Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - The last words of Copernicus

First performance: 02/03/2012

Coverinfo

Bruce Springsteen has never performed or recorded The last words of Copernicus, but he used excerpts from Alan Lomax's recording in the studio version of Death to my hometown.You can hear the sample in the musical intro to the song and in the musical breaks after every repetition of the song’s chorus. What you hear is mostly the song’s alto line at the start of the fuge, which was added to the song by S. M. Denson in 1911. Death To My Hometown is Track 5 on Wrecking Ball, 2012. According to producer Ron Aniello, it was Springsteen who had the idea to use the Alan Lomax recordings on the album.
 
 
 
Bruce played 'death to my hometown' 216 times (soundchecks includes)
 
 
2025-06-11 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
2025-06-07 Anfield, Liverpool, England
2025-06-04 Anfield, Liverpool, England
2025-05-31 Orange Vélodrome, Marseille, France 
2025-05-27 Decathlon Arena - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
2025-05-24 Decathlon Arena - Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
2025-05-20 Co-op Live, Manchester, England
2025-05-17 Co-op Live, Manchester, England
2025-05-14 Co-op Live, Manchester, England  
2024-08-18 PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 
2024-07-27 Wembley Stadium, London, England (2x) (soundcheck)
2024-06-29 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2024-06-17 Cívitas Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain (soundcheck)
2024-04-07 Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA 
2024-03-28 Chase Center, San Francisco, CA 
2024-03-25 Pechanga Arena, San Diego, CA 
2023-07-13 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 
2023-07-08 Hyde Park, London, England 
2023-07-02 Voldsløkka Stadion, Oslo, Norway  
2023-05-30 BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland 
2023-05-27 Johan Cruijff ArenA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
2023-05-09 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland 
2017-02-18 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, Australia
2017-02-09 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
2017-02-04 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia
2017-02-02 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia
2017-01-30 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, Australia
2017-01-27 Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
2017-01-25 Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
2016-09-07 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2016-08-28 United Center, Chicago, IL
2016-08-25 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2016-08-23 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2016-07-26 Granåsen Arena, Trondheim, Norway
2016-07-20 CASA Arena, Horsens, Denmark
2016-07-16 Circus Maximus, Rome, Italy
2016-07-11 AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France
2016-07-09 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium
2016-07-05 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
2016-07-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
2016-06-29 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
2016-06-25 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
2016-06-22 Telia Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark
2016-06-19 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
2016-06-17 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
2016-06-14 Malieveld, The Hague, The Netherlands
2016-06-05 Wembley Stadium, London, England
2016-06-03 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England
2016-06-01 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
2016-05-29 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
2016-05-27 Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland
2016-03-17 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
2014-05-14 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA
2014-05-13 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
2014-05-06 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX
2014-05-03 New Orleans Fairgrounds, New Orleans, LA
2014-04-26 Aaron's Amphitheatre At Lakewood, Atlanta, GA
2014-04-19 Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
2014-04-17 Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
2014-04-15 Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
2014-04-12 Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, VA
2014-04-08 U.S. Bank Arena, Cincinnati, OH
2014-04-06 Reunion Arena, Old Site, Dallas, TX
2014-03-02 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
2014-03-01 Mt. Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
2014-02-23 Hope Estate, Hunter Valley, Australia
2014-02-16 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia
2014-02-11 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide, Australia
2014-02-07 Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
2014-02-05 Perth Arena, Perth, Australia
2014-02-01 FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
2014-01-29 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
2014-01-26 Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa
2013-09-21 Cidade Do Rock, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
2013-09-18 Espaço Das Américas, São Paulo, Brazil
2013-09-14 Estadio G.E.B.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina
2013-09-12 Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile
2013-07-28 Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland
2013-07-27 Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland
2013-07-24 First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
2013-07-23 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
2013-07-20 King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2013-07-18 Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, Ireland
2013-07-16 Thomond Park, Limerick, Ireland
2013-07-13 Festivalpark, Werchter, Belgium
2013-07-11 Ippodromo Delle Capannelle, Rome, Italy
2013-07-07 Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany
2013-07-05 Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany
2013-07-03 Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
2013-06-30 Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, England
2013-06-29 Stade De France, Saint Denis, France
2013-06-26 Estadio Municipal El Molinón, Gijón, Spain
2013-06-22 Goffertpark, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2013-06-20 Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England
2013-06-18 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
2013-06-15 Wembley Stadium, London, England
2013-06-03 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
2013-05-31 Stadio Euganeo, Padua, Italy
2013-05-28 AWD Arena, Hannover, Germany
2013-05-26 Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
2013-05-23 Piazza Del Plebiscito, Naples, Italy
2013-05-16 Jyske Bank Boxen, Herning, Denmark
2013-05-14 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
2013-05-11 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden
2013-05-08 HK Areena, Turku, Finland
2013-05-07 HK Areena, Turku, Finland
2013-05-04 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden
2013-05-03 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden
2013-04-30 Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway
2013-04-29 Telenor Arena, Oslo, Norway
2013-03-31 Hanging Rock, Mt. Macedon, Australia
2013-03-30 Hanging Rock, Mt. Macedon, Australia
2013-03-27 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia
2013-03-26 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia
2013-03-24 Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia
2013-03-22 Allphones Arena, Sydney, Australia
2013-03-20 Allphones Arena, Sydney, Australia
2013-03-18 Allphones Arena, Sydney, Australia
2013-03-16 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2013-03-14 Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2013-02-08 Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
2012-12-10 Palacio De Los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico
2012-12-06 Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ
2012-12-04 Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
2012-11-30 Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
2012-11-28 Rose Garden, Portland, OR
2012-11-26 Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
2012-11-19 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
2012-11-17 Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
2012-11-15 CenturyLink Center, Omaha, NE
2012-11-12 Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
2012-11-11 Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
2012-11-03 KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY
2012-11-01 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA
2012-10-31 Blue Cross Arena At The War Memorial, Rochester, NY
2012-10-27 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
2012-10-25 XL Center, Hartford, CT
2012-10-23 John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA
2012-10-21 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON
2012-10-19 Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, ON
2012-09-22 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2012-09-21 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2012-09-19 Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2012-09-14 Nationals Park, Washington, DC
2012-09-08 Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
2012-09-07 Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
2012-09-03 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2012-09-02 Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
2012-08-29 Vernon Downs Raceway, Vernon, NY
2012-08-26 Magnetic Hill, Moncton, NB
2012-08-24 Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
2012-08-18 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
2012-08-15 Fenway Park, Boston, MA
2012-08-14 Fenway Park, Boston, MA
2012-07-31 Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
2012-07-28 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
2012-07-27 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
2012-07-24 Koengen, Bergen, Norway
2012-07-23 Koengen, Bergen, Norway
2012-07-21 Valle Hovin Stadion, Oslo, Norway
2012-07-18 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
2012-07-17 RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland
2012-07-14 Hyde Park, London, England (Evening)
2012-07-12 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria
2012-07-11 Synot Tip Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
2012-07-09 Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland
2012-07-07 Festivalpladsen, Roskilde, Denmark
2012-07-05 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
2012-07-04 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
2012-06-24 Seaclose Park, Isle Of Wight, England
2012-06-22 Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
2012-06-21 Stadium Of Light, Sunderland, England
2012-06-19 Park & Suites Arena, Montpellier, France
2012-06-17 Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
2012-06-11 Stadio Nereo Rocco, Trieste, Italy
2012-06-10 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy
2012-06-07 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
2012-06-03 Bela Vista Park, Lisbon, Portugal
2012-06-02 Estadio Anoeta, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
2012-05-30 Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
2012-05-28 Megaland, Landgraaf, The Netherlands
2012-05-27 Rheinenergiestadion, Cologne, Germany
2012-05-25 Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany
2012-05-18 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
2012-05-17 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
2012-05-15 Estadio De Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain
2012-05-13 Estadio Olimpico De La Cartuja, Seville, Spain
2012-05-02 Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
2012-04-29 New Orleans Fairgrounds, New Orleans, LA
2012-04-27 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
2012-04-26 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
2012-04-24 HP Pavilion At San Jose, San Jose, CA
2012-04-17 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
2012-04-16 Times Union Center, Albany, NY
2012-04-13 First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY
2012-04-12 Palace Of Auburn Hills (The), Auburn Hills, MI
2012-04-09 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
2012-04-06 Madison Square Garden, New York, City NY
2012-04-04 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
2012-04-03 Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
2012-04-01 Verizon Center, Washington, DC
2012-03-29 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
2012-03-28 Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
2012-03-26 TD Garden, Boston, MA
2012-03-23 Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa, FL
2012-03-19 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
2012-03-18 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
2012-03-15 Moody Theater, Austin, TX
2012-03-09 Apollo Theater, New York City, NY

