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Posted By: goombah
Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:15 PM
With some of the back and forth in the YouTube thread, Ice & I decided to carry on further discussion/posts regarding The Boss in its own thread.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:15 PM
Holy cow, Ice. You pulled out some rarities like 'Sad Eyes'. Cool stuff!
I never knew a regular video of the song was made.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:16 PM
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:16 PM
If anyone ever comes across a live version of Bruce's "Pink Cadillac" from the 1984-85 tour, I would be in your debt forever. Either that tour, the Darkness tour of '78-79, or the '99-'00 Reunion tours were the best of the E Street Band.
Here's a cool Pink Cadillac, but it's missing a great story prior to the song that I have on a few bootlegs. Great nonetheless:
Pink Cadillac live
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:17 PM
I couldn't find it on youtube, but I'm sure someone's got it. Here is the text, although it doesn't do justice to Bono's delivery, when he inducted Springsteen into the RR Hall of Fame in 1999:
"Bruce is a very unusual rock star, really, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't done the things most rock stars do. He got rich and famous, but never embarrassed himself with all that success, did he? No drug busts, no blood changes in Switzerland. Even more remarkable, no golfing! No bad hair period, even in the '80s. No wearing of dresses in videos. No embarrassing movie roles, no pet snakes, no monkeys. No exhibitions of his own paintings. No public brawling or setting himself on fire on the weekend.
Rock stars are supposed to make soap operas of their lives, aren't they? If they don't kill themselves first. Well, you can't be a big legend and not be dysfunctional. It's not allowed. You should at least have lost your looks. Everyone else has. Did you see them? (Points toward backstage area) It's like Madame Tussaud's back there.
Then there's Bruce Springsteen. (Cheers) Okay -- Ohhh!!! Handsome, handsome mother with those brooding brown eyes, eyes that could see through America. And a catastrophe of great songs, if you were another songwriter. Bruce has played every bar in the U.S.A., and every stadium. Credibility -- you couldn't have more, unless you were dead. But Bruce Springsteen, you always knew, was not gonna die stupid. He didn't buy the mythology that screwed so many people. Instead he created an alternative mythology, one where ordinary lives became extraordinary and heroic. Bruce Springsteen, you were familiar to us. But it's not an easy familiarity, is it? Even his band seems to stand taller when he walks in the room. It's complex. He's America's writer, and critic. It's like in Badlands, he's Martin Sheen and Terrence Malick. To be so accessible and so private...there's a rubric. But then again, he is an Irish-Italian, with a Jewish-sounding name. What more do you want?!?
Add one big African sax player, and no one in this room is gonna fuck with you!
In 1974, I was 14. Even I knew the '60s were over. It was the era of soft-rock and fusion. The Beatles were gone, Elvis was in Vegas. What was goin' on? Nothin' was goin' on. Bruce Springsteen was comin' on, saving music from the phonies, saving lyrics from the folkies, saving leather jackets from the Fonz. (Sings) "Now the greasers, they tramp the streets and get busted for sleeping on the beaches all night, and them boys in their high heels, ah Sandy, their skins are so white. Oh Sandy, love me tonight, and I promise I'll love you forever." In Dublin, Ireland, I knew what he was talking about. Here was a dude who carried himself like Brando, and Dylan, and Elvis. If John Steinbeck could sing, if Van Morrison could ride a Harley-Davidson...It was something new, too. He was the first whiff of Scorsese, the first hint of Patti Smith, Elvis Costello and the Clash. He was the end of long hair, brown rice and bell bottoms. He was the end of the 20-minute drum solo. It was good night, Haight-Ashbury; hello, Asbury Park. (Cheers) C'mon!
America was staggering when Springsteen appeared. The president just resigned in disgrace, the U.S. had lost its first war. There was going to be no more oil in the ground. The days of cruising and big cars were supposed to be over. But Bruce Springsteen's vision was bigger than a Honda, it was bigger than a Subaru. Bruce made you believe that dreams were still out there, but after loss and defeat, they had to be braver, not just bigger. He was singing "Now you're scared and you're thinking that maybe we ain't that young anymore," because it took guts to be romantic now. Knowing you could lose didn't mean you still didn't take the ride. In fact, it made taking the ride all the more important.
Here was a new vision, and a new community. More than a community, because every great rock group is kind of like starting a religion. And Bruce surrounded himself with fellow believers. The E Street -- it wasn't just a great rock group, or a street gang. It was a brotherhood. Zealots like Steve Van Zandt, the bishop Clarence Clemons, the holy Roy Bittan, crusaders Danny Federici, Max Weinberg, Garry Tallent, and later, Nils Lofgren. And Jon Landau, Jon Landau, Jon Landau, Jon Landau, Jon Landau. What do you call a man who makes his best friend his manager, his producer, his confessor? You call him the Boss. And Springsteen didn't just marry a gorgeous, red-headed woman from the Jersey Shore. She could sing, she could write, and she could tell the Boss off. That's Patty right there. (Points toward crowd)
For me and the rest of the U2-ers, it wasn't just the way he described the world. It was the way he negotiated it. It was a map, a book of instructions on how to be in the business but not of it. Generous is a word you could use to describe the way he treated us. Decency is another. But these words can box you in. I remember when Bruce was headlining Amnesty International's tour for prisoners of conscience, I remember thinking "Wow, if ever there was a prisoner of conscience, it's Bruce Springsteen." Integrity can be a yoke, a pain...when your songs are taking you to a part of town where people don't expect to see you.
At some point I remember riding in an elevator with gentleman Bruce, where he just stared straight ahead of himself, and completely ignored me. I was crushed. Only when he walked into the doors as they were opening, did I realize the impossible was happening. My God, Bruce Springsteen, the Buddha of my youth, is plastered! Drunk as a skunk! Pissed as a fart! I have to go back to the book of instructions, scratch the bit out about how you held yourself in public. By the way, that was a great relief.
Something was going on, though. As a fan I could see that my hero was beginning to rebel against his own public image. Things got even more interesting on Tunnel of Love, when he started to deface it. A remarkable bunch of tunes, where our leader starts having a go at himself, and the hypocrisy of his own heart, before anyone else could. But the tabloids could never break news on Bruce Springsteen. Because his fans -- he had already told us everything in the songs. We knew he was spinning. We could feel him free-falling. But it wasn't in chaos or entropy. It was in love.
They call him the Boss. Well that's a bunch of crap. He's not the boss. He works FOR us. More than a boss, he's the owner, because more than anyone else, Bruce Springsteen owns America's heart."
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:17 PM
[quote=goombah]
Bono's delivery, when he inducted Springsteen into the RR Hall of Fame in 1999:
Something was going on, though. As a fan I could see that my hero was beginning to rebel against his own public image. Things got even more interesting on Tunnel of Love, when he started to deface it. A remarkable bunch of tunes, where our leader starts having a go at himself, and the hypocrisy of his own heart, before anyone else could. But the tabloids could never break news on Bruce Springsteen. Because his fans -- he had already told us everything in the songs. We knew he was spinning. We could feel him free-falling. But it wasn't in chaos or entropy. It was in love.
ICE:
Here in lies the central topic of Bruce: Born in the USA and Tunnel of Love albums. Why did he break form and produce two albums that are more classified in the "pop" sections?
Despite the fact that Born in the USA is one of the most popular albums in the history of modern radio, Bruce always spoke against it and called it his least favorite. Tunnel of Love would of course fall in the same category.
But I don't buy that, Bruce. You wanted to experiment with different sounds and these albums offered you the chance to do that. I posted several songs from each of these albums b/c as a Bruce fan I feel that they are as important as Born to Run or Thunder Road.
One Step Up, Brilliant Disguise, Born in the USA, etc, are favorite Bruce tunes of mine and always will be. I consider myself to have "diverse" interests in music(As I think most of us do) and these songs helped diversify Bruce and make him the God that he is.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:18 PM
There is a great book by Dave Marsh called "Glory Days" that deals extensively with Bruce from "The River" through the BITUSA tour. It ends before "Tunnel of Love" was released.
A short summary:
Springsteen "broke" through with a Top 10 hit in 1980 with "Hungry Heart." He had experienced some commercial success before with "Born to Run," but was still had a large cult following until 1978-80. Had Bruce been going for the quick buck and only been interested in commercial success, he could have released a similar sounding follow-up to "The River." Instead, Bruce released "Nebraska," an all acoustic, sparse account of songs dealing with extraordinary difficult times. The songs were recorded on a 4 track and the demos were released as the actual album after Bruce was not satisfied with the recordings attempted with the E Street Band. Each time they played a song, it lost the intimacy of the original demo. So his friend and bandmate, Steve Van Zandt, suggested releasing the demos as the actual record.
During the same period, Bruce wrote a bunch of other songs, many of which ended up being released on BITUSA. But the title track of what would become BITUSA (released on the box set "Tracks" in 1998) was written acoustically. The original BITUSA came off sounding like a protest song. Bruce always liked the lyrics, but decided to try a rock arrangement. The 2nd take of the song BITUSA was the beginning of his next album, and the rest, they say, is history.
Bruce was very ambivalent about releasing BITUSA because it contained songs that were more commercial sounding than anything he had done to that point ("Cover Me," "I'm On Fire" particularly). He also wrote a bunch of great songs that ended up not making the released version of BITUSA: "Pink Cadillac," "Janey Don't You Lose Heart," "Murder Incorporated," and "Follow That Dream." In all, Bruce recorded sixty songs for BITUSA - only twelve made the final cut.
