‘Hungry Heart’ is a ballad written and performed by Bruce Springsteen on his fifth album, The River. It was released as the album's lead single in 1980 and became Springsteen's first big hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at number five. The single was his first British hit in the United Kingdom, although only spending 4 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 44. The song did better in 1995 when reissued in conjunction with his Greatest Hits album, and reached No. 28.
The title is drawn from a line in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's famous poem "Ulysses": "For always roaming with a hungry heart". This song explores a man's wanderlust contrasted with his desire for a stable family life. Many of Springsteen's songs are about wanting to get away, and in this song the main character concludes that he does not want to be alone.
When Springsteen met Joey Ramone in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Ramone asked him to write a song for the Ramones. Springsteen composed ‘Hungry Heart’ that night, but decided to keep it for himself on the advice of his producer and manager, Jon Landau. Previously, upbeat and catchy Springsteen songs such as ‘Blinded by the Light’, ‘Because the Night’, and ‘Fire’ had been given away and become hits for others, and Landau preferred the trend not continue.
Billboard described ‘Hungry Heart’ as "a magnificently styled midtempo love song" with an "extremely memorable" hook. Record World said that "If radio's immediate approval of this rush-release is any indication of its success, then the Boss has his first pop hit." This was used in the Tom Cruise movie Risky Business. It was the first time a Springsteen song was used in a film. In the 1981 Rolling Stone reader's poll, this was voted best single. Springsteen also won for Best Artist, Album, and Male Singer.
Label – Columbia
Songwriter – Bruce Springsteen
Producers – Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack
I went out for a ride and I never went back
Like a river that don't know where it's flowing
I took a wrong turn and I just kept going
[Chorus]
Everybody's got a hungry heart
Everybody's got a hungry heart
Lay down your money and you play your part
Everybody's got a hungry heart
[Verse 2]
I met her in a Kingstown bar
We fell in love I knew it had to end
We took what we had and we ripped it apart
Now here I am down in Kingstown again
[Chorus]
Everybody's got a hungry heart
Everybody's got a hungry heart
Lay down your money and you play your part
Everybody's got a hungry heart
[Verse 3]
Everybody needs a place to rest
Everybody wants to have a home
Don't make no difference what nobody says
Ain't nobody like to be alone
[Chorus]
Everybody's got a hungry heart
Everybody's got a hungry heart
Lay down your money and you play your part
Everybody's got a hungry heart