2012-03-02 Rockefeller Center, GE Building, Studio 6B, New York City, NY 
Bruce once again appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Following an interview, Bruce and The E Street Band are joined by Tom Morello for the live premieres of "Death To My Hometown" , accompanied by the tour horn section of Curt Ramm, Barry Danielian, Ed Manion, Jake Clemons and Clark Gayton.
 

Songinfo

The last words of copernicus is an old folk poem written by Philip Doddridge in 1755 and set to music by Sarah Lancaster in 1869. A performance by the Alabama Sacred Harp Singers was recorded by Alan Lomax on 12 Sep 1959 at the annual United Sacred Harp Musical Association Singing Convention in Fyffe, AL. It can now be found on Lomax's Southern Journey Volume 1: Voices From The American South and Southern Journey Volume 9: Harp Of A Thousand Strings collections. Alan Lomax was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the twentieth century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain. In 1959 and 1960, he embarked on field trips throughout the American South, recording over 80 hours of folk music. This was the most important of Lomax's efforts to promote traditional music.
 
 
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

Lyrics

Ye golden lamps of Heav’n farewell,
With all your feeble light:
Farewell, thou ever changing moon,
Pale empress of the night.

And thou refulgent orb of day,
In brighter flames array’d,
My soul which springs beyond thy sphere,
No more demands thy aid.

Ye stars are but the shining dust
Of my divine abode,
The pavements of those heavenly courts,
Where I shall see my God.

The Father of eternal light
Shall there his beams display;
Nor shall one moment’s darkness mix
With that unvaried day.

No more the drops of piercing grief
Shall swell into my eyes;
Nor the meridian sun decline
Amidst those brighter skies.

There all the millions of his saints
Shall in one song unite,
And each the bliss of all shall view
With infinite delight.