 18 years ago by Zweiblumen    [ Reply ]
It's nice to hear Bruce do something that isn't anthemic.
Posted 18 years ago by bobrk    [ Reply ]
Odyzzeuz wrote:
An awful track from an overrated performer. A 1.
well let's just smile and enjoy the music.
Posted 18 years ago by 45RPM    [ Reply ]
Roverfish wrote:
Hey now, Odyzzeuz is entitled to his poor opinion... (seriously, though, don't jump on the guy just 'cause you disagree) Decent at best...never thought much of this tune. Still don't.
I was going after the lyrical astuteness and not the guy. You missed what "vidiot" is. A person who is a "video idiot" = sits zombified in front of whatever is on the screen just to have anything to look at instead of being actively involved in the real world. (vs reel world). I was teezing him (not insulting him) 'cause there ain't much on that I would spend 4 hours straight watching the boobtube. see heeb's comment.
Posted 18 years ago by Aud    [ Reply ]
Aud wrote:
Why? Are you a Vidiot?
Hey now, Odyzzeuz is entitled to his poor opinion... (seriously, though, don't jump on the guy just 'cause you disagree) Decent at best...never thought much of this tune. Still don't.
Posted 18 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
These lyrics are sooo true... and seem to become more and more true with each added channel... Maybe Bruce should bring out an updated version soon: "50 million channels, still nothin' on..."
Posted 18 years ago by heeb    [ Reply ]
Odyzzeuz wrote:
An awful track from an overrated performer. A 1.
Why? Are you a Vidiot?
Posted 18 years ago by Aud    [ Reply ]
An awful track from an overrated performer. A 1.
Posted 18 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
HateTV, like the song, but the person who designed the cover should be tied to a rack and stretched out of proportion like those poor letters.
Posted 18 years ago by Eagan    [ Reply ]
Just like FM radio. That's why I now listen to RP.
Posted 18 years ago by 25demayo    [ Reply ]
I never cared for this song. Very repetetive. Lyrics, however, are very appropriate
Posted 18 years ago by witchchild    [ Reply ]
I always loved this song. Thanks to the uploader.
Posted 18 years ago by n4ku    [ Reply ]
Yes, pretty good stuff
Posted 18 years ago by drq    [ Reply ]
The more things change, the more they stay the same. 'Got 13 channels of shit on the TV to choose from......'
Posted 18 years ago by splendy    [ Reply ]
Wow, it's been like, a hundred years since I've heard this. That's what I like about RP, delightful surprises like this one.
Posted 18 years ago by BGGA    [ Reply ]
to think that used to be a lot (almost unimaginable) number of channels. the end result is right....
Posted 18 years ago by beardp    [ Reply ]