Highway Patrolman
1982 · Columbia QC 38358 · Freehold, New Jersey
- Artist
- Bruce Springsteen
- Title
- Highway Patrolman
- Release
- Nebraska
- Year
- 1982
- Label
- Columbia # QC 38358
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- Freehold, New Jersey, USA
- Songwriter
- Bruce Springsteen
- Genre
- Singer Songwriter · Singer Songwriter · Americana
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation — Bruce Springsteen Songs
The song "Highway Patrolman" featured on the Springsteen album Nebraska (Columbia Records # QC 38358), which told the story of two brothers, one a Vietnam veteran - it presented the perspective of a vet struggling back home. Although in this case, it suggested the vet had troubles before the war. (1) It's narrated from the perspective of one brother, Joe Roberts, who became a law enforcement officer. He recalled that his brother was always getting into trouble: "Franky ain't no good". However, he looked out for him, as it was family: "I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would". In 1965 he went to the Vietnam War: "Franky went in the army, back in 1965", while the narrator got "a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my wife". When Frank returned, he got into trouble, including shooting a man. The brother chased him up to the Canadian border, and then let him safely cross the line: "sign said Canadian border five miles from here, I pulled over the side of the highway and watched his tail lights disappear".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
Born Freehold, New Jersey, USA (23 September 1949). Currently Rumson, New Jersey.