Rocky Ground

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2012 single by Bruce Springsteen

"Rocky Ground"

Single by Bruce Springsteen
from the album  Wrecking Ball
Released| April 21, 2012
Recorded| 2011
Genre| Rock, hip hop, gospel
Length| 4:40
Label| Columbia
Songwriter(s)| Bruce Springsteen
Producer(s)| Ron Aniello, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau (executive prod.)
Bruce Springsteen singles chronology
| "We Take Care of Our Own"
(2012)  | "Rocky Ground"
(2012)  | "Death to My Hometown"
(2012)

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Music video
"Rocky Ground" on YouTube

"Rocky Ground" is a song written and recorded by American musician Bruce Springsteen. It is the second single from his album Wrecking Ball and was released exclusively in select stores as a limited-edition 7-inch 45-rpm vinyl single as a part of Record Store Day on April 21, 2012.[1][2][3][4]

The song made its live debut on March 9, 2012, during Springsteen and the E Street Band's performance at the Apollo Theatre.

A music video for the song was first teased on Facebook and Twitter on May 24, 2012, and released the following day on May 25, 2012. The music video features the lyrics being written down on paper in sync with the song, interchanging this with a series of urban and suburban imagery.

On June 15, 2012, a video for the "Modern Mix" of the song was released. The remixed version was produced by Ron Aniello and Matthew Koma.

Rolling Stone named the song the 7th best song of 2012.[5]

## Lyrics and music[edit]

The song is heavy with a religious theme and features a gospel choir backing Springsteen. Singer Michelle Moore provides backing vocals along with rapping, a first for a Springsteen album. Springsteen has stated he originally attempted to do the rapping himself but was not satisfied with the sound.[citation needed]

"Rocky Ground" contains excerpts of "I'm a Soldier in the Army of the Lord", a traditional gospel song performed by Congregation of the Church of God in Christ and recorded by Alan Lomax in 1942.[6]

## Track listing[edit]

1. "Rocky Ground": 4:40
2. "The Promise (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band live from the Carousel, Asbury Park)": 5:59[7]

## Personnel[edit]

* Bruce Springsteen – lead vocal, guitars, percussion and loops
* Ron Aniello – drums and loops
* Art Baron – euphonium and tuba
* Clark Gayton – trombone
* Charlie Giordano – piano and organ
* Stan Harrison – clarinet, alto saxophone and tenor saxophone
* Dan Levine – alto horn and euphonium
* Ed Manion – tenor saxophone and baritone saxophone
* Michelle Moore – backing vocals and rapping
* Curt Ramm – trumpet and cornet
* Patti Scialfa – backing vocals
* Victorious Gospel Choir – backing vocals

## References[edit]

1. ^ http://backstreets.com/news.html
2. ^ "Home | RECORD STORE DAY".
3. ^ ""Rocky Ground" Single für "Record Store Day"". 6 March 2012.
4. ^ "Home". recordstoredaygermany.de.
5. ^ "50 Best Songs of 2012". Rolling Stone. 5 December 2012.
6. ^ "Parsing the samples and quotes on Bruce Springsteen's 'Wrecking Ball'". 29 February 2012.
7. ^ "Bruce Springsteen - Rocky Ground".

## External links[edit]

* Brucespringsteen.net

* v
* t
* e

Bruce Springsteen songs

* Singles
* Songs

1970s|

| Greetings from
Asbury Park, N.J.|

* "Blinded by the Light"
* "Growin' Up"
* "Mary Queen of Arkansas"
* "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?"
* "Lost in the Flood"
* "The Angel"
* "For You"
* "Spirit in the Night"
* "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City"

|

The Wild, the Innocent
& the E Street Shuffle|

* "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)"
* "Incident on 57th Street"
* "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"

Born to Run|

* "Thunder Road"
* "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"
* "Night"
* "Backstreets"
* "Born to Run"
* "She's the One"
* "Meeting Across the River"
* "Jungleland"

