That little voice in my head's all that keeps me from sinking down come sundown... Bruce Springsteen - Sundown
Bruce Springsteen's releases since the 1980's have been somewhat uneven. I think his 2 best albums since his run of great albums, are 2002's The Rising and 2019's Western Stars.
The Rising struck the right chord after the horrific events of September 11, 2001 (911). The album was somber, but somehow uplifting. It was easily one of the best albums of that decade.
Western Stars was a complete unexpected genre change and complete winner. I read interviews where Bruce said that he wanted to release different types of music. In 2006 he released an album of traditional folk music sans The E Street Band. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions sounded like it would have been at home at a 1960's hootenanny. Then in 2022 he released Only the Strong Survive, an R&B covers album. The album was solid, but maybe not spectacular.
On Western Stars Bruce hit his stride... in cowboy boots. The album is a throwback to 1970's west coast sounds of the music of Glen Campbell / Jimmy Webb. The songs are lush and full and contain stories about loners and drifters.
Glory days, yeah they'll pass you by, glory days; In the wink of a young girl's eye... Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days
I was in my early twenty's when Glory Days came out. It seems like yesterday and it has passed in a wink. I have been reading the new Springsteen biography Born to Run and just wanted to say that it is fascinating to hear the history of E Street. Some of the stories are familiar, but I feel like I am hearing them anew because they are in context with the related events. If you are a fan, reward yourself and read the book.
I was in town was to watch the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, house-rcoking, earth-quaking, booty-shaking, viagra-taking, love-making, the legendary E Street Band! Bruce an the gang played the great venue The YUM! Center in down town Louisville. The show was special, not only did they play the entire The River album, but an additional 15 songs to boot. The band seemed to be in great spirits, really enjoying themselves.
Setlist: Meet Me in the City The Ties That Bind Sherry Darling Jackson Cage Two Hearts Independence Day Hungry Heart Out in the Street Crush On You You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch) I Wanna Marry You The River Point Blank Cadillac Ranch I'm a Rocker Fade Away Stolen Car Ramrod The Price You Pay Drive All Night Wreck on the Highway Badlands No Surrender Lonesome Day Because the Night She's the One Human Touch The Rising Thunder Road * * * Born in the U.S.A. Born to Run Dancing in the Dark Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) Shout Bobby Jean
I know a pretty little place in Southern California down San Diego way; There's a little café where they play guitars all night and all day... Bruce Springsteen - Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Bruce Springsteen was at the peak of his musical genius in the 1970's. The video below is from The Darkness on the Edge of Town Tour and filmed on July 8, 1978 at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona. The video captures the fun and power of these Springsteen shows.
Sparks fly on E Street when the boy prophets walk it handsome and hot... Bruce Springsteen - The E Street Shuffle
Finally The E Street Band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the recipient for Musical Excellence this past week. This was long overdue, but all is well now down on E Street.
The E Street past and present consists of Roy Bittan, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Nils Lofgren, Vini Lopez, Patti Scialfa, David Sancious, Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg, and Steven Van Zandt.
Einstein is scratchin' numbers on his napkin;
Shakespeare says, “Man, it’s just one and one makes three;
That’s why it’s poetry”... Bruce Springsteen - Frankie Fell in Love
Bruce Springsteen albums are really hard to review, because he set the bar so high in the 70's and 80's. I think it's only fair to compare apples and apples and look at the albums from 2002's The Rising and forward.
I've always thought The Rising is a great record united by the 911 theme and a fairly recently reunited E Street Band, with both Little Steven and Nils Lofgren together. The album sounded fresh with an emotional edge. The songs were strong lyrically and musically.
Since then the releases have a been more spotty; for ever great song Girls in Their Summer Clothes, Long Walk Home, Life Itself and This Life; there were duds likeQueen of the Supermarketor even Radio Nowhere. There have also been some good songs, not great songs likeWorking on a Dream and We Take Care of Our Own; there have been some good ideas that didn't work so well like Outlaw Pete; and some ordinary songs like Land of Hope and Dreams.