When the album was nearing completion, Bruce's manager insisted that the album needed a sure-fire hit single. After an angry exchange between the two, Bruce told his manager to write a new song because he had already written enough material. But Bruce went home that night and came back to the studio the next day with "Dancing in the Dark." It was the album's first single and his highest charting song.
"Dancing" catapulted Bruce to superstardom as the single took off and went to #2 on the charts. Six more singles were released and all were in the Top 10. The BITUSA tour, which competed against the Jackson Family's tour, sold out everywhere and tickets for Bruce were significantly more affordable than the Jacksons.
Bruce toured for a year and a half throughout the world. Some of his core audience did not like 12 year old girls coming to the show. It was a difficult adjustment that kids would come to see Bruce based solely on his MTV videos. But Bruce put on some of his most energetic and fantastic shows during that tour. He was everywhere: on MTV, in the We are the World recording, and on the radio constantly. Politicians tried to solicit his support from both the right (Mondale) and the left (Reagan). He was on ABC News and constantly on the cover of Rolling Stone.
After the BITUSA tour, Bruce sought to reign in his iconic image. Years later, Bruce said he was glad to leave behind that period, in which he wore a bandana and displayed his muscular build.
"Tunnel of Love" dealt with adult topics such as marriage and family, a big departure from his previous songs of adventure, cars, and girls. The sound on "Tunnel" is much quieter than BITUSA and the E Street Band's contributions to the record are significantly less. He toured behind the album, but not until a full 6 months after its release. Instead of having Clarence Clemons as his onstage foil, his new girlfriend Patti, also a member of the E Street Band, was his main stage mate. It made sense - the songs were about relationships between men and women, but it confused some of his audience and his bandmates.
Bruce still put on 4 hour shows during the "Tunnel" tour, but he eschewed some of his concert staples: "Badlands," "Thunder Road," "No Surrender." Even "Born to Run" was played acoustically with only a guitar and harmonica.
Bruce may say BITUSA is his least favorite, but it's what got me hooked in the first place. I was 13 years old when it was released and have been a fan ever since. For me, BITUSA ranks with "Darkness on the Edge of Town" as his best album. He still plays many of its songs in his concerts today: "Born in the USA," "Dancing in the Dark," "No Surrender," "Darlington County," and "Glory Days." To me, the album is poppy, but it's still a great record. There's not one song I ever skip when listening. The songs don't sound dated because they are pop songs, which I think is the mark of great music.
"Tunnel" is also a 5 star album IMO. It's best moments are "Tougher than the Rest," "Ain't Got You," "Tunnel," "Brilliant Disguise," "Spare Parts."
I agree Ice - Bruce experimented a bit with both albums. I feel that his biggest experimentation in terms of sound was "The Rising" record. The rich textures, the searing guitars, violin, etc. make it a great album and is a musical departure from his other works. On top of all that, most of the record dealt with 9/11 and its aftermath, which lead to some very emotional lyrics.
My faves in order:
BITUSA and Darkness on the Edge of Town (tie)
Born to Run
The River
Tunnel of Love
The Rising
Nebraska
I guess this could have warranted its own thread...
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:24 PM
Songs like
Streets of Philadelphia and the sort are NOT my type of tunes. Tunnel of Love was still
vintage Bruce, though. I guess since I grew up w/
Born in the USA I will always have fondness to that group of songs. Tunnel of Love represented an emotional "coming-down" of sorts for him. He and his wife were going through a split when he wrote most of the album.
My tentative top 11 would be...1.I'm going down 2.Spirit in the Night 3.My Hometown 4.Thunder Road 5.Hungry Heart 6.Growing Up 7.Rosalita 8.Born to Run 9.Fire 10.The River 11.Brilliant Disguise
Of course, the list is dependant on my
mood for that particular day. A song like Born in the USA is too great for any kind of list. It's an immortal song that will live forever, ala Beatles Twist and Shout.
But like you, I pretty much love ALL Bruce. I hope to see him in concert as he is going as strong as ever. His new album releases are always an anticipated event.
And you're right, we could DEFINITELY have a BRUCE thread. Just ask JG.
Thnx for the insightful info, keep it coming!
I'm going down LIVE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbfBoWZv0oMTHIS might be the best video on youtube.
I'm going down LIVEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FuBEiJ9H6Y&mode=related&search=Only 1:04. Why must the Youtube Gods torture me.
[/quote]
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/07 05:26 PM
In honor of this weekend's Memorial Day holiday:
Born in the USA - Paris 1984
my favorite boss album is nebraska, which is subsequently one of my top 25 all-time favorite records. born to run would be somewhere in the top 50, & both darkness on the edge of town & the river wouldn't be too far behind. his first two releases, before his break-out success, were excellent albums as well.
i've always looked at the boss & neil young as kindred spirits, constantly comparing the two & listening to them within the same vicinity of time. i could never decide which one i like better; one day it's bruce, the next it's neil. such questions are fruitless with such rich discographies from both.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/28/07 12:26 PM
Great point, Anthony Lombardi. Bruce has played a few of Neil's Bridge Benefit concerts. One of the more famous moments was Bruce's
"Fire" which was later released as an official video on MTV.
Care to elaborate why you like
Nebraska the best? I'm always interested in hearing other perspectives as to why a certain record is their favorite, etc.
I think it's a great album and it took a lot of guts to release it in 1982, when Bruce had already broken through commercially with "Hungry Heart" as a successful single on the previous album. I think the record is a defining moment in Springsteen's career. Bruce did not tour or do
anything to promote
Nebraska. In fact, MTV was in its infancy in 1982 and Bruce released a video for "Atlantic City," but Bruce himself never appeared in the video.
nebraska is my favorite springsteen album because of the subtlety involved with the record; alot of his music is melodramatic, very produced - not slick, but gigantic in sound. i don't for a minute mean that in a demeaning way either - the entire point to records like born to run is to blow it up, to romanticize the struggle of everyday life. the thunderous sound of his records - complete with spectoresque arrangements - is really effective, undercutting pretense by being flat out dangerous & real, evoking urban & suburban strife alike. however, the hopeless spell of nebraska really strikes a personal vein with me, & the tales of make-it or break-it small time criminals & everyday people at the end of their rope really resonates with me, & always has. even to this day, i put that record on with a pair of headphones, lay on my bed & just envelope myself in the world he creates. i mentioned in the dylan thread that restraint is a major theme that attracts me to music, & saying more with less & conjuring up the heartfelt grief & loss, that sense of desperation with just an acoustic guitar, a harmonica & vocals really hits me close to home. i've always said nebraska is an album easier to admire & respect than to love - to turn out such a blatantly uncommercial record that's so cemented in being stark at such a pivotal moment in his career took guts, which is one thing you could never strip away from bruce.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/29/07 03:37 PM
Great description - thanks! I've heard that from others - it's hard to "enjoy" Nebraska, because of its dark content and mood, but it's nearly impossible not to respect and appreciate it.
For Nebraska, Bruce stripped everything away except the details of his lyrics, combined with his acoustic guitar, quiet vocals & harmonica. Not a single drum, sax, or piano/keyboard on the entire record. All of the optimism and romanticism of his earlier records are gone. Nebraska is like the most despondent moment from Darkness on the Edge of Town times 1000.
Bruce never intended to release Nebraska from the original demos he cut. But every time he tried recording songs with the band, the intimacy of the original demos was lost. Simply singing louder is necessary when there are drums. I can't remember if it was Steve Van Zandt or Jon Landau who suggested that Bruce stop trying to tinker with the demos and just release them. But I always found it interesting that in his live shows, Bruce played "Atlantic City" as a full rock song. In 2003, Bruce started playing "Johnny 99" as a rockabilly.
You can hear the anguish in Bruce's voice during "Used Cars," recounting bitterly the poor days of his youth. The sarcasm of "Reason to Believe" and the haunting voice in which he sings "My Father's House" are unbelievable. My favorite song is "Highway Patrolman" because of the storyline told in the lyrics. The listener gets a glimpse into the life of patrolman Joe Roberts and his criminal of a brother Frank.
I find it just as interesting as to the songs Bruce did not include on Nebraska that were in a similar style: "Shut out the Lights" was written about Ron Kovek, the author of the book (and later Tom Cruise movie) called "Born on the Fourth of July." There was also a song about a farmer being destroyed economically and spiritually called "Sugarland."
Bruce also wrote a good deal of what would become Born in the USA during the same period that Nebraska was coming together: the title track, Working on the Highway, My Hometown, Follow That Dream, and Downbound Train.
Posted By: Ice
Re: Springsteen - 05/31/07 03:59 AM
That's great info on the always interesting Nebraska album. His style really took an interesting turn with that one.
And I love how he'll play some of his songs with more than one style, as you said with Atlantic City and Johnny 99. The slow version of Born in the USA is haunting.
One of fav Bruce songs is
Spirit in the Night. It's a song that gives me feelings of EXTREME gloom and EXTREME glee at the same time. My emotions enter a cathartic like state where I'm not too high but not too low. My feelings lie right in the middle of happy/sad. It's a very hypnotizing song. It's one of those tunes that makes life worth living. During a semester of college I set my alarm clock to play it and would wake up to it every morning!
Thnx for posting my videos, Goomby! I sure like them!
Can't forget this one, though:
ThunderRoad LIVE 1976http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KngiJUNdsu0Simply the best! He's sooo funny in this too. What an entertainer!
