"Sherry Darling" is a rock composition written by Bruce Springsteen in 1977 during rehearsals and recording sessions for Darkness on the Edge of Town. The song was originally excluded from that album for being too upbeat amid its darker tone, with footage showing Springsteen performing it on piano for Steven Van Zandt, who laughed at its comical lyrics. Held over, it was rerecorded for The River in 1980, where it appears as the second track on Disc 1. The composition is built on straightforward rock progressions with a driving, party-like rhythmic feel and call-and-response choruses anchored by the hook "Hey, hey, hey, what you say, Sherry Darling." The arrangement includes crowd noises and party atmosphere effects that evoke early rock and roll, setting a lighthearted, beach-party mood distinct from the working-class gravity that characterizes much of Springsteen's catalog. The lyrics tell a humorous narrative of romantic frustration complicated by family interference. The E Street Band recording features Clarence Clemons on saxophone and maracas, Roy Bittan on piano, Danny Federici on organ, and the full ensemble contributing backing vocals. Clemons delivers two tenor saxophone solos and Springsteen an electric guitar solo on the album version, each contributing to the song's exuberant energy. The composition remains a fan-favorite deep cut, rarely covered by other artists.
