Last Man Standing (Bruce Springsteen song)

"Last Man Standing" is a song by Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band from the 2020 album Letter to You.

Song meaning and history
"Last Man Standing" is reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen's early days as a musician, when he was in his 1960s band The Castiles, formed in 1965 along with his friend and former band member George Theiss (to whom Springsteen dedicated the song). As Theiss, the only surviving member of The Castiles besides Springsteen, passed away in 2018, 53 years after they formed the band, with Springsteen flying on his bedside to say goodbye to him, he left indeed Springsteen as the "last man standing" from the group. The memories of the places where they played are recalled in the line "Knights of Columbus and the Fireman's Ball, Friday night at the Union Hall, Black-leather clubs all along Route 9". Springsteen stated they were some of his deepest learning years in his life, learning how to be onstage, write, front the band, put together a show and play for different kinds of audiences. Written on an acoustic guitar given to him by an anonymous Italian fan as Bruce exited the Walter Kerr Theater one evening. "Last Man Standing" was the first song composed for the album and the one that established the theme for the album and inspired all that came after. Although the song wasn't one of the singles released from the album, it has become a concert staple from the start of Springsteen's 2023 tour and was performed only with guitar and voice. It is also the only song from the album played on every date of the tour in both 2023 and 2024.

Song review
NJ.com described "Last Man Standing" and "The Power of Prayer" as sonic siblings, choosing the former as the better one of the two. Along with opener "One Minute You're Here" and closer I'll See You in My Dreams", Rolling Stone described it as one of the mortality themed songs.

Charts
On radio airplay in France, "Last Man Standing" reached #12.