"thunder road" is such a great tune, one of the all-time best album-openers, as far as i'm concerned. i opened a mixtape i recently made for my girlfriend with it - as desperate as that album is (& most of bruce's albums tend to be), there's something romantic about the wistful longing for escape. one of my all-time favorites.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/31/07 12:13 PM
I couldn't agree more about "Thunder Road" being one of the best songs to open an album. The listener recognizes the song the instant one hears the harmonica and piano - a classic signature.
I would have to say my favorite version is the one on Live 1975-85 in which it is only on the piano without the band. The lyrics really flow and the emotion of the story ring through. Don't know if anyone else has heard the acoustic alternate, in which the lyrics are slightly different. It's a very different interpretation, but very cool nonetheless.
Here are my Top 10 Springsteen songs:
1. Promised Land
To me, this is the quintessential Bruce song. It has all of the elements of what I consider to be the classic Springsteen sound: a searing guitar solo, a sax and harmonica solo, and a rocking rhythm section. The lyrics fall back on a Springsteen theme: hope and holding out for something better in life.
2. Jungleland
3. Born to Run
4. Born in the USA
5. Backstreets
6. Tougher Than The Rest
7. The Rising
8. Thunder Road
9. Loose Ends
10. Pink Cadillac (live)
I like Springsteen.
He has consistently made great records over a lot of years!
Posted By: YoTonyB
Re: Springsteen - 05/31/07 11:17 PM
Hard to pick an all time favorite album, but Born to Run would be one of those albums I'd choose if I were stranded on a desert island and could only have a handful of CD's to listen to.
I always felt that Born to Run might be the best collection of eight songs ever assembled on one album with seven excellent songs overshadowed by the overwhelming success of the eighth song, the title track. Recite the song titles, in order, out loud. There is a rhythm and tempo that goes with that song order that you can't match if you put them in any other order. And the way they flow when you listen to them in order...even better on compact disc since you don't have the natural break between album sides. Moreover, having listened to a lifetime of Phil Spector-produced albums, I don't think Spector could have captured his "wall of sound" as accurately and faithfully as Landau did for Springsteen on this album.
During the opening bridge on Backstreets, don't you eventually find yourself singing the words "...in the darkness on the edge of town..."
When I hear Meeting Across the River, I have a Tom Waits moment as I listen to Springsteen's story about a misguided kid trying to experience his perverse idea of a grown-up business deal and sucking his friend down with him.
I agree with Yogi...Springsteen is consistently good...I just happen to enjoy Born to Run more than anything else he's recorded.
tony b.
Tom Waits for no man...
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 06/01/07 12:09 AM
YoTony B -
I would imagine, given your love of
Born to Run, that you've either seen/purchased the 30th anniversary set with the concert from Hammersmith, Odeon? That is a really neat package with the "making of Born to Run" dvd.
I once read a review of the album that "Thunder Road" was like waking up in the Springsteen story at the early sunrise and that the album's closing song, "Jungleland," makes the listener feel like it is midnight.
Like you said, it's extremely difficult to rank one of his records over another.
As my post above states, I like
Darkness and
Born in the USA the most. Here are my reasons for
Darkness:
This record, to me, legitimized Bruce Springsteen's place in rock history. Before this record, and through
Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen and the word 'hype' were often said in the same sentence. Bruce was often referred to as "the new Dylan." His future manager, Jon Landau, once wrote a review of the
Wild & Innocent and described Bruce as the "rock and roll future." All of these adjectives and expectations led to a lot of pressure and some backlash. The success Bruce had during the
Born to Run time was not what he expected and it left him feeling unfulfilled.
From the time Bruce released
Born to Run in 1975 to the time
Darkness came out in 1978, many changes occurred in Bruce's life. He and his first manager, Mike Appel, became entangled in a nasty lawsuit over who owned Bruce's music. After a bitter battle, Bruce was no longer the idealistic kid he was until
Born to Run. Bruce emerged wiser, more cautious, but determined to rise or fall on his own merits. He once said that after all the hype and negative experiences he had after
Born to Run, he wanted his next record to just appear in record stores one day and not be promoted at all.
Darkness on the Edge of Town and its accompanying tour were a watershed in Bruce's career. His new songs no longer were about abstract stories or idealism. They focused on a new found maturity and the every day struggles that Bruce found to be heroic in their own right. He toured for nearly 18 months in support of the album and played some of the most legendary shows in rock history. It was almost unheard of if Bruce didn't play for 3.5 hours and played a varied setlist from night to night. He'd open with cover songs of old rock classics one night and then "Badlands" the next.
Perhaps the most defiant song he ever wrote opens the album: "Badlands." Themes about missed opportunities or how life can grind you down (if you let it) were in songs like "Racing in the Street," "Streets of Fire," and "Darkness on the Edge of Town." On
Darkness, Bruce isn't writing about the Mary of "Thunder Road," but the bitter girl in "Racing in the Streets" who 'hates for just being born.'
As bleak as some of these songs seem, there was also some optimism and reflection in songs like "Promised Land," "Factory," "Prove It All Night," and "Candy's Room."
The album is filled with searing guitar & sax solos. It is Springsteen's most "rock-n-roll" album to that point in his career. Again, going back to how prolific a songwriter Bruce is, here are some of the songs
not included on
Darkness that other artists probably would have centered an album around: "Fire," "Rendezvous," "The Fever," "Because the Night," and "The Promise."
I could go on and on, but those are my initial thoughts about this masterpiece. Here is the
Rolling Stone 5 star review of Darkness:
i always loved bruce's "four corners" approach on the born to run LP - each side starts off with a defiant ode to escape, & ends with a desperate tale of betrayal, loss & defeat. what a wonderfully effective concept.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 06/01/07 08:56 PM
Someone put together a moving 9/11 tribute with "My City of Ruins" as the accompanying music.
9/11 Tribute
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/02/07 03:36 PM
EDIT: My sources for any reviews include published works by authors Robert Hilburn and Dave Marsh, along with Backstreets magazine.
Album Review: Born in the USA 5 out of 5 stars
Released June 4, 1984, Born in the USA catapulted Bruce Springsteen to superstardom. It remains the biggest selling album in the history of Columbia Records. More than 15 million units were sold in the United States and the album produced seven Top 10 singles.
Born in the USA is somewhat of a departure for Springsteen in the sense that it was a commercial and radio-friendly collection of songs, with no song longer than five minutes. The album consists of twelve songs recorded between 1982 and 1984, a time in which Bruce sifted through over 60 songs before the final track listing was issued. About half of what would become Born in the USA was written and recorded during the time Springsteen released his previous record, 1982’s Nebraska. These sessions yielded the title track, Working on the Highway, I’m Goin’ Down, Glory Days, and My Hometown. Darlington County was actually written even earlier, dating back to 1978.
Since we have become a compact disc society, it is difficult for some to remember that albums and cassettes had two sides of recordings. Side One of Born in the USA is primarily focused on detailed storytelling and specific characters: the veteran in “Born in the USA,” the protagonist and Wayne in “Darlington County,” and Joe from “Downbound Train.” The man from “Born in the USA” is the same character from “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” someone who has lost everything important in his life and who is having a difficult time adjusting after his return from Vietnam:
I’m ten years burning down the road
Got nowhere to run
I ain’t got nowhere to go
The song “Born in the USA” is probably one of the most misinterpreted songs of the past thirty years. The song has a bombastic drum beat and a repeated chorus of “Born in the USA, ” which lead some listeners to believe it was a feel-good patriotic jingle. Casual listeners disregarded the downtrodden lyrics. In fact, Ronald Reagan even tried to co-opt Springsteen’s support by mentioning Bruce at a 1984 campaign stop:
"America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts; it rests in the message of hope in songs so many young Americans admire: New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen. And helping you make those dreams come true is what this job of mine is all about."
Springsteen himself was not as politically vocal at the time as he would become in the future. His only public response was at a 1984 concert in Pittsburgh:
“The President was mentioning my name the other day, and I kinda got to wondering what his favorite album must have been. I don't think it was the Nebraska album. I don't think he's been listening to this one." Bruce tore into “Johnny 99,” a story about an unemployed autoplant worker who commits murder and is sentenced to 99 years in jail.
After “Born in the USA” came three toe-tapping rockers: “Cover Me,” “Darlington County,” and “Working on the Highway.” The closing songs of Side One were quieter in tone, with the beautiful “Downbound Train” and “I’m on Fire,” a song about pent up sexual frustration.
Side Two opens with another one of Springsteen’s anthems: “No Surrender.” “Bobby Jean” was written about the departure of Steve Van Zandt from the E Street Band and the friendship that Bruce & Steve had cultivated since their teenage years. The future Mr. Silvio Dante would reemerge in Bruce’s band in the late 1990s and on the small screen as Tony Soprano’s consigliere.
There is not a bad song on the album, but the stretch of “No Surrender,” “Bobby Jean,” “I’m Goin’ Down,” “Glory Days,” and “Dancing in the Dark” comprise one of the best sides of music on any record.
“Dancing in the Dark” was the last song added to the record, but was the album’s first single and Bruce’s highest charting song, reaching #2 on the charts. It was written after an argument between Bruce and his manager, Jon Landau. The recording sessions had lasted nearly two years and Springsteen was ready to put the record out. But Landau felt it was lacking a “unifying song” that would demonstrate to listeners where Bruce Springsteen was lyrically and musically in 1984. The two had a heated verbal exchange and Springsteen reportedly said, “If you want another one, you write the damn song.”
