In April, NJ melodic punks (and noted Springsteen soundalikes) the Gaslight Anthem announced released their first new song since their 2014 album Get Hurt. Last year, they also announced they were at work on a new album. Now, they have gone ahead and released an actual song with Bruce called “History Books.” It’s the title track from the Gaslight Anthem’s first album in nine years: History Books, coming in October.

“There’s a definitely a little wink in there,” Brian Fallon tells the Associated Press about “History Books,” adding how “some people kind of wrote us off” for sounding so much like the Boss. “It’s like ‘Now write this off,’” he says. “We’ve got the approval of the guy! What are you going to say? You can’t say anything!”

“We didn’t want to make a record that felt sub-heart,” Fallon continues of the album, noting that the band’s time apart let them to work through any worries around being “the old guys playing the circuit.”

“The E Street Band took a big break, too,” he says about the moment he approached Springsteen — now a good friend — for advice. “It was going to seek the guy on the hill for wisdom, but really, it was Federici’s Pizza in Freehold (New Jersey). But some mythical work was done at that table. We brought the band back together.” Later, Springsteen texted, “Hey, why don’t you write us a duet? I’ll come sing with you.’”

“I never would’ve had the guts to ask him that,” Fallon concludes while likening their connection to “being friends with Batman.”

Listen to “History Books,” which also has a music video.

History Books will be out 10/27 on Rich Mahogany Recordings via Thirty Tigers. Pre-order it here.