Hey Eddie, can you lend me a few bucks
And tonight can you get us a ride
Gotta make it through the tunnel
Got a meeting with a man on the other side

Hey Eddie, this guy, he's the real thing
So if you want to come along
You gotta promise you won't say anything
'Cause this guy don't dance
And the word's been passed this is our last chance

We gotta stay cool tonight, Eddie
'Cause man, we got ourselves out on that line
And if we blow this one
They ain't gonna be looking for just me this time

And all we gotta do is hold up our end
Here stuff this in your pocket
It'll look like you're carrying a friend
And remember, just don't smile
Change your shirt, 'cause tonight we got style

Well Cherry says she's gonna walk
'Cause she found out I took her radio and hocked it
But Eddie, man, she don't understand
That two grand's practically sitting here in my pocket

And tonight's gonna be everything that I said
And when I walk through that door
I'm just gonna throw that money on the bed
She'll see this time I wasn't just talking
Then I'm gonna go out walking

Hey Eddie, can you catch us a ride?



Lyrics submitted by fearofmusic

Track duration: 03:15


Meeting Across the River song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I believe that this song is about a broke guy who is going across the river to rob a drug dealer. He is trying to get his friend to help him
    Flag EAH1037on May 13, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The last verse of this song really tells the story. A small time loser with big dreams. His girlfriend is ready to dump him because he hocked her radio, but he'll show her that at long last he is going to succeed at something ("she'll see this time I wasn't just talking, then I'm going to go out walking") even if that something is some small time criminal act. But alas, even this is doomed to fail. Eddie's friend doesn't even have a way to get to this meeting, the last words of our hero "Hey Eddie, can you get us a ride?" just show his hopelessness.
    Flag PatDon March 11, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Smalltime Jersey mobsters trying to get out of a jam are getting mixed up with characters who are bigger, more professional, tougher, and meaner than themselves. The guys in the song don't even have guns, but they need to present the appearance that they.

    I believe the relationship backstory is simply part of the character sketch. If you look at the songs on Born To Run as vignettes telling stories of various people in New Jersey on a summer weekend, then it all fits in. I've always seen the two guys in this song passing The Rat from Jungleland in the tunnel as they head toward their rendezvous and Rat to meet the Barefoot Girl. The horns are the segue...the trumpet (it might be a sax on the record, but I saw it on trumpet last week live) to the intro of Jungleland and Clarence's solo.

    On a personal note, growing up in New Jersey in the 80s...the horns on this song just remind me of everything I thought looking at the NYC skyline -- the mystery, possibilities, sophistication.

    I've seen a book of short stories all inspired by this song.
    Flag tijakoon November 30, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:i'm pretty sure this is about a drug deal. they're prepping up, getting ready for the deal that will make them the cash they need.
    Flag bumdarton June 26, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:They dont actually have a gun........"Here stuff this in your pocket
    It'll LOOK like you're carrying a friend" they are acting like they have a gun.......not very relavant but thought id share
    Flag anthony29on February 04, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Its Donnie Brasco in a nutshell. (except written like 17 years before the movie.)
    The singer is Lefty (Al Pacino) and he's bringing his pal Eddie (or Donnie/Johnny Depp) with him on his criminal adventures.

    The singer/lefty is teaching him the ropes and preparing him "If you wanna come along you gotta promise not to say anything".

    He gets into a bit of trouble and hands Eddie a gun or another weapon to help protect them.

    He falls out with his girl but he still loves her. Then at the end he goes out walking and gets whacked for bringig eddie/donnie into the crew.

    *Or it could just be a song about a guy trying to make a living, i.e. maybe a bit like the man in Atlantic City.
    Flag BeerCanWorkForYouon July 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Love the song and it's obvious relation to the mobsters of NYC, but I've always seen it as one last chance to get signed as an act. I like to listen to this then Rosalita, like ending the story of going back to his girl and saying he just got signed cuz of this songs events. Anybody else ever do this with any other tunes? If you haven't tried it, it can be very entertaining and add many more layers to songs.
    Flag voltafan101on May 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Eddie and the narrator are friends who are hard up for money... (mostly the narrator though)... they are meeting in nyc to make some quick money but they can't screw around cause "this guy don't dance"... he warns eddie of the risks "if we blow this one... they ain't gonna be lookin for just me this time"... you are right gmc... the "stuff this in your pocket" is a reference to a gun... along with "change your shirt" they want to look like professionals when they have their meeting... the song closes with how the meeting will work out... the narrator is very possitive about tonight's activities...
    Flag adrock1011on October 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"here stuff this in your pocket, itll look like youre carrying a friend" i think this is referring to packing heat or having a gun on you.
    Flag qmcon June 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song emotes pure desparation. Bruce puts aside the rock and roll and uses a bluesy jazz soundtrack to tell the story of losers at the end of their rope, that will do anything they can, no matter how dangerous or criminal, to turn their luck around.
    Flag Pirtyfool22on May 17, 2007   Link

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