But Bruce went home that night and picked up his acoustic guitar. He wrote the entire song that evening and recorded it the next day with the band. Landau played it for Columbia Records soon thereafter. One of the record execs asked Landau what the song was called. Landau responded, “it’s called ‘the first single.’”
As great as this record turned out to be, here are some other prominent songs that Springsteen left off of Born in the USA: Pink Cadillac, Stand On It, Murder Inc, Janey Don’t You Lose Heart, This Hard Land, My Love Will Not Let You Down, and Frankie. Some of these songs were later released on other compilations or as B-side singles.
Springsteen sustained his position in rock history after the tidal wave of success that Born in the USA became. He didn’t become a recluse or a continual tabloid posterboy like Michael Jackson, who was going through the peak of his popularity at the same time as Bruce. While Springsteen never again approached the enormous sales again in his career, he remains a top draw in the music business today. His Greatest Hits, Tunnel of Love, Live 1975-85, and The Rising records all debuted at the #1 spot on the album charts. He reunited the E Street Band in 1999 for an enormously successful tour that lasted midway into 2000. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 20001, Springsteen was the first artist to release an album, The Rising, that responded directly to the events of that day and its aftermath.
Posted By: Ice
Re: Springsteen - 07/02/07 05:32 PM
One of fav Bruce songs is Spirit in the Night. It's a song that gives me feelings of EXTREME gloom and EXTREME glee at the same time. My emotions enter a cathartic like state where I'm not too high but not too low. My feelings lie right in the middle of happy/sad. It's a very hypnotizing song. It's one of those tunes that makes life worth living. During a semester of college I set my alarm clock to play it and would wake up to it every morning!
Here's a cpl of vintage performances I found of this song that were recently added.
Spirit In The Night LIVE 781.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mi0g9JMo14&mode=related&search=2.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDHmWjLBHic
Posted By: klydon1
Re: Springsteen - 07/03/07 01:37 PM
I bought the Born in the USA cassette in 1985, and between moves and the years, I lost it. I mostly listen to the Greatest Hits CD that came out 12 - 14 years ago.
A couple of weeks ago I was at a church festival that had a flea market. I was walking through the aisles with my daughter, and because it was the last night and getting late, they said if you see anything you like, just take it. There I saw the old Born in the USA cassette along with the River. It was like reuniting with an old friend.
Very good review, goombah.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/03/07 04:06 PM
I bought the Born in the USA cassette in 1985, and between moves and the years, I lost it. A couple of weeks ago I was at a church festival that had a flea market. I was walking through the aisles with my daughter, and because it was the last night and getting late, they said if you see anything you like, just take it. There I saw the old Born in the USA cassette along with the River. It was like reuniting with an old friend.
That's cool, Klydon - funny how stuff like that sometimes works out. I still have all of the Bruce stuff on vinyl up until the Live 1975-85 album. There's something still very nostalgic about an old cassette or record, minus the poorer sound.
In even more useless trivia,
Born in the USA was the first cd Columbia ever released.
It's still around, but nowhere near as great as it used to be, in Cleveland - a fantastic radio station called WMMS 100.7. A DJ named Kid Leo, famous in the 70s and 80s, was a huge Springsteen supporter. He used to get advance airings of his releases and play a lot of rare stuff. Not only was Springsteen on the airwaves with the BITUSA material from 1984-85, his songs like "Trapped" from We are the World, "Light of Day" sung by Joan Jett, and "Pink Cadillac" were always on the Cleveland airwaves during that timeframe.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 08/16/07 06:43 PM
Posted By: bogey
Re: Springsteen - 09/01/07 05:48 AM
Ah, just heard about this.. I'm not sure how I missed this thread weeks ago though.
I'm excited.. I saw the Boss on the Rising tour (my first concert), and it was awesome. I'm definitely going to try and see him this time around as well.
Posted By: J Geoff
Re: Springsteen - 09/01/07 07:25 AM
And I think Bogz said she wanted to see him in Jersey... right?
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 10/31/07 03:56 PM
Has anyone here gone to a show on the current tour? I'm going to the Cleveland show on November 4th and looking forward to it. I read that it's a good mix of old and new material. There are clips from recent shows on
Bruce's website. Setlists are also available, with more detail, at
Backstreets.com. It says Bruce came out for his Oct 30th concert in a coffin, much like he did in a 1978 Halloween performance.
I like the new cd,
Magic, for the most part. Anybody else have it? Definitely a return to the sound utilized so well from the periods of
Born to Run through
The River, without sounding nostalgic. In other words, lots of guitars, sax, and harmonica.
Posted By: klydon1
Re: Springsteen - 10/31/07 05:05 PM
Enjoy the show, goombah. Let us know how it was.
Posted By: bogey
Re: Springsteen - 10/31/07 05:15 PM
Yeah, my dad picked up the new
Magic CD for me when it came out. I like it too. I wish I could go to one of his shows on this tour, but it sold out at Pittsburgh reeeeeeeeeaally quickly.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 10/31/07 05:45 PM
Will do, Klydon.
I don't know if you guys have the Tracks boxset, but Bruce has been playing "Thundercrack" during the encores in most cities this tour.
I drove to see Springsteen in Pittsburgh at the Mellon Arena in 2000. I think I saw three concerts that tour. It was a decent venue, but traffic getting out of downtown Pittsburgh was awful.
Surprisingly, this Sunday's Cleveland show has not sold out. This was a huge Bruce market going back to the beginning of Bruce's career. WMMS (particularly disc jockey Kid Leo) were huge supporters, even doing a live radio broadcast of a legendary show at the Cleveland Agora.
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 10/31/07 06:14 PM
Say hi to Sil for us HA!HA!. I listen to WMMS down here. I've always liked that station.
Posted By: bogey
Re: Springsteen - 10/31/07 07:08 PM
I drove to see Springsteen in Pittsburgh at the Mellon Arena in 2000. I think I saw three concerts that tour. It was a decent venue, but traffic getting out of downtown Pittsburgh was awful.
I was totally at that concert. Haha. And traffic is always bad in Pittsburgh, its ridiculous.
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 11/05/07 06:20 PM
Has anyone here gone to a show on the current tour? I'm going to the Cleveland show on November 4th and looking forward to it.
How was the show Goombah?
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 11/05/07 10:28 PM
A great show in Cleveland to cap off a great Sunday. It did sell out by show time. I went with some longtime buddies who now live out of town, so it was great to relive some of our youth. We watched the Browns game downtown and capped it off with the Bruce show. Bernie Kosar was in attendance as he & Steve Van Zandt are friends.
The setlist was very diverse: a mixture of new songs, classics (Promised Land, She's the One, Badlands, Born to Run, Dancing in the Dark), and some gems that were dusted off and sounded great (It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City, Kitty's Back, Be True, Reason to Believe).
Clarence looked like he has lost significant weight. My buddy joked that he thought CC was doing the South Beach Diet.
Steve looked and played great as well, with a couple of great solos.
Backstreets review:
A knockout performance for Cleveland, with a setlist to match. Every E Street album was represented in the show tonight with the exception of The River -- and if you count River-era B-side "Be True," which had its tour premiere, it was a sweep. Representing Greetings was another tour debut, "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City." Paired with "She's the One," it was just massive. "Tunnel" represented Tunnel, and from The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle in the encore, it was another stunning "Kitty's Back." All that, and they still had room for "woman power," as Bruce put it, with Patti spotlighted on "Town Called Heartbreak" as she returned to the fold after her absence in St. Paul. Oh, and speaking of woman power, Bruce referenced the Lynn Goldsmith photography exhibit down the road at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: "I hope they don't have pictures of me with my pants down!" In the crowd: The Raspberries' Eric Carmen, and retired longtime Plain Dealer rock critic (and huge Springsteen fan) Jane Scott.
Setlist:
Radio Nowhere
Night
Lonesome Day
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
Town Called Heartbreak
Tunnel of Love
Be True
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Kitty's Back
Born to Run
Dancing in the Dark
American Land
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 11/24/07 02:30 PM
Some sad news from [url=http://www.brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html]Bruce's official website[/url:
DANNY FEDERICI TO TAKE LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Danny Federici, an original member of the E Street Band, is taking a leave of absence from the current Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band tour to pursue treatment for melanoma. Charles Giordano, who played with Bruce as a member of the Sessions Band, will temporarily fill in for Danny until he is able to return. Federici has been playing keyboards with Springsteen since the late Sixties. Said Springsteen, "Danny is one of the pillars of our sound and has played beside me as a great friend for more than 40 years. We all eagerly await his healthy and speedy return."
Federici has been actively supporting the Melanoma Research Foundation and its Wings of Hope Gala, honoring Dr. Paul Chapman.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 04/12/08 08:56 PM
The Boss' current tour has been one of major variety. The current leg has seen Bruce & the band shake up quite a bit of the setlist, including a revolving rotation of opening numbers, dusted off obscure songs, and other surprises.
Recent opening songs of the past 2 1/2 months worth of concerts:
So Young & In Love
Night
Trapped
Thunder Road
No Surrender
The Ties That Bind
Darlington County
Atlantic City
Spirit in the Night
Out in the Street
Light of Day
Rarely played gems that have been peformed this leg of the tour:
Loose Ends
Janey Don't You Lose Heart
Kitty's Back
Because the Night
Jungleland
Meeting Across the River
Jackson Cage
Rosalita
Racing in the Street
Be True
Working on the Highway
Detroit Medley
Incident on 57th Street
It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City
Cadillac Ranch
Growin' Up
Rendezvous
Lost in the Flood
Glory Days
Something in the Night
Candy's Room
For You
Fire
Why do I mention all of the above? Because of most major artists, nobody mixes up their concerts like the E Street Band. If you go to see the Eagles, Stones, Who, etc., the setlist is pretty standard with very little change whatsoever. I think it's what sets artists like Bruce, the Grateful Dead, Pearl Jam apart by constantly trying to improve their craft.