On High Hopes Bruce has changed it up a bit; we get a little bit of everything from cover songs, songs that were previously released and re-recorded and a few new compositions to boot. For the most part, I think the idea works well.
Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine fame) plays guitar on the majority of the tracks. He and Bruce match vocals on a remake of the Springsteen solo song The Ghost of Tom Joad. The track sounds remarkably fresh. American Skin (41 Shots) and Dream Baby Dream both finally get polished studio versions. The light hearted Frankie Fell in Love sounds as if it could have been on Tracks (Bruce's great unreleased music). The Wall, a sequel of sorts to Born in the U.S.A., is quiet eulogy to a fallen war vet presumably at the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Hunter of Invisible Game, Heaven's Wall and Down in the Hole are all winners.
It's early, but I think this may be Bruce's best since The Rising. It's superbowl Sunday and we all have High Hopes. Put this CD on and get excited (just avoid Harry's Place)...
Give me help, give me strength, give a
soul a night of fearless sleep; Give me love, give me peace; Don't
you know these days you pay for everything; Got high hopes... Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes Bruce Springsteen's new CD makes it's debut tomorrow; Bruce Springsteen is releasing his 18th studio album High Hopes.
When the change was made uptown and the Big Man joined the band; From the coastline to the city all the little pretties raise their hands... Bruce Springsteen - Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Back a few weeks ago The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame officially announced 2014's inductees. Nirvana, Kiss, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt. But the big news for me was that The E Street Band (finally) will be given the Award for Musical Excellence. This is long overdue, but welcomed.
The E Street Band have been around in some incarnation since Bruce Springsteen's beginnings. Clarence Clemons and Gary Tallent played on Bruce's debut in early 1973 Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Danny Federici came on board later in that year on The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle. In 1975 Steven Van Zandt, Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg were added on the great Born to Run album. Nils Lofgren and Patty Scialfa joined later. We recently lost 2 of the original guys in Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons. No other group of people deserve this award more than this outfit. Way overdue, but well earned.
Additional The Beatles manager Brian Epstein and original Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham will both receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performers.
Tonight there's fallen angels and they're waiting for us down in the street; Tonight there's calling strangers, hear them crying in defeat. Let them go, Let them go, Let them go, Do their dances of the dead... Bruce Springsteen - Drive All Night
Glen Hansard, an Irish singer and a member of the folk duo called The Swell Season released an EP with the title cover of the great Bruce Springsteen ballad Drive All Night. This great cover includes the nephew of Clarence Clemons and current E Street member Jake Clemons, as well as Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Springsteen is a tough cover, but Hansard does the song justice. I also love how he plays homage to John Hiatt'sFeels Like Rain towards the end of the song; awesome...
Together we moved like spirits in the night (all night), in the night (all night)... Bruce Springsteen - Spirits in the Night
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played a three hour show in Louisville, KY saturday night at the KFC Yum! Center. The show was classic Springsteen, who seemed to be in a really good spirit. He was refreshlingly non-political and just focused on making it a fun night for all.
The music came from mainly his most recent album Wrecking Ball, while culling from 70's and 80's classics Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ thru Born in the U.S.A. and also 2002's The Rising.
Highlights included: (1) Hungry Heart, which included the audience sing along as well as Springsteen body surfing on the crowd from stage to main stage (2) Tenth Avenue Freeze Out with a fitting tribute to Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici; (3) Growing Up with help from an excited teenage boy (4) Waitin' On a Sunny Day with a sing along with three young boys and (5) The River, Rosalita, She's the One, Born To Run, Dancing in the Dark, Badlands, etc...
All in all, an excellent show; Bruce made the show fun for all who attended.