Darkness on the
Edge of Town|

* "Badlands"
* "Adam Raised a Cain"
* "Racing in the Street"
* "The Promised Land"
* "Prove It All Night"
* "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

1980s|

| The River|

* "The Ties That Bind"
* "Sherry Darling"
* "Independence Day"
* "Hungry Heart"
* "Out in the Street"
* "The River"
* "Point Blank"
* "Cadillac Ranch"
* "Fade Away"
* "Stolen Car"
* "Ramrod"
* "Wreck on the Highway"

|

Nebraska|

* "Nebraska"
* "Atlantic City"
* "Johnny 99"
* "Highway Patrolman"
* "Open All Night"

Born in the U.S.A.|

* "Born in the U.S.A."
* "Cover Me"
* "Darlington County"
* "Working on the Highway"
* "Downbound Train"
* "I'm on Fire"
* "No Surrender"
* "Bobby Jean"
* "I'm Goin' Down"
* "Glory Days"
* "Dancing in the Dark"
* "My Hometown"

Tunnel of Love|

* "Tougher Than the Rest"
* "Spare Parts"
* "Tunnel of Love"
* "Brilliant Disguise"
* "One Step Up"

1990s|

| Human Touch|

* "Human Touch "
* "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)"
* "Pony Boy"

|

Lucky Town|

* "Better Days"
* "If I Should Fall Behind"

The Ghost of Tom Joad|

* "The Ghost of Tom Joad"
* "Youngstown"
* "The New Timer"

2000s|

| The Rising|

* "Lonesome Day"
* "Waitin' on a Sunny Day"
* "The Rising"
* "My City of Ruins"

|

We Shall Overcome:
The Seeger Sessions|

* "Old Dan Tucker"
* "Jesse James"
* "Mrs. McGrath"
* "O Mary Don't You Weep"
* "John Henry"
* "Erie Canal"
* "Jacob's Ladder"
* "Eyes on the Prize"
* "Shenandoah"
* "Pay Me My Money Down"
* "We Shall Overcome"
* "Froggie Went A-Courtin'"
* "Buffalo Gals"
* "How Can I Keep from Singing?"
* "How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live?"

Magic|

* "Radio Nowhere"
* "Girls in Their Summer Clothes"
* "Long Walk Home"

Working on a Dream|

* "Outlaw Pete"
* "My Lucky Day"
* "Working on a Dream"
* "The Wrestler"

2010s|

| Wrecking Ball|

* "We Take Care of Our Own"
* "Shackled and Drawn"
* "Death to My Hometown"
* "Wrecking Ball"
* "Rocky Ground"
* "Land of Hope and Dreams"

|

High Hopes|

* "High Hopes"
* "American Skin (41 Shots)"
* "Just Like Fire Would"
* "Hunter of Invisible Game"
* "Dream Baby Dream"

Western Stars|

* "Tucson Train"
* "Western Stars"
* "There Goes My Miracle"
* "Hello Sunshine"

2020s|

| Letter to You|

* "Letter to You"
* "The Power of Prayer"
* "Ghosts"
* "I'll See You in My Dreams"

|

Only the Strong Survive|

* "Only the Strong Survive"
* "Nightshift"
* "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)"
* "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"
* "Turn Back the Hands of Time"
* "When She Was My Girl"
* "Hey, Western Union Man"
* "I Wish It Would Rain"
* "Don't Play That Song"
* "I Forgot to Be Your Lover"
* "7 Rooms of Gloom"
* "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"
* "Someday We'll Be Together"

Other singles|

* "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
* "War"
* "Fire"
* "Streets of Philadelphia"
* "Secret Garden"
* "Sad Eyes"
* "High Hopes"
* "Devils & Dust"

Other songs|

* "Be True"
* "Stand on It"
* "Trapped" (live)
* "Because the Night" (live)
* "Chimes of Freedom" (live)
* "The Fever"
* "Stay"
* "Pink Cadillac"
* "Jersey Girl"
* "Light of Day"
* "Chinatown"

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group
* MusicBrainz work

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