In November of ’96, Bruce returned to his hometown, Freehold, New Jersey, to perform at a benefit for the St. Rose of Lima School. It was his first performance there in nearly 30 years. He wrote a song especially for the occasion: “In Freehold”.

He pulled the song out a few years later on tour w/ the E Street Band. This one comes from a July 18, 1999 performance at the Continental Arena at the Meadowlands. It’s a loose, witty, hilarious, and ultimately bittersweet tune. There’s a good deal of crowd noise here, but it doesn’t take away from the quality, it only enhances it, as you really feel the intimate interaction with the crowd.

Bruce Springsteen: In Freehold (mp3) – recorded live, Meadowlands, NJ, 07-18-99