Released in 1975 as the opening track on Born to Run, “Thunder Road” has become one of Bruce Springsteen’s most beloved songs—a sweeping story of youth, escape, uncertainty, and the promise of something better. Through the characters of Mary and an unnamed narrator, Springsteen transforms a front porch, a car, and an open road into symbols of possibility, while leaving us to wonder whether the future his characters imagine is truly within their reach.