Bruce Springsteen: ‘Thunder Road’ lyrics to be corrected after 46 years

Does The Boss say ‘sway’ or ‘wave’?

A debate over the lyrics to Bruce Springsteen’s 1975 anthem “Thunder Road” may have finally been settled.

For 46 years, there has existed some confusion over whether Springsteen sings “Mary’s dress sways” or “Mary’s dress waves” in one of the song’s most well-known lines.

Finally, thanks to Springsteen’s long time manager and producer, the issue has been settled.

Jon Landau, in conversation with The New Yorker, has confirmed the actual lyrics to the song.

“The word is ‘sways,’” Landau said. “That’s the way he wrote it in his original notebooks, that’s the way he sang it on Born to Run in 1975, that’s the way he has always sung it at thousands of shows, and that’s the way he sings it right now on Broadway.”

Fans have long debated the actual lyrics of the track because of a misprint on the liner notes in the initial 1975 release.

It is a mistake that has been replicated in the decades since, also appearing on official lyric sheets on Springsteen’s website.

(Getty Images)

The Boss himself has also refused to be drawn on his lyrics in the past, preferring to let fans interpret as they wish.

Landau confirmed: “Any typos in official Bruce material will be corrected.” The website has since been amended to reflect this.