Jimmy Cliff - Trapped

First performance: 29/05/1989


Coverinfo

Bruce performed the song 261 times ( soundchecks included ) :
 
Bruce didn't stick to the original reggae arrangement but made it to a simmering, slow build of a rocker. He also made changes to the lyrics. 
 
A live version is released on The Essential Bruce Springsteen.
 
  
 
 
2023-08-24 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA 
2023-08-11 Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL 
2023-06-28 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden 
2023-05-09 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 
"Dirty Water" debuts to open the encores.
 
Bruce and the band return to the stage after three postponed shows 
 
Tour debuts for "Trapped" and "Land Of Hope And Dreams" 

2017-02-04 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia
2017-01-30 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, Australia
2016-09-01 Nationals Park, Washington, DC
2016-07-31 Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland
2016-07-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
2016-06-29 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
2016-05-21 Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
2016-04-25 Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
2014-04-26 Aaron's Amphitheatre At Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
2014-04-15 Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
2014-02-22 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, Australia
2014-01-28 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
2013-07-05 Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany
2013-06-20 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England
2013-05-14 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
2013-03-22 Allphones Arena, Sydney, Australia
2012-12-06 Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ
2012-11-15 CenturyLink Center, Omaha, NE
2012-10-21 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON
2012-09-07 Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
2012-07-12 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria
2012-07-07 Festivalpladsen, Roskilde, Denmark
2012-06-10 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy
2012-05-30 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
2012-05-18 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
2012-05-13 Estadio Olimpico De La Cartuja, Seville, Spain
2012-04-17 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
2012-04-12 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI
2012-04-09 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
2012-04-04 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
2012-04-01 Verizon Center, Washington, DC
2012-03-29 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
2009-11-18 Sommet Center, Nashville, TN
2009-08-22 Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA
2009-08-01 Estadio José Zorrilla, Valladolid, Spain
2009-07-12 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
2009-07-03 Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany
The live 28 Jun 2009 version of Trapped was released on the London Calling: Live In Hyde Park home video in 2010.
 
 
2009-06-07 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
2009-05-30 Megaland, Landgraaf, The Netherlands
2009-05-15 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
2009-05-12 United Center, Chicago, IL
2009-04-26 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
2008-07-17 Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
2008-07-08 Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway
2008-06-29 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
2008-06-23 Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium
2008-06-16 LTU Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany
2008-05-28 Old Trafford, Manchester, England
2008-05-23 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
2008-04-28 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
2008-04-25 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
2008-04-13 American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
2008-04-07 Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
2008-04-05 HP Pavilion At San Jose, San Jose, CA
2008-03-31 GM Place, Vancouver, BC
2008-03-29 KeyArena At Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
2003-09-10 SkyDome, Toronto, ON
2003-08-30 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2003-08-09 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
2003-07-21 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2003-05-24 Stade De France, Saint-Denis, France
2000-06-27 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
2000-06-15 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
2000-06-04 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
2000-04-26 Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
2000-03-18 Pyramid Arena, Memphis, TN
2000-03-10 National Car Rental Center, Sunrise, FL
2000-03-04 Orlando Arena, Orlando, FL
1999-11-29 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
1999-11-15 Gund Arena, Cleveland, OH
1999-10-26 Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA
1999-10-18 Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
1999-09-28 United Center, Chicago, IL
1999-09-15 First Union Center, Philadelphia, PA
1999-09-09 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI
1999-09-01 MCI Center, Washington, DC
1999-08-22 FleetCenter, Boston, MA
1999-08-11 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1999-08-01 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1999-07-18 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1999-06-24 Stockholms Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
1999-06-20 Gelredome, Arnhem, The Netherlands
1993-05-25 Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy
1993-05-11 Estadi Olímpic De Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain
1993-05-05 Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain
1993-05-01 Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal
1993-04-23 Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium
1993-04-19 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
1993-04-16 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England
1993-04-13 Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon, France
1993-04-07 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
1993-04-03 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany
1993-03-31 SECC, Glasgow, Scotland
1992-12-17 Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
1992-12-16 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
1992-12-14 Boston Garden, Boston, MA
1992-12-13 Boston Garden, Boston, MA
1992-12-08 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1992-12-07 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1992-12-05 Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN
1992-12-03 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO
1992-12-02 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX
1992-11-30 Omni (The), Atlanta, GA
1992-11-24 Miami Arena, Miami, FL
1992-11-23 Orlando Arena, Orlando, FL
1992-11-18 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
1992-11-17 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC
1992-11-15 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
1992-11-13 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY
1992-11-10 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
1992-11-09 Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
1992-11-06 SkyDome, Toronto, ON
1992-11-05 SkyDome, Toronto, ON
1992-11-03 Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
1992-10-31 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
1992-10-30 Hilton Coliseum, Ames, IA
1992-10-26 McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO
1992-10-21 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
1992-10-18 Northlands Coliseum, Edmonton, AB
1992-10-17 Olympic Saddledome, Calgary, AB
1992-10-15 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC
1992-10-13 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
1992-10-06 ARCO Arena, Sacramento, CA
1992-10-02 America West Arena, Phoenix, AZ
1992-09-29 San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA
1992-09-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1992-09-25 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1992-09-02 World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, IL
1992-08-28 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1992-08-25 Capital Centre, Largo, MD
1992-08-21 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH
1992-08-18 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI
1992-08-17 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI
1992-08-14 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
1992-08-13 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
1992-08-10 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1992-08-07 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1992-08-06 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1992-08-04 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1992-08-02 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1992-07-31 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1992-07-30 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1992-07-28 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

