Joe Ely - Fingernails

First performance: 19/05/1993


Coverinfo

Bruce performed the song 2 times: Always together with Joe Ely
 
 
1996-03-17 Mean Fiddler (The), Dublin, Ireland
First performances in Europe of "All Just To Get To You" and "Oh, Boy!", as well as "Long Tall Sally". "Fingernails" is played in a medley with snippets of "That Black Snake Moan", "Matchbox", and "Buddy Brown's Blues".
  
 
 
Bruce guests with Joe Ely. First ever Springsteen performances of "Blowin' Down This Road", "Fingernails" (which includes a snippet of "Buddy Brown's Blues"), and "Settle For Love".  
   

Songinfo

Fingernails is taken from the album 'Honky Tonk Masquerade', the second album by Joe Ely, released in 1978. 
 
 
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

2003-03-02 - FRANK ERWIN CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
 
"Gonna bring out my good friend Joe Ely down and play with us, come on up....out of a great city of songwriters, the talent that´s come out of Texas, Joe´s one of my very favorites, man.."
 
Bruce also contributed to the studio recording of this song providing back-up vocals, also on 'I’m a thousand miles from home' ( the album was called 'Letter To Laredo' ). Springsteen travelled to Austin around spring 1995 and joined Ely in studio to record his parts.
Joe Elly had occasionally 17 performances together with Bruce Springsteen : Joe Ely (born February 9, 1947, Amarillo, TX) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas Country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll. He has had a genre-crossing career, performing with Bruce Springsteen, Uncle Tupelo, Los Super Seven, The Clancy Brothers and James McMurtry in addition to his early work with The Clash and more recent acoustic tours with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Guy Clark.
    All appearances with Springsteen:

    1993-05-19 - NATIONAL STADIUM, DUBLIN, IRELAND 
    1993-05-20 - RDS ARENA, DUBLIN, IRELAND
    1993-06-24 - BRENDAN BYRNE ARENA, EAST RUTHERFORD
    1993-06-26 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK CITY

    1995-04-00 - SPUR STUDIOS, AUSTIN
    Joe Ely recording session

    1995-09-14 - THE VIPER ROOM, WEST HOLLYWOOD
    1996-01-25 - AUSTIN MUSIC HALL, AUSTIN
    1996-03-17 - THE MEAN FIDDLER, DUBLIN, IRELAND 

    1996-09-29 - SEVERANCE HALL, CLEVELAND, OH
    Woody Guthrie Tribute Concert

    2000-04-17 - FRANK ERWIN CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN

    2001-10-18 - COUNT BASIE THEATRE, RED BANK
    Alliance of Neighbors Benefit

    2001-10-19 - COUNT BASIE THEATRE, RED BANK
    Alliance of Neighbors Benefit

    2003-03-02 - FRANK ERWIN CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN
    2008-04-14 - TOYOTA CENTER, HOUSTON
    2012-03-14 - AUSTIN MUSIC HALL, AUSTIN
    2012-03-15 - MOODY THEATER, AUSTIN
    2014-05-06 - CYNTHIA WOODS MITCHELL PAVILION, HOUSTON
     

    Lyrics

    I keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I'm gonna keep 'em that way
    Till the swallows get back from Louisiana
    I keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I'm gonna keep 'em that way
    Till the swallows get back from Alabama
    Oh, when I used to chew 'em off
    Nervous over you
    I missed that clickin', tickin' sound
    Honey, what I'm gonna do
    Keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I'm gonna keep 'em that way
    Till the swallows get back from Amarillo
    Oh, when I used to chew 'em off
    Nervous over you
    I missed that clickin', tickin' sound
    Honey, what I'm gonna do
    I keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I keep my fingernails long
    So they click when I play the piano
    I'm gonna keep 'em that way
    Till the swallows get back