SET LIST
Shackled and Drawn; Lonesome Day; Hungry Heart; We Take Care of Our Own; Wrecking Ball; Death to My Hometown; My City of Ruins; Spirit in the Night; The E Street Shuffle; Streets of Philadelphia; Atlantic City; Because the Night; She's the One; Growin' Up; Open All Night; Darlington County; Waitin' on a Sunny Day; The River; The Rising; Badlands; Land of Hope and Dreams
* * *
Rocky Ground;Born to Run;Rosalita; Dancing in the Dark;Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Tonight I hear the neighborhood drummer sound; I can feel my heart begin to pound... Bruce Springsteen - No Surrender
I am going to see Bruce Springsteen at the YUM Center in Louisville, KY this weekend. This will be my 14th Springsteen concert. It all started in 1980 on The River Tour. After that show I was hooked!! Since that time I collected all his music and up until his recent 2 tours, I had seed them all; failing to see him only on the Seeger Sessions and Working On a Dream Tours, in which he came nowhere near my town. I have seen Bruce in 2 states and 4 different venues. Here's the list:
I'm gonna sit back right easy and laugh when Scooter and the Big Man bust this city in half... (Bruce Springsteen - Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out)
With the passing of Clarence Clemons, we now have lost two of our comrades on E Street (Danny Federici passed in 2008). I think it is time (way overdue) that the E Street Band are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
It is has been a bit confusing to me why they weren't incucted along with Bruce Springsteen in 1999, but on the other hand maybe Bruce deserved a night of his own. If that is the case then The E Street Band should have been inducted immediatley after that.
The rules for the eligibility of performers into the Hall are simply as follows:
Artists become eligible for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Criteria include the influence and significance of the artists’ contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll.
The Foundation’s nominating committee, composed of rock and roll historians, selects nominees each year in the Performer category. Ballots are then sent to an international voting body of more than 500 rock experts. Those performers who receive the highest number of votes - and more than 50 percent of the vote - are inducted. The Foundation generally inducts five to seven performers each year.
The E Street Band as we know it has been together at least since Born To Run which was released in 1975 (36 years ago). Nils Lofgren and Patti Scialfa didn't play in the E Street Band until the Born in the U.S.A. era around 1984 (still 27 years ago).
I can't think of a band not in the Hall that has had more influence on rock music; just look at today's young artists from The Hold Steady to The Gaslight Anthem.
Perpetuation of Rock and Roll? How many concerts do you have to play? By my count on the Born in the U.S.A. tour alone the band played over 140 shows.
So your honor I rest my case. Let's get a movement started to get these guys into the Hall, before we lose anymore of them.
May your strength give us strength; may your faith give us faith; may your hope give us hope; may your love give us love... (Bruce Springsteen - Into the Fire)
I just heard the news that Clarence Clemons passed away after having a massive stroke earlier in the week. Life is so precious and fragile like the house of cards that Bruce sang about in Living Proof. It's hard to imagine the E Street Band without Clarence, but their music will live on.
I'm countin' on a miracle,baby I'm countin' on a miracle,darlin' I'm countin' on a miracle to come through... (Bruce Springsteen - Countin' On a Miracle)
By now everyone has heard that Clarence Clemons has suffered a massive stroke earlier in the week. The news since has been cautiously positive, but our thoughts and prayers are with the Big Man.
From one of my all time favorite songs, my all time favorite sax solo - Clarence we love you man.
I bought a shirt uptown in Bloomindales and babe I tried to make the latest scene; Hitting cool just like Jimmy Iovine... (Bruce Springsteen - Ain't Good Enough For You)
Bruce Springsteen's classic album Darkness on the Edge of Town was released in 1978 and to my ears the album is a cohesive, flawlsess gem that flows seamlessly from side 1 through side 2 The songs are dark and bold, but also filled with honesty and hope. With that said I believe the right songlist was chosen for Darkness on the Edge of Town.
The new Darkness 30th anniversary box set was released back on November 16 and includes 3 cd's; the remix of Darkness and 2 cd's worth of unreleased songs recorded for the Darkness record (also released seperately as The Promise); 3 dvd's; including 2 live concerts and the making of Darkness. Needless to say this treasure trove of Bruce materials has been a blast digging through.
