Bruce Springsteen Unveils “Adelita,” a Desert Ballad From the Vaults of The Lost Albums
As anticipation builds for his upcoming archival release Tracks II: The Lost Albums, Bruce Springsteen has just dropped one of the collection’s most poignant tracks: “Adelita”, a slow-burning tribute to Mexico’s women warriors and the generations shaped by the U.S.-Mexico border.
The song comes from Inyo, a previously unreleased 10-track LP Springsteen recorded in the 1990s during long drives through California’s Inyo County. “It’s one of my favorites,” Springsteen admitted in a press release. “I wrote it during drives along the California aqueduct, on the way to Yosemite and Death Valley.”
Much like The Ghost of Tom Joad, the album leans into solitude, spirituality, and the mythos of the American Southwest. But Inyo adds something more: a deep-rooted cultural reflection enriched by mariachi collaborations and storytelling inspired by the Mexican diaspora.
“Adelita” is emblematic of that shift — an evocative ballad steeped in dusty landscapes and painful memories. It speaks of loss, revolution, and legacy, framed through the eyes of women who fought for independence and dignity.
A press release notes that Inyo focuses on “how border crossing between Mexico and the U.S. has affected generations and the cultural losses endured as a result.”
A Glimpse Into Tracks II: The Lost Albums
Adelita is one of several early releases from Springsteen’s forthcoming seven-LP box set, due out June 27. Tracks II covers an astonishing range of material recorded between 1983 and 2018, including previously shelved albums like:
- LA Garage Sessions ’83
- Streets of Philadelphia Sessions
- Faithless
- Somewhere North of Nashville
- Inyo
- Twilight Hours
- Perfect World
Previous tracks from the set include “Rain in the River,” “Blind Spot,” “Faithless,” and “Repo Man,” each offering a unique window into The Boss’s restless creativity.
The release reaffirms Springsteen’s status not just as a rock icon, but as a prolific and fearless American storyteller. With Adelita, he captures the melancholy of lost history and the fire of cultural pride — themes that feel as urgent as ever.