I plan on scalping tickets with some friends to see Bruce in Giants Stadium in late July.
Posted By: Don Smitty
Re: Springsteen - 04/13/08 04:05 PM
I have seen Springsteen 3 times in my life and I must say that he puts on the best shows! He is more electric then any other band I have ever seen.
ds
Posted By: Don Smitty
Re: Springsteen - 04/13/08 04:08 PM
Elvis, Dylan, Springsteen = The Holy Trinity of American Rock!
ds
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 04/13/08 04:35 PM
That's an amazing trio, DS. I saw Dylan & Springsteen perform a few songs together in the 1995 Cleveland Rock Hall Opening concert. They were amazing. Did you ever hear the story how Bruce (around 1975-76) scaled the wall at Graceland in hopes of meeting the King? True story - Bruce tried to get past security by truthfully telling them how he was on the cover of Time & Newsweek simultaneously in 1975.
I've seen Bruce live about 10 times: with the E Street Band, solo acoustic, and with his 1992 band. Obviously the E Streeters are the best, but he was electrifying in each show that I have been to.
Bruce was just here in Anaheim. Probably as close to my town as you'd get and I missed it.
And I hear the Pond in Anaheim is so nice.
TIS
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 04/15/08 03:05 PM
Here is the opening song,
Light of Day, from one of the Anaheim concerts TIS referred to.
From the same show,
The Ghost of Tom Joad, with Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello.
Posted By: Don Smitty
Re: Springsteen - 04/16/08 12:50 AM
That's an amazing trio, DS. I saw Dylan & Springsteen perform a few songs together in the 1995 Cleveland Rock Hall Opening concert. They were amazing. Did you ever hear the story how Bruce (around 1975-76) scaled the wall at Graceland in hopes of meeting the King? True story - Bruce tried to get past security by truthfully telling them how he was on the cover of Time & Newsweek simultaneously in 1975.
I've seen Bruce live about 10 times: with the E Street Band, solo acoustic, and with his 1992 band. Obviously the E
Streeters are the best, but he was electrifying in each show that I have been to.
I never heard that story before. Its great! I only saw bruce 3 times all with the e Street band. I really wish I could have seen him on tour for the Tom Joad shows though. I think the ghost of Tom Joad album is one of his best. Every song on it tells a great story.
ds
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 06/27/08 03:05 AM
I want to bump this thread because very recently I've become infatuated with Bruce's music. I finally really got into Born to Run as a complete album and not just the title track, and of course Born in the USA is just so accessible that I've gotten into his work much more lately. Darkness, The River and The Wild, the Innocent... are incredible pieces of music. I don't know what it was, but his music just speaks volumes to me now, it's amazing. I'm loving him right now even more than Dylan.
Posted By: J Geoff
Re: Springsteen - 06/27/08 03:36 AM
Born in the USA is just so accessible that I've gotten into his work much more lately.
UGH! My roommate in college blasted that blasted album
every focking morning in the bathroom waking me up!! Made me hate Bruce for years!!!! Still haven't heard the entire album since. But go figure -- he's been on the road with Bruce for YEARS and I'm
here.
Bruce was just here in Anaheim. Probably as close to my town as you'd get and I missed it.
And I hear the Pond in Anaheim is so nice.
TIS
Haha! That's Tom Morello! I'm not much of a Springsteen fan, but I'd go see him if it meant Tom Morello would be playing with the band.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 06/27/08 04:17 PM
I want to bump this thread because very recently I've become infatuated with Bruce's music. I finally really got into Born to Run as a complete album and not just the title track, and of course Born in the USA is just so accessible that I've gotten into his work much more lately. Darkness, The River and The Wild, the Innocent... are incredible pieces of music. I don't know what it was, but his music just speaks volumes to me now, it's amazing. I'm loving him right now even more than Dylan.
You've hit on the big albums, but there is still some great music on
Tunnel of Love, The Rising, and most definitely
Nebraska. Would love to hear more of your comments about what songs you are digging. For the real enthusiasts,
Tracks is the holy grail of Springsteen releases as it has 66 previously unreleased songs that didn't make it onto the records, including many concert staples, cult faves, and B-sides.
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 06/28/08 03:38 AM
How did I forget Nebraska? It's such a departure as far as just being Bruce, a guitar and a harp as opposed to the bombastic E Street Band but it still works as a showcase for his songwriting talent. It's so dark and depressed, but it's not a shock considering you kinda heard him heading there on Darkness and def. some parts of The River.
As far as individual songs go, it really depends. I'm a sucker for the epics, especially "Backstreets." I really became attached to that song just through listening to it as I was walking around one night, the desperation and bitterness in the song are just so momentous; one particular section NEVER fails to reach deep into me and just rip everything out...
Endless juke joints and Valentino drag where dancers scraped the tears
Up off the street dressed down in rags running into the darkness
Some hurt bad some really dying at night sometimes it seemed
You could hear the whole damn city crying blame it on the lies that killed us
Blame it on the truth that ran us down you can blame it all on me Terry
It don't matter to me now when the breakdown hit at midnight
There was nothing left to say but I hated him and I hated you when you went away...
I mean, my favorite type of music is the kind that can touch a nerve or reach a certain part of your soul; the kind of music that gives you a kind of roller coaster feeling in your gut, and Bruce does that time and time again.
The versatility of the E Street Band never hurts either. They can give you something super funky like "Freeze-Out" or "The E Street Shuffle", they can absolutely burn the house down like a freight train with stuff like "Badlands" (Max is king) or "Prove It All Night" (live, from the minute amount of boots I've heard, is unbelievable) or they can kinda stay a bit reserved but still make things incredibly charged up ("I'm on Fire"). I've just kinda been loving it all really, even the minor album songs sometimes stand out because Bruce manages to have themes that can relate to us (what "Bobby Jean" kind of is to me); I just feel terrible that I really wasn't this into him before he came to Fort Lauderdale on the Magic (which I still need to check out) tour.
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 06/28/08 03:52 AM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ilODa8KAJdMI mean, just watch this and tell me you don't get goosebumps when the intro to "Backstreets" begins.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/01/08 02:39 AM
Don Andrew
I highly recommend you see Bruce sometime before the tour ends in late summer, if possible. Seeing the E Street Band live is like no other concert experience. There have been some tremendous moments when we sat stunned at what he played: "Pink Cadillac" for the first time in over 20 years in 2003; "Be True" in 2007, a one-two punch of "Trapped" right into "Darlington County (which had a few bars of "Honkey Tonk Women thrown in for good measure) in '99; an acoustic "Dancing in the Dark" in 1992.
I've seen these epics in person: "Backstreets," "Kitty's Back," "Rosalita," "Jungleland."
If you want some great souvenir shows, this guy's site rocks. I've bought several shows and have never been disappointed. One reason I mention it is there is an awesome boot called "Nebraska Live," which has some very terrific live versions of the album, plus a few others, all taken from the
Ramrod 1985 BITUSA tour.
http://www.springsteenliveinconcert.com/This is one of the great, underrated songs that Bruce does and it is killer EVERY time he plays it live:
Ramrod live 1985 And this is a great cover called
Seven Nights to Rock, which was played a lot on the The Rising Tour.
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 07/01/08 04:09 AM
Yeah, I'm working on Jacksonville the 15th as it's pretty much the last shot I have this tour.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 01/24/09 09:23 PM
The new record "Working on a Dream," the third this decade with the E Street Band, will be released Tuesday, Jan. 27th. NPR.org has the album on its site this weekend. Check it out - some of Bruce's strongest material in 20 years.
At least four instant Springsteen classics:
My Lucky Day - a catchy, upbeat rocker that could have easily been on "The River" but sounding very much 2009
Working on a Dream - excellent title track; I love the whistle solo
Good Eye - a distorted vocal that rocks; I could easily see this song played on "The Sopranos"
The Wrestler - the song from the Mickey Rourke of the same name. As bleak as anything on "Nebraska."
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99173117
Looking forward to purchasing this. Bruce continues to be prolific in his output!
Posted By: Longneck
Re: Springsteen - 01/27/09 03:46 AM
My Springsteen Greatest Hits CD is in my car, which my mom has borrowed for awhile.
Listening to Good Eye now
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 01/27/09 05:58 AM
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 01/27/09 02:15 PM
As far as individual songs go, it really depends. I'm a sucker for the epics, especially "Backstreets." I really became attached to that song just through listening to it as I was walking around one night, the desperation and bitterness in the song are just so momentous; one particular section NEVER fails to reach deep into me and just rip everything out...
Endless juke joints and Valentino drag where dancers scraped the tears
Up off the street dressed down in rags running into the darkness
Some hurt bad some really dying at night sometimes it seemed
You could hear the whole damn city crying blame it on the lies that killed us
Blame it on the truth that ran us down you can blame it all on me Terry
It don't matter to me now when the breakdown hit at midnight
There was nothing left to say but I hated him and I hated you when you went away...