The Promise includes 22 songs and has taken a little bit to get the feel for and I must admit that on first listen I was bit disappointed because the songs didn't necessarily sound like Darkness songs. I thought the Darkness outtake's released on 1998's 4 cd set Tracks, sounded more like Darkness songs; Bring on the Night, The Iceman, Don't Look Back all have Darkness qualities about them. However, upon futher listens I have found The Promise to be a rewarding experience and have discovered the songs for what they are... outtakes from Bruce's most productive era. The Promise in an intriguing glimpse into the evolution of not only Darkness on the Edge of Town, but also Bruce & the E Street Band.
Some of the songs on The Promise, Bruce gave to other artists; Because the Night - Patti Smith; Fire - The Pointer Sisters; Rendezvous - Gary US Bonds; Talk To Me - Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. These songs are reborn here. Bruce's urgent singing matched with E Street' s muscle make these versions must listens.
Some of the songs are in different in forms; Racing in the Street ('78), Candy's Boy, Come On (Let's Go Tonight) - a cross between Factory and Johnny Bye-Bye. These versions are not up to the originals, but a fascinating listen nonetheless.
Some of the other songs should have been released on another album, maybe after Darkness and before The River; Save My Love is a great song; Ain't Good Enough, a 50's style rave up, is a highlight; Wrong Side of the Street is classic Bruce; Gotta Get That Feeling, Outside Lookin' In, It's a Shame, Breakaway, The Promiseare all fine songs.
I don't know how many more of these unreleased discs we will ever get out of Bruce, so I am going to appreciate The Promise now.
Pay no attention to them haters, because I will whip them all... (Young/Springsteen - Whip My Hair)
I drove over an hour last night to buy the Darkness on the Edge of Town box set. I haven't had time to digest it all (3 cds and 3 dvds). However in the meantime I just found this nugget on youtube. A classic from about 1975 or so, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen
Jimmy Fallon does a great Neil Young, that is so funny....
Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king and a king ain't satisfied till he rules everything... (Bruce Springsteen - Badlands)
I'm getting very exciting anticipating the Darkness on the Edge of Town Box Set due this Tuesday. Let me just say that Darkness is my favorite album, along with Born to Run, of all time. In honor of the release I thought I would review why this is such a classic album.
If you are at all familiar about Bruce Springsteen, you know that after the breakthrough of Born to Run in 1975, Bruce went through a court battle with his manager at the time Mike Appel. During this three year ordeal Bruce wrote and recorded a lot of material, but did not release anything until 1978 and his follow up was Darkness. If Born to Run was Bruce's grand statement, Darkness was the mature response.
I grew up in the album era of music and there was a certain art to formatting the song order. For example the lead songs on each side were important and set the stage for each side. Alot of records may have had one good lead track in which case the other side didn't get played as much. The closing track on each side was nearly as important. Both Darkness and Born to Run, more than any records, had great starting and ending songs on each side.
SIDE 1 Badlands - Classic Bruce; great lyrics, the band never sounded better, especially Max on this one, great clarence solo and guitar solo. A great song, that just inspires. The lyrics are classic; "I believe in the faith that could save me. I believe in the hope and I pray that some day it will raise me above these Badlands..."; this is always great in concert.
Adam Raised a Cain - This angst ridden ditty about the son returning home and realizing that "we're born into this life paying for somebody else's past". This is some of the most powerful vocals by Bruce ever caught on record. The guitar work is equally as impressive.
Something in the Night - The most underated Bruce song ever. I love this one. Bruce at his most emotional and vulnerable; "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". A great song to listen in a car; "I take her to the floor, looking for a moment when the world seems right".
Candy's Room - Awesome; this song hits you right in gut, with Gary Talents driving bass lines. The harmony singing with Bruce (by Bruce) makes the hairs stand up on your neck. The lyrics are great; you're not quiet sure if the singer is being cocky or just trying to convince himself; "She has fancy clothes and diamond rings, She has men who give her anything she wants, but they dont see, That what she wants is me".
Racing in the Street - This is the kind of song that Bruce is famous for, the story song. The song is beautiful ballad played on the piano; I love when the organ kicks in. The lyrics is a tale of street racer who meets a girl at one of this races. No happy ending here, they slowly drift away; "She sits on the porch of her Daddy's house, but all her pretty dreams are torn, She stares off alone into the night with the eyes of one who hates for just being born". Another cool thing about this song is that it is kind of the third in the street trilogy song: one being Martha & the Vandellas Dancing in the Street; two being The Rolling Stone's Fighting in the Streets. They all have the lyrics "summer is here and the time is right for _______ in the Street".
