Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Mess up Classic Song, Stevie Van Zandt Speaks Out

Van Zandt took the mistake in stride - both on stage and online.

By Michael Hein

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are one of the most professional acts in rock 'n' roll music, so fans were surprised when they blundered a song on stage last week. The band played at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday, and they had one notable slip-up during the song "Two Hearts." When asked about the fumble on social media, guitarist Stevie Van Zandt admitted candidly: "We f—ed it up!"

As you can see in the clip below, Springsteen and Van Zandt were sharing a microphone when one or both of them fumbled the lyrics, the rhythm or both around the chorus of the song. They both laughed good-naturedly, and Springsteen got the song back on track by counting in all over again. The whole thing might have been easy to miss depending on where you were sitting, but one attendee posted about it on X. While they praised the band for putting on a stellar show, they tagged Van Zandt with the question: "What the heck were you guys laughing at during 'Two Hearts?'"

"We f—ed it up!" The 73-year-old musician answered. "You witnessed a very rare E Street train wreck. No idea how it happened. Very unusual. Very weird. But fun!"

Commenters generally agreed, saying that these kinds of dynamic moments often made a concert more fun. They applauded Springsteen, Van Zandt and the rest of the band for taking the moment in stride – and for continuing to play through it like true professionals. Many pointed out how difficult it is for such a large band to react to small mistakes like that, especially in a live setting.

The E Street Band played to sold-out crowds two nights in a row at Philadelphia's baseball stadium this weekend. According to a report by Metro Philadelphia, Friday night's show lasted for about three hours and consisted of 30 songs. This ensemble is known for its endurance, and they have something to prove on this tour in particular. Last year, the group was forced to cancel its North American tour while Springsteen was treated for a serious peptic ulcer. He apologized to the crowd at Friday night's show.

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"My belly was f—ing killing me," Springsteen said. "Anything I did, my belly hurt. Trying to sing, my belly hurt. If I tried to play the guitar, my belly hurt. If I went to kiss my baby, my belly hurt. I was laying there thinking, I'd rather be in Philadelphia."

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band are still on tour at the time of this writing, with their next few shows in Washington D.C., Baltimore and New Jersey before they head up into Canada. They will then tour Europe in 2025. You can find tour information on their website.

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