1989-09-22 Stone Pony (The), Asbury Park, NJ
Off tour: With Jimmy Cliff and his band. This is an interesting seven-minute performance utilizing Cliff’s original arrangement of the song (i.e., some alternate lyrics and totally different melody to Bruce’s more famous cover version).
 
1988-09-01 Wembley Stadium, London, England 
Full-band rehearsal the day before the Amnesty tour kicks off. In preparation for Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour, Trapped was practiced on 01 Sep 1988 at Wembley Stadium in London, England, during the only known/confirmed private rehearsal prior to the tour's start. The song was not played on any of the tour's regular dates.

1985-10-02 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
1985-09-30 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
1985-09-29 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
1985-09-27 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
1985-09-24 Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO
1985-09-23 Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO
1985-09-19 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
1985-09-18 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
1985-09-14 Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX
1985-09-13 Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX
1985-09-10 Orange Bowl, Miami, FL
1985-09-09 Orange Bowl, Miami, FL
1985-09-06 Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, IN
1985-09-04 Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, MI
1985-09-01 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
1985-08-31 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
1985-08-27 CNE Stadium, Toronto, ON
1985-08-26 CNE Stadium, Toronto, ON
1985-08-22 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
1985-08-21 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
1985-08-19 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
1985-08-18 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
1985-08-15 Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA
1985-08-14 Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA
1985-08-11 Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
1985-08-09 Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
1985-08-07 Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH
1985-08-05 RFK Stadium, Washington, DC
1985-07-07 Roundhay Park, Leeds, England
1985-07-06 Wembley Stadium, London, England
1985-07-04 Wembley Stadium, London, England
1985-07-03 Wembley Stadium, London, England
1985-06-30 Parc De La Courneuve, Paris, France
1985-06-29 Parc De La Courneuve, Paris, France
1985-06-25 Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France
1985-06-23 Stade Richter, Montpellier, France
1985-06-21 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
1985-06-18 Olympiastadion, Munich, West Germany
1985-06-15 Waldstadion, Frankfurt, West Germany
1985-06-13 Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
1985-06-12 Stadion Feijenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
1985-06-08 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
1985-06-05 St. James' Park, Newcastle, England
1985-06-04 St. James' Park, Newcastle, England
1985-06-01 Slane Castle, Slane, Ireland
1985-04-11 Kokuritsu Yoyogi Kyogi-jo, Tokyo, Japan
1985-04-04 Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne, Australia
1985-03-24 Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia
1985-03-21 Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia
1985-01-27 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY
1985-01-26 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY
1985-01-24 Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI
1985-01-19 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
1984-12-14 Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN
1984-10-31 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1984-10-17 Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
1984-10-15 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC
1984-09-25 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY
1984-09-24 Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY
1984-09-22 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
1984-09-21 Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
1984-09-17 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1984-09-15 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1984-09-12 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1984-09-11 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1984-09-08 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
1984-09-07 Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT
1984-09-05 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
1984-09-04 Centrum In Worcester, Worcester, MA
1984-08-29 Capital Centre, Largo, MD
1984-08-26 Capital Centre, Largo, MD
The live 06 Aug 1984 version of Trapped was first released in 1985 on the various artists charity album We Are The World in 1985. The live 06 Aug 1984 version of Trapped was included on The Essential Bruce Springsteen (2003 3-disc edition) compilation album. Bruce Springsteen's liner notes in The Essential Bruce Springsteen album booklet: Written by Jimmy Cliff, one of the great masters of reggae and cut live on "The River" tour.This, of course, is an error. The released version of TRAPPED was recorded during the Born In The U.S.A. Tour, not The River Tour.
 
 
 
 
1984-07-31 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI
1984-07-24 CNE Grandstand, Toronto, ON
1981-09-14 Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH
1981-09-13 Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH
1981-09-11 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL
1981-09-08 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL
1981-09-02 San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA
1981-08-28 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1981-08-27 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1981-08-24 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1981-08-23 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1981-08-20 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
1981-08-16 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
1981-08-12 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI
1981-08-11 Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, MI
1981-08-05 Capital Centre, Largo, MD
1981-08-04 Capital Centre, Largo, MD
1981-07-29 Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH
1981-07-15 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1981-07-13 Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
1981-07-09 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1981-07-08 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1981-07-06 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1981-07-05 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
1981-06-08 Birmingham International Arena, Birmingham, England
1981-06-07 Birmingham International Arena, Birmingham, England
1981-06-04 Wembley Arena, London, England
1981-06-01 Wembley Arena, London, England
1981-05-30 Wembley Arena, London, England

1981-05-29 Wembley Arena, London, England
First ever Springsteen performance of "Trapped", played in an arrangement that is wildly different to Jimmy Cliff's original. "Trapped" was also soundchecked, with Bruce and the band spending some time working on the instrumentation. 
  