SIDE 2 The Promised Land - Side 2 opens with Bruce on the harmonica and the fantastic Promise Land. This song is so hopeful and looking forward,"Working all day in my daddy's garage, driving all night chasing some mirage, pretty soon little girl I'm gonna take charge" and "There's a dark cloud rising from the desert floor, I packed my bags and I'm heading straight into the storm, Gonna be a twister to blow everything down that ain't got the faith to stand its ground". Another concert favorite.
Factory - This is the second song on Darkness about Bruce relationship with his father. The story is about how the factory gave men like his father reason to get up in the morning, a reason to live, but at the same time it seem to take something from them, like their soul. This song really tells why Bruce was so inspired to become a rock and roll singer and writer.
Streets of Fire - A lot of Bruce's song on this album sound like movie titles. Case in point, Streets of Fire. This is another emotionally, raw nerve song. Bruce lays it all out there "I live now, only with strangers, I talk to only strangers, I walk with angels that have no place".
Prove It All Night - This song just explodes after the slower Streets of Fire. The lyrics are about living in this very moment "You hear the voices telling you not to go, they made their choices and they'll never know what it means to steal, to cheat, to lie what it's like to live and die". Another song that really comes to life in concert.
Darkness on the Edge of Town - A great closing song. Another song about laying it all on the line, everything, one moment; "Tonight I'll be on that hill 'cause I can't stop, I'll be on that hill with everything I've got, Well lives on the line where dreams are found and lost". Bruce with some incredible insight; "Well everybody's got a secret Sonny, something that they just can't face, Some folks spend their whole lives trying to keep it, They carry it with them every step that they take, Till some day they just cut it loose, Cut it loose or let it drag 'em down".
May your strength give us strength; May your faith give us faith; May your hope give us hope; May your love give us love... (Bruce Springsteen - Into the Fire)
This is a music blog and not a political blog, but as an American this day needs to be remembered always. Freedom is a wonderful and we take it for granted.
With that said back to the music; in 2002 Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band released an album that was sort of a tribute to those that fell on that horible day. The album was the first with the E Street gang since 1985. The Rising was a beautiful statement, hitting the right tone, speaking of the courage and strength of those who died.
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... (Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town)
Finally we get word on the release date that I have been really excited about all year. Columbia records will release the 3 cd/3 dvd set The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story from Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band on November 16. Disc 1 is a remastered Darkness on the Edge of Town. Discs 2 & 3 are unreleased music from this era. DVD disc 1 is the documentary on the making of the album. DVD discs 2 & 3 are live music from the Darkness era, as well as a recent show that featured all Darkness music.
First of all let me say that Darkness on the Edge of Town was originally released in 1978. I did not hear it until around 1980 after I really started getting into Springsteen. Since this time my favorite album of all time has sort of alternated between Darkness and Born to Run.
Two discs of unreleased material will be the most exciting Springsteen release since Tracks in 1999. I expect this one will be in my cd player in my car and on my ipod for a long time. Read more about it here.
Two hearts are better than one; Two hearts get the job done; Two hearts are better than one... (Bruce Springsteen - Two Hearts)
Bruce Springsteen has played with many other artists over the years. He has played the likes of Roy Orbison, Gary U.S. Bonds, Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Moore, artists that certainly influenced him. He has played with his contemporaries like Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp, R.E.M., U2, John Fogerty, to name a few. He has also shows up on occasion with the next generation of artists including Jessie Malin and most recently The Gaslight Anthem.
Some of these collaborations turn into recordings. It seems like the frequency of this has increased as of recent years. Bruce sings on a new track from AlejandroEscovedo's excellent new record Street Songs of Love and on the song Faith.
Here is a partial listing of some recent tracks that Bruce has appeared on:
The rules for the eligibility of performers into the Hall are simply as follows:
