Great stuff, Robert, thanks!

They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey line. In Promised land he’s finding freedom across the Waynesboro county line.

If you don’t surrender now – No surrender

“Near the souvenir stand, by the old abandoned factory” sounds to be referencing “Down in the shadow of the penitentiary Out by the gas fires of the refinery” from Born in the USA. Alongside the references of Tweeter being in Vietnam.

“Now the town of Jersey City is quieting down again” could be referencing “Now Main Street’s whitewashed windows and vacant stores. Seems like there ain’t nobody wants to come down here no more” from My hometown

Jan had told him many times, ‘It was you to me who taught / In Jersey anything’s legal as long as you don’t get caught” seems a similar sentiment to “Down here it’s just winners and losers / And don’t get caught on the wrong side of that line” – Atlantic City

Highway 99 could be a reference to Johnny 99 – which is also about the pursuit of a person on the wrong side of the law. Also “Some place by Rahwey Prison they ran out of gas. The undercover cop had cornered them, said, “Boy, you didn’t think this could last?” – Rahway Prison being a realworld location as often used by Springsteen and the line is reminiscent of the line “Down in the part of town where when you hit a red light you don’t stop”, also from Johnny 99”

“I guess I’ll go to Florida and get myself some sun. There ain’t no more opportunity here, everything’s been done” – could also be referencing My Hometown but also Born to Run and Goin’ Cali.

“They crashed into paradise, they could hear them tires squeal”. ‘Crashing into Paradise’ evokes an idea of fleeting freedom ending in inevitable destruction. And with the tires squeeling, the whole thing to me is referencing Racing in the Street “Some guys they just give up living and start dying little by little, piece by piece.”