Soul Driver – English Lyrics

• By: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heartfelt lyrics and rich musicality of Bruce Springsteen's "Soul Driver." This song, a highlight from the *Human Touch* album, offers a unique opportunity to appreciate Springsteen's storytelling prowess as he explores themes of devotion and commitment against life's unpredictable backdrop. Its departure from the typical E Street Band sound makes it a special piece for understanding the diverse facets of his artistic expression.

[English]

Rode through 40 nights

Of the gospels' rain

Black sky pourin' snakes,

Frogs and love in vain

You were down where the river grows wider

Baby, let me be your soul driver

Well if something,

In the air feels a little unkind

Don't worry, darlin',

Oh it'll slip your mind

I'll be your gypsy joker

Your shotgun rider

Baby, let me be your soul driver

Now no one knows

Which way love's wheel turns

Will we hit it rich,

Or crash and burn?

Does fortune wait or just the black hand of fate?

This love potion's all we've got, one toast before it's too late

If the angels are unkind or the season is dark

Or if in the end, love just falls apart

Well, then here's to our destruction

Baby, let me be your soul driver

Oh, here's to our destruction

Oh, baby, let me be your soul driver

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone
sky /skiː/ A1	noun - the region above the earth
rain /reɪn/ A1	noun - water droplets falling from clouds
black /blæk/ A2	adjective - of the darkest color
snake /sneɪk/ A2	noun - a legless reptile
frog /frɒɡ/ A2	noun - an amphibian with long hind legs
driver /ˈdraɪvər/ B1	noun - person who operates a vehicle verb - to operate a vehicle
soul /soʊl/ B2	noun - the spiritual part of a person
gypsy /ˈdʒɪp.si/ C1	noun - a member of a nomadic people
joker /ˈdʒoʊ.kər/ B2	noun - a person who jokes or a playing card
shotgun /ˈʃɒtˌɡʌn/ C1	noun - a firearm that fires a spread of shot
rider /ˈraɪ.dər/ B2	noun - someone who rides a vehicle or animal
fate /feɪt/ B2	noun - the development of events beyond a person's control
fortune /ˈfɔː.tʃuːn/ B2	noun - luck or wealth
destruction /dɪˈstrʌk.ʃən/ C1	noun - the act of destroying something
crash /kræʃ/ B2	verb - to collide with great force
burn /bɜːn/ B2	verb - to set on fire or be on fire
wheel /wiːl/ B1	noun - a circular object that rotates
turn /tɜːn/ A2	verb - to rotate or move around an axis
unkind /ʌnˈkaɪnd/ B2	adjective - not kind; harsh

Key Grammar Structures

• Rode through 40 nights of the gospels' rain

  ➔ Past Simple

  ➔ The verb "Rode" is the past simple form of "ride", showing a completed action in the past.

• Black sky pourin' snakes, Frogs and love in vain

  ➔ Present Participle / Gerund

  ➔ The word "pourin'" is the present participle of "pour" (dropping the final "g"), used like a gerund to describe an ongoing action.

• You were down where the river grows wider

  ➔ Mixed Tense (past + present)

  ➔ "were" is past simple showing a past state; "grows" is present simple describing a current or habitual fact.

• Baby, let me be your soul driver

  ➔ Imperative + Infinitive

  ➔ "let" is used as an imperative verb followed by the infinitive "be" to make a request or suggestion.

• Well if something, in the air feels a little unkind

  ➔ Zero Conditional

  ➔ The clause "if ... feels" uses present simple in both parts, typical of a zero conditional that states a general truth.

• Don't worry, darlin', Oh it'll slip your mind

  ➔ Imperative + Future Simple

  ➔ "Don't" is a negative imperative telling someone not to do something; "it'll" (= it will) is future simple predicting a later event.

• I'll be your gypsy joker

  ➔ Future Simple (will)

  ➔ "I'll" is the contraction of "I will", a future simple form expressing a promise or intention.

• Now no one knows which way love's wheel turns

  ➔ Indirect Question (present simple)

  ➔ "knows" is in the present simple, and the clause "which way love's wheel turns" is an embedded question also in present simple.

• Will we hit it rich, or crash and burn?

  ➔ Future Simple Interrogative

  ➔ "Will" at the beginning forms a future simple question, asking about possible outcomes.