Let me tell you a quick a story about the song "Backstreets." When I was 13 in 1984, Bruce was at the zenith of his popularity. To put into persepctive, he was selling 17 million copies of
Born in the USA and on a sold-out 18 month tour. He sang on "We Are the World," had a song from that album called "Trapped" that received heavy airplay, and even his B-sides like "Janey Don't You Lose Heart" and "Pink Cadillac" were constantly on the radio. In other words, Bruce was EVERYWHERE.
A friend of mine in gradeschool turned me onto Bruce's music. We were on the speech team in 8th grade. My aforementioned friend, Mike, for his speech recited the lyrics for "Backstreets." It was (and probably still is) his favorite Bruce Springsteen song. We all practiced our speeches for weeks. I remember going to see him recite the speech and he won. In fact, the rules stated that the students had to go to the podium with their speech written out. But Mike knew the words backword and forward. So that he would not be disqualified, our teacher wrote the lyrics out 15 minutes before the speeches were to begin, with Mike reciting it line by line.
"Backstreets is #3 on my favorite Bruce songs, trailing only "The Promised Land" and "Born to Run." While the electric version of the latter is phenominal, the acoustic version is every bit as good. It can be found here and on the "Chimes of Freedom EP" and "the Bruce Springsteen Video Anthology."
Born to Run (acoustic)
Goombah, i remember Springsteen mania back in 1984 very well. Even in the UK he was massive. He played 2 consecutive nights at St. James' Park,our local football stadium. Both of these were 30,000 sell outs and he donated some of his money to the miners who were on strike at that time!
A top man is the Boss!
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 01/27/09 03:27 PM
Goombah, i remember Springsteen mania back in 1984 very well. Even in the UK he was massive. He played 2 consecutive nights at St. James' Park,our local football stadium. Both of these were 30,000 sell outs and he donated some of his money to the miners who were on strike at that time!
A top man is the Boss!
Oh yes, Yogi, he was big around the entire world in 1984 & 1985. Nearly as big as Michael Jackson at the time. I saw a Max Weinberg interview once saying one of the highlights of the tour for him was playing Wembley Stadium on July 4th. He noted how ironic it was to have the British singing so loudly to the two opening songs: Independence Day and Born in the USA.
Do you have the Hammersmith Odeon performance from the "Born to Run" 30th anniversary release? It is a classic 1975 concert from your neck of the woods.
No Goombah, i don't have that version. Not yet anyway....
I saw the Boss at Old Trafford last year. Not only did I feel complete by finally seeing one of my all time favourite artists, but I also spat on the football ground of Man Utd. It doesn't get much better than that.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 01/27/09 04:07 PM
I bought it recently on Amazon for $25. Have seen it elsewhere for $40. It contains a digital remastered copy of the "Born to Run" cd, a retrospective special discussing the making of the album, plus a complete Hammersmith Odeon concert. It's terrific. I read that they are doing something similar to commemorate the 30th anniversary of "Darkness on the Edge of Town" in the not-too-distant future.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 01/30/09 04:00 PM
Here is a funny story how
Rolling Stone brought down the Vegas betting on which Springsteen songs would be played at the Super Bowl halftime show.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/in...r-bowl-betting/I think Bruce will play the following on Sunday:
Working on a Dream
The Rising
Born to Run
American Land
Posted By: klydon1
Re: Springsteen - 01/30/09 06:33 PM
Here is a funny story how
Rolling Stone brought down the Vegas betting on which Springsteen songs would be played at the Super Bowl halftime show.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/in...r-bowl-betting/I think Bruce will play the following on Sunday:
Working on a Dream
The Rising
Born to Run
American Land
This has become a popular activity - guessing the 4 songs. I'm going to guess that he starts with Glory Days because it's lively and appeals to casual and non-Springsteen fans. It's a song everyone knows.
Next will be Working on a Dream. Three years ago the Rolling Stonesopened with Start Me Up, followed by a new song. This seems the best place for a song from the new CD.
The third song may be the Rising as it is inspiringand uplifting. I would like to see him do Badlands, Rosalita or Thunder Road, but they're lengthier (at least the latter two) and it's still about the game.
I'm thinking Born to Run has to be the finale. Heck, that song could be the National Anthem.
I'm hoping he doesn't make any political statements during the show. Yeah, most of us were thrilled by Obama's innaugural, but the Super Bowl isn't the place we want to hear someone's political beliefs.
This could be one of the great half time shows. I was a little disappointed by the Rolling Stones three years ago and last year's Tom Petty. One of the better ones I remember was Aerosmith, who was joined by Britney Spears, about whom I knew very little then, and one of the boy pop bands of the time. And I thought U2 right after 9/11 was the best, to date.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 01/30/09 07:52 PM
If I were a betting man, I would be shocked if there were any political statements. It will be a pedal-to-the metal, high energy performance. with encore type of material from a regular concert. I don't know whether he should kick it off with "Born to Run" or end the show with it.
"American Land" has a rowdy, Irish-folk song type of feel to it. He has played it in the encores for the past two tours. The lyrics are flashed on the big screens so that everyone could sing along. I think the song is a strong possibility. Click this to see what I mean. This version was without the E Street Band but still very good:
American Land live from Dublin Speaking of memorable halftime shows, Klydon, SI.com has this collage on its website:
Top 10 Most Memorable Halftime Performances
Posted By: klydon1
Re: Springsteen - 01/30/09 08:45 PM
Thanks for the links, goombah. The Springsteen one was outstanding and made me want to raise a pint of Guinness. I wouldn't mind seeing that on Sunday.
I also went through the SB performances. I'm sure you remember Super Bowls where the half time shows weren't broadcast. It all started with Michael Jackson, I guess.
The show that fell flat on its face wasn't listed. Do you remember when Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi and John Goodman did a Blues Brothers show. That was tough to watch.
I agree that Springsteen is going to do it right on Sunday. It's going to be a memorable show. I hope the Steelers are ahead by 17 at half time so I can enjoy the show.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 01/30/09 09:43 PM
Klydon,
Not only do I remember when the halftime shows were not what they are today, but I am old enough to remember the games starting at a reasonable hour: 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. EST.
I don't recall the "Blues Brothers" thing, but I am sure it tied in with the "Blues Brother 2000" movie with Goodman. That concept sounds painful, let alone watching it!
Was the game always on the same network years ago or did it bounce around like it does in the modern era? For some reason, I feel like Madden has been calling many Super Bowls (first with Pat Summerall) since the Stone Ages.
Posted By: klydon1
Re: Springsteen - 01/30/09 10:57 PM
Klydon,
Not only do I remember when the halftime shows were not what they are today, but I am old enough to remember the games starting at a reasonable hour: 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. EST.
I don't recall the "Blues Brothers" thing, but I am sure it tied in with the "Blues Brother 2000" movie with Goodman. That concept sounds painful, let alone watching it!
Was the game always on the same network years ago or did it bounce around like it does in the modern era? For some reason, I feel like Madden has been calling many Super Bowls (first with Pat Summerall) since the Stone Ages.
Throughout the 70s and into the 80s it alternated between CBS and NBC. I remember early afternoon Super Bowls where they would lead into golf telecasts (I can't imagine watching golf after a Super Bowl :)).
The first prime time Super Bowl was CBS Dallas/Denver (1978 I think), and I remember how surreal it felt to see a football game played on Sunday night, let alone a Super Bowl. I would say that it was the mid-70s when the popularity of the Super Bowl started to take off and become an event more than a championship. The Jets winning III would certainly be a crowning moment in '69 though. There would be a variety show on Saturday night before the game called "Super Night at the Super Bowl." It was probably in the mid 80s when the "Super Bowl Party" came into vogue.
Anyway, I didn't mean to get off the topic of Springsteen.
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 01/30/09 11:43 PM
Rumor is
Tenth
WOAD
BTR
Glory Days
I found WOAD to have its moments --- it's ok but I'm not sure that it's that cohesive. There are very good spots ("Outlaw Pete", "What Love Can Do", "The Wrestler") and awful spots ("Queen of the Supermarket" - joke song or not, "Surprise, Surprise", the title track) but it is one of his most creative and I can't fault him for taking a step forward (but back in time) with his sound. I love Spector...so I dig some of this stuff, but I'm not sure he can ever top "Born to Run" with that wall of sound production, but how could he...that song was painstakingly looked after --- 12 guitar overdubs or something?
I must say though, kudos to Bruce and Brendan O'Brien for not making this record so damn compressed. It's lush at times, even.
Posted By: Longneck
Re: Springsteen - 01/31/09 10:27 PM
"American Land" has a rowdy, Irish-folk song type of feel to it. He has played it in the encores for the past two tours. The lyrics are flashed on the big screens so that everyone could sing along. I think the song is a strong possibility. Click this to see what I mean. This version was without the E Street Band but still very good:
American Land live from Dublin The only version I can find is live...I hate crowd noise. Like the song though.
Posted By: Don Smitty
Re: Springsteen - 02/01/09 02:01 AM
Cant wait to see the Boss perform tomorrow. Hope he pulls out some of his older work.
ds
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 02/01/09 02:51 PM
Yeah, "American Land" is a nice little rowdy tune, but I was so relieved to get "Kitty" right after it because
1) it's "Kitty"
2) I don't love "American Land."
Posted By: olivant
Re: Springsteen - 02/01/09 08:32 PM
By the way, quite a few years ago Adam Sandler did an impression of Springsteen on SNL at the beginning of the program. I forget who was hosting. I think it might have been Courtney Cox. Anyway, does anybody recall what Springsteen song Sandler sang?
Posted By: Longneck
Re: Springsteen - 02/01/09 09:30 PM
Posted By: olivant
Re: Springsteen - 02/02/09 05:09 AM
Grazie.
By the way. How 'bout them Steelers!
Posted By: klydon1
Re: Springsteen - 02/02/09 01:47 PM
The Steelers and Springsteen both put the "super" in Super Sunday.
The Steelers and Springsteen both put the "super" in Super Sunday.
They certainly did Klyd
I enjoyed the little clip they showed of Bruce talking about his upcoming show. He talked about the guy heading off late,getting lost,stopping at a bar for directions before getting there 2 hours and 48 minutes late. "The 12 minutes he would see are what you are going to see" said Bruce. Steve van Zandt was laughing his head off behind him
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 02/02/09 02:42 PM
The only thing I watched in regard to the Super Bowl was the halftime show and I was disappointed. I would have rather heard 3 songs with all the verses rather than 4 abbreviated songs. I loved the energy and the enthusiasm, but taking verses from each of those songs left them kind of hollow. Plus, I loathed the gospel singers on "Working on a Dream." There is nothing even remotely like that on the actual recording.
Longneck, there is a studio version of "American Land" on iTunes and on a re-release of the "We Shall Overcome" cd. But that is a song meant to be heard and played live.
Posted By: dontomasso
Re: Springsteen - 02/02/09 02:45 PM
It was a 12 minute halftime show. I thought the Boss was great.
It was a 12 minute halftime show. I thought the Boss was great.
I'll second that!
Posted By: Dylanite9
Re: Springsteen - 02/03/09 05:25 AM
Boss was great last night. How he started 10th ave was too intense. I just saw a great show from him and the e street band in nashville this past year and just got my tickets today for a show in Atl IT'S BBBBBOOOOOOSSSSSS TIME!!!!!!!!
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 02/03/09 02:14 PM
I just scored tickets to see Bruce in NJ. I can't wait for the road trip and what should be a terrific show. It says "Izod Center," which I assume is new corporate new for what was the Meadowlands.
Good for you Goombah. I know you will be looking forward to that!
Posted By: Longneck
Re: Springsteen - 02/03/09 08:36 PM
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 02/03/09 09:55 PM
I just scored tickets to see Bruce in NJ. I can't wait for the road trip and what should be a terrific show. It says "Izod Center," which I assume is new corporate new for what was the Meadowlands.
Congrats Goombah. When is the big event?
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 02/04/09 01:11 PM
The show I am going to is on a Saturday in mid-May.
The way I figure it, this might be the last tour of the E Street Band, at least in the current configuration. Their keyboard player Danny Federici died last April. Clarence Clemons was sitting on a stool on stage,has to use a cane off-stage, and is almost 70. Then Bruce himself is almost 60. I can't imagine that this same group of musicians will be playing together for many more years to come.
Goombah, how are you?
Sounds wonderful. I have no doubt you'll have a great time. Concerts are wonderful when you are seeing one of your favorites.
TIS
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 02/04/09 02:43 PM
Maybe you can meet some of the BBer's while you are in NJ.
I didn't realise Clarence was nearly 70
I just thought he was the same age as Bruce,give or take!
I have asked my good lady for the new album as a little Valentines Day gift. We will see?
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/26/09 02:05 PM
This past Saturday, two longtime friends and I drove to New Jersey to see Bruce and the E Street Band perform in the Meadowlands, NJ complex (formerly Continental Airlines and formerly Brendan Byrne Arena). Seeing Bruce in his native NJ was on par with witnessing the Pope give mass at the Vatican or seeing the Beatles in Liverpool.
We tailgated for a few hours before the game and took in the atmosphere. It was a great time. Then the show itself was the best Springsteen concert I have been to in-person. The setlist contained old songs dating back to his first two records, new material, classics, rarities and cover songs. He played "Glory Days" in the next-to-last encore with a few bars of "Louie Louie" thrown in for good measure.
Here is the write-up on one of Bruce's online fanzines called "Backstreets.com":
Good evening, neighbors!" said Bruce at this second of two Meadowlands arena concerts, "I'm so glad to be in the swamps of Jersey tonight—I'm so glad to be home!" (Despite the close proximity to home, Patti had to miss this one; "I have a young daughter who's on tour also," Bruce said for his "Kingdom of Days" dedication to the missus, "so Patti's with her tonight.") Tonight was not only a homecoming show, it marked the end of the tour's first leg—two months to the day after the first rehearsal show in Asbury Park— and it closed things out with a bang, a serious contender for the best of the leg. An electric performance, with ten different songs from Thursday night and a focus on material from the early days—including no less than three from The Wild, the Innocent, & the E Street Shuffle.
"Spirit in the Night" came out early, but the first real shocker was "Something in the Night"—an audible, no less—in slot four. Sort of a strange transition from there into "Out in the Street," but let's not nitpick, "Something" was just a classic performance, passionately delivered. As for covers, "Good Lovin'" subbed back in for "Raise Your Hand" as the sign collection song, but Bruce again steered the requests themselves straight down E Street. "E Street Shuffle" was Wild & Innocent cut number one. "Cover Me," a perfect fit with themes Bruce has been bringing to the fore in the past couple months, finally got its tour premiere, and "Thunder Road" closed out the requests.
Following "Promised Land," it was W&I number 2, another tour premiere: "Incident on 57th Street." Just a stunner. It started a little fast, but led to outstanding intrumental work at the end, Bruce's guitar solo outro and Roy's piano coda lighting the place up. Several showgoers remarked that, at a certain point during the show, the whole thing just went into the stratosphere for the second half—every band member on it, the current flowing. You might pinpoint that moment right here.
By the encore, that current was flowing through the entire crowd, too—everyone up for "Born to Run," all hands in the air for "Land of Hope and Dreams." W&I number three was an incredible "Kitty's Back," the best in recent memory, with spotlight again on Bruce and Roy, each with extended solos. Tonight really seemed to be about going the extra mile—look to "Johnny 99" as well, which was extended as Bruce and Steve took their time milking the crowd.
Bruce thanked "all our friends and neighbors for their longtime support of the E Street Band," and during the intros we got a "Max is back!" holler, the elder Weinberg having played the whole show, and Clarence got a "Theme from Shaft" vamp from the band. The legendary E Street Band? "That's fucking right!" But of course, there was no way this sucker was ending with "American Land" tonight. "Are you trying to test me?" Springsteen asked the roaring crowd. "The turnpike is closed—nobody goes home!" And from there into a one-two punch, "Glory Days" and a "Mony Mony" that had the whole place going nuts. And just before calling it a night, Bruce again mentioned the wrecking ball coming for Giants Stadium—but not before the E Street Band takes a few more whacks at it. "We'll see you in the fall!"
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 05/26/09 09:13 PM
The DJ at Becky & Frank's wedding reception played a couple Springsteen's songs. It made me think of you Goombah.
Posted By: klydon1
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/09 02:36 AM
Glad you had a great time, goombah.
Last week he played at Hershey Stadium, not the arena that I had earlier mentioned. My friend, who spent time before, during and after the concert said he had his picture taken with Springsteen and some other nonband people. He said that Bruce told them to make themselves at home.
He also said the concert was amazing. Hershey has a noise ordinance after 10 or 11 pm. Most concerts go past that time, so the town collects a $10,000 fine every time the concert goes late. My friend delivered the fine prior to the concert. It's like paying a speeding ticket before you get into the car.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 05/27/09 05:00 PM
Wow, I think that would have been very cool to take a picture with Bruce. I have heard that he is a very down-to-earth guy despite his incredible wealth and popularity.
That's a nice little money scam they have going with the noise ordinance fines. If they can get the money for the city and use it properly, more power to 'em.
The New Jersey Foodbank was at the show I attended and collected before and after the performance. It was posted that they raised $135,000 on that night alone. I would estimate attendance at around 20,000 people, so that translates into collecting an average of $6.75 per person.
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 07/24/09 03:06 PM
Essentially a year later and I guess I've become a mega fan.
Just scored a GA for Lauderdale and seats for Tampa...let Boss Time begin.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/24/09 05:17 PM
Nice, Don Andrew. I'm sure you will have a great time. I assume this is your first show of the current tour? Bruce is mixing up the songs quite a bit on the European leg of the tour right now:
http://www.backstreets.com/setlists.html. I would have paid $85 to just see him do "Loose Ends" live in Italy on night two and "Streets of Fire" on night three.
Seats for the Cleveland show go on sale next month. I'm looking forward to it, but cannot imagine that it could possibly top the NJ show I went to on May 23rd.
Going to see him again in October, saw him in May great show. me and my wife are in this picture from May. I have seen him around 2 dozen times starting in 1981. Never a disappointment.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/26/09 01:22 AM
Where are you in the picture, Daigo Mick?
I was listening to a few Bruce songs while running this morning and it got me thinking. He has quite a few songs that have one or more fantastic lines. Here are some of my favorites, would love to hear what others think about their own.
"There's a war outside still raging/you say it ain't ours anymore to win/
I want to sleep beneath peaceful skies in my lover's bed with a wide open country in my eyes and these romantic dreams in my head" - No Surrender
"Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king/And a king ain't satisfied till he rules everything/I wanna go out tonight, I wanna find out what I got" - Badlands
"Is a dream a lie if it don't come true or is it something worse?" - The River
"God have mercy on the man who doubts what he's sure of" - Brilliant Disguise
"Now I work down at the carwash where all it ever does is rain/Don't you feel like you're a rider on a downbound train" - Downbound Train
"Now down below and pullin' on my shirt I got some kids of my own/Well if I had one wish in this god forsaken world kids/It'd be that your mistakes would be your own" - Long Time Comin'
"My father said "Son, we're lucky in this town/It's a beautiful place to be born
It just wraps its arms around you/Nobody crowds you, nobody goes it alone." - Long Walk Home
"Mister I ain't a boy, no I'm a man/And I believe in a promised land" - Promised Land
"I'm riding down Kingsley figuring I'll get a drink/Turn the radio up loud, so I don't have to think" - Something in the Night
"You're born with nothing and better off that way/Soon as you've got something they send
someone to try and take it away" - Something in the Night
Posted By: Don Andrew
Re: Springsteen - 07/26/09 04:04 AM
Yeah, I got "Loose Ends" in Jacksonville last year...didn't really appreciate it until a little bit after though.
As far as lyrics go...boy there's a ton. I always found his transition from the wide eyed and VERY wordy idealism in the earlier records to the simpler yet potent stuff on the records after that very interesting. You can pretty much trace the Asbury Park to Hollywood path and back by listening.
My sig, of course...
Lost in the Flood is really his first epic and it's simply INTENSE live. It'd be a dream to get that live, no doubt.
"He tried sellin' his heart to the hard girls over on Easy Street
But they sighed 'Johnny it falls apart so easy and you know hearts these days are cheap'" -
Incident"You're born into this life paying
for the sins of somebody else's past
Daddy worked his whole life for nothing but the pain
Now he walks these empty rooms looking for something to blame
You inherit the sins, you inherit the flames" -
Adam"Tonight I'll be on that hill 'cause I can't stop
I'll be on that hill with everything I got
Lives on the line where dreams are found and lost
I'll be there on time and I'll pay the cost
For wanting things that can only be found
In the
darkness on the edge of town"
"You sit and wonder just who's gonna stop the rain
Who'll ease the sadness, who's gonna quiet the pain
It's a long dark highway and a thin white line
Connecting baby, your heart to mine" -
The Ties That Bind"Baby there's nights when I dream of a better world
But I wake up so downhearted girl
I see you feeling so tired and confused
I wonder what it's worth to me or you
Just waiting to see some sun
Never knowing if that day will ever come" -
Jackson Cage"Now I don't know what it always was with us
We chose the words, and yeah, we drew the lines
There was just no way this house could hold the two of us
I guess that we were just too much of the same kind" -
Independence DayThe last verse of
Bobby Jean and
This Hard Land; I've always thought that
Dancing in the Dark was a brilliant song lyrically.
None But the Brave also a very sad tune, similar in theme to
Backstreets and
Bobby.
Tunnel of Love...pretty much in my top 5 Bruce albums, his most mature work and lyrically sublime. It's unfortunate...HT/LT feature a few songs that were squandered in the studio but are saved in alternate performances. Namely...the wonderful lyrics of
Real World, a song that ONLY works on solo piano.
Human Touch was executed pretty well though...maybe the only song from that period that is as good as stuff off of TOL. Oh, and the '99/'00 arrangement of
I Should Fall Behind works too.
"Men walkin' 'long the railroad tracks
Goin' someplace there's no goin' back
Highway patrol choppers comin' up over the ridge
Hot soup on a campfire under the bridge
Shelter line stretchin' round the corner
Welcome to the new world order
Families sleepin' in their cars in the southwest
No home no job no peace no rest" -
The Ghost of Tom Joad"I don't even know why, I don't know why I made this call
Or if any of this matters anymore after all
But the stars are burnin' bright like some mystery uncovered
I'll keep movin' through the dark with you in my heart
My blood brother" -
Blood Brothers"Now Terry's pop says these kids are some kind of monsters
But Terry says "No, pop, they're just plain heroes" -
Zero and Blind Terry"We're born in this world, darling, with few days and trouble never far behind
Man and woman circle each other in a cage
A cage that's been handed down the line
Lost and running 'neath a million dead stars
Tonight let's shed our skins and slip these bars" -
Happy"Trees on fire with the first fall's frost
Long black line in front of Holy Cross
Blood moon risin' in a sky of black dust
Tell me Baby who do you trust?
The fuse is burning
Shut out the lights" -
The FuseThe Wrestler,
Devil's Arcade,
Last Carnival,
What Love Can Do all great lyrics.
Whew. Feel like I'm on Backstreets instead of the BB.
Where are you in the picture, Daigo Mick?
I am to the right of Springsteen's right hip, my mouth is covered by the person in front of me. My wife is slightly to the right and down, she is giving the boss a look.
Very nice picture DMF. You really had great seats.
TIS
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/27/09 01:12 PM
Yeah, I got "Loose Ends" in Jacksonville last year...didn't really appreciate it until a little bit after though.
As far as lyrics go...boy there's a ton. I always found his transition from the wide eyed and VERY wordy idealism in the earlier records to the simpler yet potent stuff on the records after that very interesting. You can pretty much trace the Asbury Park to Hollywood path and back by listening.
My sig, of course...
Lost in the Flood is really his first epic and it's simply INTENSE live. It'd be a dream to get that live, no doubt.
Whew. Feel like I'm on Backstreets instead of the BB.
Nothing wrong with feeling like Backstreets, Don Andew! Or, to borrow a phrase: "It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive."
I take it that, by your lyrics you listed, that
The River is one of your favorites?
My response to your comments: While never having seen "Lost in the Flood" live either, I agree that it's a great live song. So glad it was on the
Live in NYCDVD. That has always been my favorite song on
Greetings.
I love the way Bruce used to talk about the stained relationship with his father in songs like "Adam Raised A Cain" and "Independence Day," which later evolved into "Walk Like a Man."
The verse you listed for "Darkness on the Edge of Town" might be the summary of Springsteen's songwriting style and his on-stage demeanor.
I think that starting with
Born to Run, through
Darkness, The River, Nebraska, Born in the USA, and Tunnel, Bruce Springsteen might have made 5 of the best consecutive albums in rock history. Not necessarily the best, but among the elite. Each one of those records was downright brilliant and defining moments, all for different reasons. I would put them right alongside all of the important works of Dylan, from
Beggar's Banquet through
Exile on Main Steet by the Rolling Stones, and
Led Zeppelin I through Houses of the Holy.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/29/09 01:49 PM
Just saw this on Rolling Stone's website:
Bruce Springsteen Playing All of “Born to Run” in Chicago The story goes on to say that he may play other albums in their entirety in subsequent stops of the tour. An unconfirmed rumor was that Bruce would play a different album in its entirety for each of the Giants Stadium shows.
I would loooooove to hear either the
Darkness or
Born in the USA albums when he comes to Cleveland (obviously, I would not be upset with
Born to Run, either).
Posted By: Longneck
Re: Springsteen - 07/29/09 05:17 PM
Well now everything dies baby that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Well I got a job and tried to put my money away
But I got debts that no honest man can pay
The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
You and me we were the pretenders
We let it all slip away
In the end what you don't surrender
Well the world just strips away
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 07/29/09 07:09 PM
Wow, I apologize Longneck. I had no idea your daughter was born on 5/17. Congrats! I don't frequent all of the threads on a regular basis. My sincerest (but late) best wishes to you, Mrs. Longneck, and baby Molly!
No go listen to "Living Proof" off of Bruce's Lucky Town to hear his take on the joy of seeing your child enter the world.
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 11/16/09 09:07 PM
The Boss was in town last Tuesday, playing the Born to Run album in its entirety. It was a fun, energetic show, although I was pretty tired from work going to a weeknight concert.
Bruce played for 3 straight hours. One thing I have been disappointed about from this tour is the sparse playing from his latest record "Working on a Dream." Granted, he has a 35 year old catalog, but this is the first time he has ever played so little from new material. The only downer of the show was the horrific "Back in Your Arms." Probably one of the few songs in the Springsteen catalog I strongly dislike.
Best moments for me were "10th Avenue Freeze Out," "Meeting Across the River" into "Jungleland," a surprising "Pink Cadillac," and the perfect way to end the night: "Rosalita."
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 11/16/09 10:09 PM
Goombah, did you hear about
this?
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 11/17/09 01:50 PM
Yes I did. Hey, it proves the guy is human. He's now 60 - he can sluff it off as a "senior moment!"
Posted By: dontomasso
Re: Springsteen - 11/17/09 03:46 PM
what does a Jersey guy know about the midwest?
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 11/17/09 04:47 PM
Yes I did. Hey, it proves the guy is human. He's now 60 - he can sluff it off as a "senior moment!"
Maybe he wanted to be in Ohio
Posted By: SC
Re: Springsteen - 11/17/09 04:51 PM
Yes I did. Hey, it proves the guy is human. He's now 60 - he can sluff it off as a "senior moment!"
Maybe he wanted to be in Ohio
Mig, he's getting forgetful, not stupid.
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 11/17/09 05:00 PM
Posted By: goombah
Re: Springsteen - 11/17/09 05:43 PM
He did it last week. It would have been far better if he had done it this week - during the days leading up to the Ohio State vs. Michigan game.
Posted By: Mignon
Re: Springsteen - 02/04/10 06:21 PM
Posted By: MaryCas
Re: Springsteen - 02/05/10 02:29 AM
What a guy. I guess his lawyer needed a few bucks.