Backed by a fifteen-person big band that included his E Street drummer Max Weinberg and pianist Roy Bittan, Bruce Springsteen played a pretty terrific three-song set at the Beacon Theatre last night for the Stand Up for Heroes benefit, presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation for American service members and their families. After “Open All Night” and before a brass-heavy “Kitty’s Back,” Springsteen caught his breath and told the packed crowd the “only joke I ever liked.” More sensitive Boss fans might want to skip this one …

Here it is, transcribed in full:

“A guy and a girl are in a bar and it’s late at night and things are getting really good and they decide to go home together. She gets in the car and they are driving and he’s like, ‘I can’t make it home. I can’t wait. Mind if I pull off on this dirt road in the woods?’ She says, ‘It’s fine. Go ahead.’ He pulls the car over on the dirt road in the woods and they get out and go deep in the forest. It’s very dark and they’re going at it. ‘Oh! Ah! Yeah!’ He said, ‘This is the best I’ve ever had, but I can’t see. I just wish I had a flashlight.’ She said, ‘Me too. You’ve been eating grass for the last ten minutes.’”

Bruce!

Bruce Springsteen Tells His Favorite Dirty Joke