Songinfo

"Trapped" is a 1972 song written and recorded by reggae artist Jimmy Cliff and it was Bruce himself who help popularizing the song in the 1980s. The song was released on Island Records and backed with "Struggling Man".  "Trapped" was arranged by Del Newman and produced by Cat Stevens. Cliff had recorded Stevens' "Wild World" a couple of years earlier, and here Stevens assembled a production recalling those found on his 1967 album Matthew and Son. Writer Dave Marsh has termed the lyric "a cruel and vivid crescendo that build[s] to the point of snapping and end[s] each verse and chorus with an expostulated 'Trapped!' In the view of music writer Dave Thompson, the success of Springsteen's "Trapped" help improve Cliff's visibility, along with the Jamaican's direct involvement in the same year's Artists United Against Apartheid. Cliff re-recorded "Trapped" for release on his 1989 album Images. Cliff performs the songs in his concerts, often sounding fairly close to the Springsteen version in some of his singing, although the music remains definitely his.
 
 
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

Bruce on the song : 
 
23.08.81 Los Angeles, CA, intro to "Trapped":
 
"I remember when I was growing up...I was in high school, all the...everybody couldn’t wait to get out, all the guys were quitting school to get a job and get some money in their pockets...and we had this glass...there was this glass factory on the outside of town ...a lot of guys used to go out and try to find a job there...and...I remember...when I got older, I tried to think back...and I realized that my dad, he worked in a factory and that his dad did...and if I hadn’t been lucky, it would’ve been the same thing...for me ‘cause there’s a circle that just keeps going on and on and on...it’s real easy when...you come from a certain place to end up...you end up a victim of something that you don’t even know what it is, you know...and...when I was in high school, I remember...I never, I never...liked history, I hated history class, you know (crowd cheers) but about six months ago I bought this book when we were over...I guess we were over in Europe and it was called The History of the United States...and if you read that book...from cover to cover, you can see that there’s some very strange writing on the wall...and...unless you get a chance to understand the, the forces and the things that are gonna shape your life...you’re gonna be... you’re gonna end up, you’re gonna end up trapped..." 
 
According to Dave Marsh's 1987 book Glory Days: Bruce Springsteen In The 1980s, while on the European leg of The River Tour, Springsteen purchased a cassette tape of Jimmy Cliff music in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in late April 1981. He discovered 'trapped' on it and decided to incorporate it into his act, making an arrangement for the E Street Band that replaced the reggae rhythm with a straight rock one. Springsteen's take on the song was first performed on 29 May 1981 in London, UK. It would then be performed during most of the remaining dates of The River Tour, as well as much of the Born In The U.S.A. Tour and World Tour 1992-1993 dates. The song was also occasionally played on later tours with The E Street Band.
 
The live 06 Aug 1984 version from East Rutherford, NJ, was included on the 1985 charity album We Are The World. "I look at it as a compliment," Jimmy Cliff told The Arizona Republicnewspaper in 1988 regarding Springsteen's version of his song. "He's an artist in his own right and he's written a lot of good songs, too. It's good when an established artist docs your work and does it in his way." He added, "From a commercial point of view, I didn't gain from ['Trapped']. All the royalties were donated to the cause, and I gained in the moral sense that I have done something for the cause." 
     
     
     
     
    2020-04-24 SiriusXM Studio, New York City, NY
    Bruce plays sufferin' in the land during his second 'From His Home to Yours': For the next hour or so, I will be your DJ for your dancing and listening pleasure. I hope you've all been … staying home, because outside the world is roiling.
    "I've known Jimmy Cliff for, I don't know, 20, 25 years at least. And he was always one of my favorite, favorite musicians. And this was on one of the early, early records. It's just a great song about tough times and hardship."

     

    Lyrics

    Well it seems like I'm caught up in your trap again
    And it seems like I'll be wearing the same old chain
    Good will conquer evil and the truth will set you free
    And I know someday I'll find the key
    And I know somewhere I will find the key
    Well it seems like I've been playing the game way too long
    And it seems the game I played has made you strong
    Well when the game is over, I won't walk out the loser
    And I know that I'll walk out of here again
    And I know someday I'll walk out of here again
    But now I'm trapped, Ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeahhh
    Now it seems like I've been sleeping in your bed too long
    And it seems like you've been meaning to do me harm
    But I'll teach my eyes to see beyond these walls in front of me
    And someday I'll walk out of here again
    Yeah I know someday I'll walk out of here again
    But now I'm trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeahhh
    Now it seems like I've been playing your game way too long
    And it seems the game I played has made you strong
    Because I'm trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeahhh
    I'm trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeahhh
    Trapped, ooh yeah yeah yeah
    Trapped, ooh yeahhh
    I'm trapped